By . Wills Robinson . Schoolchildren are boosting their exam grades by saying they have a headache or hayfever before sitting the paper. An increasing number of GCSEs and A-Level students are applying for 'special consideration' and receiving an additional one or two per cent on their total mark by claiming to have an injury or illness. More than 374,000 requests for extra marks were granted this summer, or nine in every 10 papers put forward, an increase of 13 per cent on last year. Abuse of the system? Nine out of 10 pupils who asked for 'special consideration' were granted it this summer (posed) Pupils can claim up to five per cent more more on their grade for issues including a concussion, 'minor upset' or by claiming a noise disturbed them during the exam. Under current rules, pupils can be given an extra one per cent for a headache or 'minor upset', two per cent for hay fever, but just five per cent for the recent death of a close family member or if their parents are terminally ill. One per cent - Noise during the exam, illness suffered by another candidate causing a disruption, minor ailments, headaches or 'minor upset arising from administrative problems'. Two per cent - Recovering from a broken limb, concussion, hay fever on the day of the exam and extreme stress. Three per cent - Recent death of a close friend or distant relative, flare-up of congenital conditions such as epilepsy, physical trauma before an exam, domestic crisis and witnessing a 'distressing event' on the day of the exam. Four per cent - Life-threatening illness, car accident, major surgery near the exam date and death of an extended family member. Five per cent - Terminal illness of the pupil or parent, recent death in the close family and a 'serious domestic crisis'. According to the figures released by exam regulator Ofqual, the number of children receiving extra marks has increased by 20 per cent in five years, despite a drop in the number of exams being taken. Chris McGovern, a former head teacher and chairman of the Campaign for Real Education told The Daily Telegraph there will be some children with genuine reasons for receiving the extra marks, but others will be abusing the system, and fears a 'racket' will be created as a result. He said: 'I think we have to have a thorough investigation into this because exams need to be fair to all children and you can't have a situation where a few benefit and others don't.' The figures show 415,200 requests were made and 90 per cent were approved, accounting to three per cent of all exams taken in schools across the country. It was also revealed that 135 schools were issued with penalties for giving candidates extra . time, inappropriate invigilation or bungling the handling of test . papers in exams over the summer. This was an almost . fourfold increase on 2011 and a four per cent increase on last year - . although exam watchdog Ofqual, which released the figures, admitted many . cases went unreported. The conduct of one test centre was considered so serious that it was stripped of the right to offer public exams. The vast majority - 128 - were given written warnings. Malpractice also soared among individual members of staff, from 60 instances last year to 97 this year. A quarter were banned from taking part in future exams or assessments and a similar proportion were issued with special conditions. Action was taken in nearly two-thirds of cases for giving ‘inappropriate assistance to candidates’, such as translating questions on a foreign language paper. Malpractice also soared among individual members of staff, from 60 instances last year to 97 this year (posed) Other reasons include coaching or prompting candidates in the exam room or allowing them extra time to finish a paper. The . rise in cheating in the 6,000 schools and colleges where exams are sat . occurred despite a seven per cent decrease in the number of papers . marked. They are under increasing pressure to perform well, amid a crackdown on grade inflation and demands for a higher proportion of pupils to achieve at least five good GCSEs to avoid possible closure or being converted into an academy. Teachers have also been entering teenagers early and on multiple occasions for GCSEs to maximise their chances of scraping a C grade or higher. The government has now cracked down on this practice by saying only the first attempt will count towards school league tables. The way schools performance is measured is also being changed. Cheating and other inappropriate behaviour by pupils also rose slightly by 1.6 per cent on last year to 2,590 cases. This ranged from attempting to pass or receive information in the exam room to bringing in a mobile phone or other electronic device and causing disruption. Just over half were docked marks and one in five were told they would not be awarded a qualification. The statistics also revealed a slight drop in the number of candidates given official permission to have more time to complete exams, known as access arrangements. Ofqual demanded a crackdown last year which saw applications fall around 5,000 to 123,248 this year. Approvals were also down, from 96 per cent to 95 per cent. Chief regulator Glenys Stacey said she would be ‘looking in more detail at those significant differences in access arrangements and special considerations’. She added: ‘Malpractice remains a big concern. It is not always identified and identified malpractice is not always reported, so the figures cannot ever present a complete picture.’
GCSE and A-Level students can gain up to five per cent on their paper .
Can be given one per cent for headaches and two per cent for hay fever .
But can only receive five per cent for the recent death of a family member .
Number of candidates granted 'special consideration' up by 13 per cent .
