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.

[BerkshireMum]

The problem is that so many teachers choose to enter pupils for examination in the summer term, which is full of exams, school trips, etc which need to be avoided. There don't seem to be nearly the same difficulties in the Nov/Dec or Mar/Apr sessions. I think you're right that the Board will have to introduce some kind of booking system, but then people will probably moan that they can't all have the last three weeks of the session, or the system will crash as everyone tries to be on the website in time to have a full choice of dates.

[sbhoa]

The problem is that so many teachers choose to enter pupils for examination in the summer term, which is full of exams, school trips, etc which need to be avoided. There don't seem to be nearly the same difficulties in the Nov/Dec or Mar/Apr sessions. I think you're right that the Board will have to introduce some kind of booking system, but then people will probably moan that they can't all have the last three weeks of the session, or the system will crash as everyone tries to be on the website in time to have a full choice of dates.

Is a booking system going to be more complicated to work when all centres are not equal?

[linda.ff]

Is a booking system going to be more complicated to work when all centres are not equal?

DO you mean "of equal capacity"? They would need to be equal to the number of candidates applying to take the exam there at any one time under the present system, wouldn't they? Has anyone ever been turned down for an exam because there's no room at that centre?

In Cambridge we've always taken them at the music shop in King's Hedges Road, and although my one from yesterday had it there, my other seven, on July 4th, are being examined at one of the independent schools. So maybe they're overloaded here.

It's interesting, in the light of the number of people apparently switching to TG, or doing as I do, and choosing the route best suited to each pupil individually. (I shall be adding LCM come Chirstmas as well)

[sbhoa]

Is a booking system going to be more complicated to work when all centres are not equal?

DO you mean "of equal capacity"? They would need to be equal to the number of candidates applying to take the exam there at any one time under the present system, wouldn't they? Has anyone ever been turned down for an exam because there's no room at that centre?

In Cambridge we've always taken them at the music shop in King's Hedges Road, and although my one from yesterday had it there, my other seven, on July 4th, are being examined at one of the independent schools. So maybe they're overloaded here.

It's interesting, in the light of the number of people apparently switching to TG, or doing as I do, and choosing the route best suited to each pupil individually. (I shall be adding LCM come Chirstmas as well)

I was thinking more along the lines of running for the whole exam session.
With published exam dates you can't blame people who are not 'in the know' for thinking that this means exams run between these dates wherever you are.
TG's information is not as easy to find but the rep list does tend to tell you which dates exam are on at each centre.