Not the week I wanted, Not the service I needed Options

[Rockmeamadeus]

I asked for the last week of the exams for a reason, this year - three of my students are on school trips. My appointements came back as last week in June (Three weeks before the last week). Guess what, one student is away and the other two will have travelled back by coach from France the day before their date.

In the past the board has been good dealing with the odd problem but this is - a. the first time I've not got the week I wanted and b. the first time they have been unable to find me alternatives at the local centre.

I've been offered appointements over 30 miles away in two cases and 40 miles away in another in order to accompodate these pupils.

I asked for the last week for a good reason - if the board are going to give us a choice of weeks they need to honor it. We do pay through the nose for our 15 mintutes!

Finally - when I got my appointments I trried and tried to get through on the phone - in the end I had to sort it out using Email -which is much more stressful.

I'm sorry to say that I sense cut-backs.

[LizzieT]

I'm encouraging pupils more and more to go for Trinity Guildhall. Each exam centre has a fixed week or two in which the exams will be held and you can stipulate any days which are impossible for your student. It's so simple - and you get more flexibility with the supporting tests.

[sbhoa]

I'm encouraging pupils more and more to go for Trinity Guildhall. Each exam centre has a fixed week or two in which the exams will be held and you can stipulate any days which are impossible for your student. It's so simple - and you get more flexibility with the supporting tests.

Or a 'not before' option as well as 'last available date' though that one is maybe more open to misuse for those who don't plan to have students prepared by the start of the exam session.
Just somewhere to note unavailable dates could help. This and last available date should be taken notice of.
Where it's not possible to avoid unavailable dates it would be good if people could be informed and given the option to withdraw without payment.

[JudithJ]

...Where it's not possible to avoid unavailable dates it would be good if people could be informed and given the option to withdraw without payment.

I'm sure that they have a horrendously difficult job to arrange all the exams. However, if they started offering the option to withdraw without payment then I'm sure that they'd soon have so many withdrawals that they'd realise the requirement to put in some sort of online booking system that permitted you to choose your day at the time of booking.