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Pupils: Allergies

Volume 463: debated on Tuesday 24 July 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) if he will commission research on the performance of pupils with hay fever at (a) GCSE and (b) A level; and if he will make a statement; (150818)

(2) if he will take steps to ensure that advice is provided by the Joint Council for Qualifications to examination centres on provision to be made for those affected by hay fever during an examination.

I am satisfied that the current arrangements are sufficient to ensure that students who suffer from hay fever are not disadvantaged in taking general qualifications such as GCSEs and A levels. Under the annual regulations and guidance on Access Arrangements and Special Consideration produced by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) on behalf of the awarding bodies, candidates who suffer from hay fever on the day of an examination may apply via their examination centre for “special consideration”, which can result in an increase in their marks by up to 2 per cent., depending on the circumstances. The JCQ sends these regulations each year to all examination centres and they are also available on the JCQ's website.