What is Special Consideration?

Special Consideration is a post-examination adjustment to a candidate’s mark or grade to reflect temporary injury, illness or other indisposition at the time of the examination/assessment.

Special consideration can only seek to go some way to assist a candidate affected by a potentially wide range of difficulties, emotional or physical, which may influence performance in examinations. It cannot remove the difficulty faced by the candidate. There will be situations where candidates should not be entered for an examination.

Who is Eligible for Special Consideration?

Candidates will be eligible for special consideration if they have been fully prepared and have covered the whole course but performance in the examination, or in the production of controlled assessment or non-examination assessment, is materially affected by adverse circumstances beyond their control. These include:

• Temporary illness or accident/injury at the time of the assessment
• Bereavement at the time of the assessment (where whole groups are affected, normally only those most closely involved will be eligible)
• Domestic crisis arising at the time of the assessment
• Accidental events at the time of the assessment such as being given the wrong examination paper, being given a defective examination paper or CD, failure of practical equipment, failure of materials to arrive on time
• Participation in sporting events, training camps or other competitions at an international level at the time of the assessment, e.g. representing their country at an international level in football or hockey
• Failure by the centre to implement previously approved access arrangements for that specific examination series

How to submit a request for special consideration

Email the Exams Officer: stephanie.walters@saffronvalleycollegiate.co.uk giving as much information as possible, but be clear and concise. You need to explain and give evidence about when and how the circumstances impacted on your academic performance.

It is also important that you state clearly when you had problems and which assessments or exams were affected by your circumstances. A good way of doing this can be to write a table of events with dates.

If your extenuating circumstances are health related you can provide a letter from your doctor, counsellor, psychiatrist or other health-care professional. It is important that you see a health specialist whilst you are ill, as retrospective diagnoses cannot be made.

In the case of ongoing conditions, such as depression, you should obtain a medical note even if the condition has been affecting you for some time.

Supporting evidence is only used in one academic year. If you wish to re-apply for your extenuating circumstances in the next academic year then the up to date evidence will be required.