Partially Sighted and 11+

[pinkrabbit38]

I am tutoring a girl for her 11+ (2016 test) who only has sight in one eye. Do you think she would be entitled to any extra time in the test or any other considerations? Thanks

[Tinkers]

Does she get any considerations at school for tests etc? If so she might have a good case.


Is the sight in her good eye dimished in anyway? If it's fine then I suspect not.

[doodles]

Have pm'd you.

[kenyancowgirl]

As Tinkers says, the 11+ use similar regulations to considerations given for external (e.g. GCSE/A level) exams. If the girl would warrant extra time for those then she may be eligible - certainly, at the very least she should be entitled to have the paper blown up larger than A4. However, just having no sight in one eye, if the other is fine, if this is how it has always been, then she is unlikely to be given extra time - if it is a recent loss and she is still adjusting she might be. Certainly the County Council Admissions are the people to speak to in the first instance.

[RedVelvet]

Also sent a pm.

[loobylou]

I know someone in this exact position. She did not request extra consideration nor receive any (but I don't think it even occurred to her parents since she doesn't class as partially sighted).

[Tolstoy]

My niece and my DH can't see out of one eye and both have to correct their good eye with glasses. Neither has had allowances in exam situations, nor needed it.

[MedievalBabe]

Pmd you about our experiences and enlarged papers.

[doodles]

Visual impairment is very individual and a condition that one person copes with may have a very different impact on another.

Glasses do not always correct vision fully and it's often about bringing an individual's vision up to "the best possible level" that can be achieved. So although a child can read at 100 % accuracy often the speed at which they read is very reduced and the effort needed is hugely tiring. It can also be hard for a VI child to read a part of a paragraph, look away to write an answer and then spot where they were at in the text, often resulting in them having to go back to the beginning and start reading again. In these circumstances extra time is invaluable as are magnifying aids and enlarged texts and books.

Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately children often learn to "cope" because they don't want to be thought of as "different" by their mates. This is particularly true as they get older and the desire not to stand out from the crowd gets stronger. However, coping brings its own problems and can mean that they don't get the help they need or are entitled to.

I would speak to the senco and seek an assessment, the worst they can do is say "no" but a few extra minutes in exams may make all the difference. The earlier a VI is addressed and strategies become part of the child's normal modus operandi the better.

[pinkrabbit38]

Thanks all for the pm's and comments. Going to get the parents to talk to Senco at school and also look at getting bigger font etc