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School unsuitable as Exam Centre

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  • 11-04-2013 5:29pm
    #1
    Prodigious
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,827 ✭✭✭


    Our school at the moment is undergoing a huge extension, so the place is basically a building site.

    The place where the exams normally take place is the assembly area, but this year, with the building, the roof will be off the school so naturally we can't sit it there. (Fine by me, they use small, rickety tables there anyway)

    So now we're sitting it in the prefabs, split among about 10 rooms. This is fine by me, as the tables are bigger and there will be more space, less people, etc.

    However, the construction will be continuing for the duration of the exams, which is a huge distraction. We sat our mocks in this area of the school, and the noise was very distracting. Constantly diggers, cranes, etc making noise, as well as builders walking to and fro.

    Is there anything we the students can do?

    I will be going around with a petition tomorrow anyway, but are there any official rules or anything?

    -P


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    #2
    Legion.
    Registered Users Posts: 401 ✭✭Legion.


    Hmm interesting predicament. I don't know of any official rules and although you intend to go around with a petition do you have any possible solutions to the problem in mind?

    In our school the main hall is used for the junior cert exams, so us LCs are dotted about the school in various classrooms and all we'll have to deal with is the noise of junior certs leaving after their exams. Doesn't sound bad, but I know it will drive me up the wall at the time.


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    #3
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,168 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    One year when ours were sitting their exams, the local council decided to hack up a huge stretch of pavement under the windows of the rooms the students were in. One phone call from the Principal got it stopped for the duration of the exams.

    There are certain standards that have to be met for an exam centre. The students should not have to be petitioning about this, the Principal should be sorting it.


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    #4
    Prodigious
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,827 ✭✭✭Prodigious


    spurious wrote: »
    There are certain standards that have to be met for an exam centre. The students should not have to be petitioning about this, the Principal should be sorting it.

    That's the problem, this is the principal's decision. Apparently they "considered" an offsite location, but decided that this was a better solution.

    Legion. wrote: »
    Hmm interesting predicament. I don't know of any official rules and although you intend to go around with a petition do you have any possible solutions to the problem in mind?

    In order of preference
    1. Stop the building for the duration of the exams. (6 hours a day roughly?)
    2. Offsite location.


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    #5
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,168 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Or they can wait until August when someone's smart Mammy or Daddy visits a solicitor and sues the builders/school/Principal and says their child's exam performance was adversely affected by the noise.


    Offsite location probably the cheaper option.

    It would only be 6 hours a day some days. Many days it would only be three hours as exams generally thin out after the first week or so.


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    #6
    Prodigious
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,827 ✭✭✭Prodigious


    So is my best course of action a letter with suggestions and a petition?


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    #7
    byhookorbycrook
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,487 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    Local school used a function room in a hotel due to a fire, so it's been done before.


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    #8
    rainbowtrout
    Registered Users Posts: 15,382 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    Are you certain that the construction work will be continuing during the exams or are you just assuming it will?

    I remember similar happening in my school years ago and construction was halted in June.


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    #9
    Prodigious
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,827 ✭✭✭Prodigious


    rainbowtrout wrote: »
    Are you certain that the construction work will be continuing during the exams or are you just assuming it will?

    I remember similar happening in my school years ago and construction was halted in June.

    100% sure. We were told that it definitely will. I protested on the spot but apparently cost is more important than the futures of 150 odd people.


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    #10
    rainbowtrout
    Registered Users Posts: 15,382 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    Prodigious wrote: »
    100% sure. We were told that it definitely will. I protested on the spot but apparently cost is more important than the futures of 150 odd people.

    Very unusual that a school would take that stance. The deputy principal went nuts one year when an icecream van pulled up at about 3pm each day one June with the music blaring. He went out and ate him and it stopped


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    #11
    Prodigious
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,827 ✭✭✭Prodigious


    The new principal doesn't really give a toss about the students. He wants his new school built as quickly as possible for him to look good, regardless of the consequences. Unfortunate but seemingly true.
    I will write a letter and have all the students in the year sign it. If nothing changes I'll write to the VEC and Dept.of Education.


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    #12
    IMightKnow
    Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭IMightKnow


    When they were re-building my old school the leaving certs got to do their exams in GMIT.

    So its not totally unheard of. It could have been a lack of somewhere to do them rather than a disturbance issue.


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    #13
    Miaireland
    Registered Users Posts: 4,063 ✭✭✭Miaireland


    Prodigious wrote: »
    The new principal doesn't really give a toss about the students. He wants his new school built as quickly as possible for him to look good, regardless of the consequences. Unfortunate but seemingly true.
    I will write a letter and have all the students in the year sign it. If nothing changes I'll write to the VEC and Dept.of Education.

    Have you spoken with the parents assosciation and the bord of management? I would do this as a first step.


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    #14
    Prodigious
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,827 ✭✭✭Prodigious


    Miaireland wrote: »
    Have you spoken with the parents assosciation and the bord of management? I would do this as a first step.