By . Wills Robinson . Schoolchildren are boosting their exam grades by saying they have a headache or hayfever before sitting the paper. An increasing number of GCSEs and A-Level students are applying for 'special consideration' and receiving an additional one or two per cent on their total mark by claiming to have an injury or illness. More than 374,000 requests for extra marks were granted this summer, or nine in every 10 papers put forward, an increase of 13 per cent on last year. Abuse of the system? Nine out of 10 pupils who asked for 'special consideration' were granted it this summer (posed) Pupils can claim up to five per cent more more on their grade for issues including a concussion, 'minor upset' or by claiming a noise disturbed them during the exam. Under current rules, pupils can be given an extra one per cent for a headache or 'minor upset', two per cent for hay fever, but just five per cent for the recent death of a close family member or if their parents are terminally ill. One per cent - Noise during the exam, illness suffered by another candidate causing a disruption, minor ailments, headaches or 'minor upset arising from administrative problems'. Two per cent - Recovering from a broken limb, concussion, hay fever on the day of the exam and extreme stress. Three per cent - Recent death of a close friend or distant relative, flare-up of congenital conditions such as epilepsy, physical trauma before an exam, domestic crisis and witnessing a 'distressing event' on the day of the exam. Four per cent - Life-threatening illness, car accident, major surgery near the exam date and death of an extended family member. Five per cent - Terminal illness of the pupil or parent, recent death in the close family and a 'serious domestic crisis'. According to the figures released by exam regulator Ofqual, the number of children receiving extra marks has increased by 20 per cent in five years, despite a drop in the number of exams being taken. Chris McGovern, a former head teacher and chairman of the Campaign for Real Education told The Daily Telegraph there will be some children with genuine reasons for receiving the extra marks, but others will be abusing the system, and fears a 'racket' will be created as a result. He said: 'I think we have to have a thorough investigation into this because exams need to be fair to all children and you can't have a situation where a few benefit and others don't.' The figures show 415,200 requests were made and 90 per cent were approved, accounting to three per cent of all exams taken in schools across the country. It was also revealed that 135 schools were issued with penalties for giving candidates extra . time, inappropriate invigilation or bungling the handling of test . papers in exams over the summer. This was an almost . fourfold increase on 2011 and a four per cent increase on last year - . although exam watchdog Ofqual, which released the figures, admitted many . cases went unreported. The conduct of one test centre was considered so serious that it was stripped of the right to offer public exams. The vast majority - 128 - were given written warnings. Malpractice also soared among individual members of staff, from 60 instances last year to 97 this year. A quarter were banned from taking part in future exams or assessments and a similar proportion were issued with special conditions. Action was taken in nearly two-thirds of cases for giving ‘inappropriate assistance to candidates’, such as translating questions on a foreign language paper. Malpractice also soared among individual members of staff, from 60 instances last year to 97 this year (posed) Other reasons include coaching or prompting candidates in the exam room or allowing them extra time to finish a paper. The . rise in cheating in the 6,000 schools and colleges where exams are sat . occurred despite a seven per cent decrease in the number of papers . marked. They are under increasing pressure to perform well, amid a crackdown on grade inflation and demands for a higher proportion of pupils to achieve at least five good GCSEs to avoid possible closure or being converted into an academy. Teachers have also been entering teenagers early and on multiple occasions for GCSEs to maximise their chances of scraping a C grade or higher. The government has now cracked down on this practice by saying only the first attempt will count towards school league tables. The way schools performance is measured is also being changed. Cheating and other inappropriate behaviour by pupils also rose slightly by 1.6 per cent on last year to 2,590 cases. This ranged from attempting to pass or receive information in the exam room to bringing in a mobile phone or other electronic device and causing disruption. Just over half were docked marks and one in five were told they would not be awarded a qualification. The statistics also revealed a slight drop in the number of candidates given official permission to have more time to complete exams, known as access arrangements. Ofqual demanded a crackdown last year which saw applications fall around 5,000 to 123,248 this year. Approvals were also down, from 96 per cent to 95 per cent. Chief regulator Glenys Stacey said she would be ‘looking in more detail at those significant differences in access arrangements and special considerations’. She added: ‘Malpractice remains a big concern. It is not always identified and identified malpractice is not always reported, so the figures cannot ever present a complete picture.’
increasing number of GCSEs and A-Level students are applying for 'special consideration' and up to five per cent more more on their grade for upset', two per cent for hay fever, but just five per cent for the recent death of a close family slight drop in the number of candidates given