The Wallace High School | Prospectus 2023

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES TheSchool has academic

APPENDIX 1 Guidelines on the arrangements for Special Circumstances and Special Provision. “ExplanationofSpecial CircumstancesandSpecial Provision” Thepurposeof a claimfor Special Circumstances and/ or Special Provision is so that a child canbe assigned a score equivalent to that whichheor shewouldhave obtained in the transfer test, under normal conditions. Considerationof a claimfor Special Circumstances and/ or Special Provisionconsists of twoparts. The first requires the considerationofwhether there is, in the judgement of theAdmissionsCommittee of theBoardof Governors, sufficientmaterial topermit a child tobe consideredas havingSpecial Circumstances or attractingSpecial Provision, or both. If a child is permitted tobe consideredas having Special Circumstances or as attractingSpecial Provision or both, the secondpart of the consideration requires aneducational judgement tobemadeon the totality of thematerial presented to the AdmissionsCommitteeof the Boardof Governors so that a mark equivalent to thatwhich the childwouldhaveobtained in theAQECEAunder normal conditions canbe awarded. It is for parents topresent all suchmaterial as they consider will assist theAdmissions Committeeof theBoardof Governors inperformingboth parts of the consideration describedabove. It should benotedbyparents that both parts of the consideration referred to involve anexercise in judgement andnot precise calculation.

with theTransfer application.

• Where theproblemis a medical one, theAdmissions Committeewill require evidence of consultationwithamedical practitioner datedOctober or November 2022. • Where theproblemis of anon medical nature theAdmissions Committeewill require similar non-medical evidence. • Where theproblem, either medical or non-medical, is of a longstandingnature the AdmissionsCommitteewill require evidenceof the extent towhich theproblemwas exacerbatedduring theTransfer Test period • Thoseproviding suchevidence must be independent andnot related to thepupil onwhose behalf the application is being made. • TheAdmissionsCommittee also requires evidenceof the pupil’s academic capacity [see “Educational Evidence” below] If aSpecial Circumstances application ismade inrespect ofmatters forwhichAccess Arrangementsweregranted, the AdmissionsCommitteewill take intoaccount the fact thatAccess Arrangementsweregranted. If aSpecial Circumstances application ismade inrespect of a matter thathasaffectedonlyoneof the threeAQEtests, theAdmissions Committeewill take intoaccount the fact that the finalAQEscore is basedonthebest twoscoreswhich thepupil achieved inthe three tests. DETAILS OF MEDICAL OR OTHER PROBLEMS Where it is claimed that a child’s performance in theCEAhas been affectedby amedical or other problem, it is the responsibility of theparents to set out in the Forms (AQESC23orGLSC1) precise details of theproblemandmust appendevidence to corroborate its existence.

performance in transfer tests as its first criterion, subject only to the considerationofmedical or other problemswhichmayhave affected performance in the transfer test andwhichare supported bydocumentary evidenceof a medical or other appropriate nature. These ‘medical or other problems’ are commonly referred toas ‘Special Circumstances’. TheBandallocated to the applicant will bebasedon thedecision reachedby TheAdmissions Committee. Considerationof a claimfor Special Circumstances consists of twoparts. The first is determiningwhether sufficient independent evidence has beenprovided toallowa pupil tobe consideredas having undertaken theTransfer Tests under Special Circumstances. If Special Circumstances are granted, the secondpart is an educational judgement on the evidenceprovidedas towhether the score/Band shouldbe adjusted to reflect thatwhich thepupil wouldhaveobtainedhad the Special Circumstances not existed. GrantingSpecial Circumstances does not thereforemean that the score/Bandwill beupgraded automatically. It is important that parents/ guardians present sufficient independent evidence toenable theAdmissionsCommittee to make a judgement in respect of bothparts of this process. It is the responsibility of parents/ guardians to set out on the appropriate form, precisedetails of theproblem, append the relevant independent evidenceof its nature and its impact on thepupil’s performance in theTransfer Tests and to include the appropriate forms andaccompanying evidence

PAGE 24