    Not yet. Will do though. Thanks for the advice.


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    #15
    Prodigious
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,827 ✭✭✭Prodigious


    Parents association and B.O.M had a meeting yesterday to make the decision. Nothing changed.
    Went to the principal today with over 100 signatures from the 6th years. Short answer was no.
    Anything else I can do?


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    #16
    Acciaccatura
    Registered Users Posts: 428 ✭✭Acciaccatura


    If I were you, I'd contact the SEC and see if they can't do anything about it and make your school provide you with a suitable exam centre. If oral examiners can make particular requests of the schools they visit I'm sure there has to be some regulations as to what can qualify as an exam centre. You can get contact details at http://http://www.examinations.ie/index.php?l=en&mc=co&sc=ct , maybe try the Exam Superintendents and Centres one first. Show them your petition, and don't forget to get 3rd years' signatures on your petition too!


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    #17
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,168 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Get the parents involved by getting signatures. Not just the select few who go on committees. You can bet your Principal wouldn't put up with those arrangements for their own children.


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    #18
    Prodigious
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,827 ✭✭✭Prodigious


    His argument is that schools in the city constantly have noise such as sirens etc?

    He claims that he has asked at other schools locally and that they do not have the space


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    #19
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,168 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Prodigious wrote: »
    His argument is that schools in the city constantly have noise such as sirens etc?

    He claims that he has asked at other schools locally and that they do not have the space

    I teach in a city centre. We might get one siren a day if we're lucky. It doesn't compare to the possibility of constant building noise.

    By looking elsewhere he has more or less admitted the arrangements are not satisfactory.
    Local hotels? GAA club hall? It doesn't have to be a school.

    Pressure can come from other sources, like local newspapers, who always like a local 'human interest' story. 'Builder's profits to be put before poor school children' kind of thing.


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    #20
    thesimpsons
    Registered Users Posts: 1,694 ✭✭✭thesimpsons


    I'd say its time to contact VEC. SEC, local media, and put a bit of public pressure on the school. I wouldn't normally be on the side of being very vocal against a school but it is really not acceptable having to put up with construction noise. its only a few hours a day when construction needs to stop. my son's school stopped during exam time last year


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    #21
    Chavways
    Registered Users Posts: 1,905 ✭✭✭Chavways


    When I was doing my LC last year the school was undergoing major renovations as well. The builders stopped when we started on June 6th and only returned when everyone had finished on the 22nd. I think they sort of have an obligation to stop making the noise or else there could be implications in the future.


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    #22
    Prodigious
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,827 ✭✭✭Prodigious


    Chavways wrote: »
    When I was doing my LC last year the school was undergoing major renovations as well. The builders stopped when we started on June 6th and only returned when everyone had finished on the 22nd. I think they sort of have an obligation to stop making the noise or else there could be implications in the future.

    This would be ideal.

    Going to send an email to SEC and VEC today, should I do it anonymously as to not get into bother?


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    #23
    Legion.
    Registered Users Posts: 401 ✭✭Legion.


    You're standing up for you and your classmates' future, be proud of that.


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    #24
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,168 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Prodigious wrote: »
    This would be ideal.

    Going to send an email to SEC and VEC today, should I do it anonymously as to not get into bother?

    Anonymous emails tend to be ignored.

    Just be polite and ask could they please look again at alternative arrangements as it is causing you and your classmates stress that you do not need.


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    #25
    MathsManiac
    Registered Users Posts: 1,595 ✭✭✭MathsManiac


    I think that the SEC would be quite concerned at what you have described.

    It is certainly not acceptable for any significant background noise to be going on during the aural exams for a start. This is what it says in the SEC's circular about the arrangements for aurals:

    "External noise should be eliminated to the greatest degree possible for the
    duration of the aural tests. Maintenance or renovation work being carried out
    in the school or school vicinity should be suspended for the duration of the
    examinations."

    When the exam superintendent arrives at a school on the day before the exam, one of the things they have to do is to satisfy themselves that the centre is suitable. The last thing anyone needs - including the school - is to have a superintendent stating at that point that they are not satisfied as to the suitability of the arrangements.

    As suggested earlier, if you can't get any satisfaction from the school, perhaps you could contact the SEC, explain the situation, and ask them to investigate the suitability of the centre and the arrangements for ensuring that there will not be excessive noise. I can't imagine they would refuse to investigate. It's in everyone's best interest to sort out the problem in advance.


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    #26
    Susie120704
    Registered Users Posts: 112 ✭✭Susie120704


    Appeal directly to the department of education and write to the Minister and to all local TDS and county councillors. Contact local media and of course Talk to Joe


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    #27
    dee_mc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,177 ✭✭✭dee_mc


    Before getting on the the SEC, VEC etc it would be courteous to inform the school principal that you intend to do so: I would recommend being as open and honest as possible with the powers that be within the school, I know you have only a few months left but you will probably be approaching the principal for a reference at some point so play nice!
    Best of luck with it, let us know when a decision is reached please


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