'I am fighting for my life, not my GCSEs': Eastbourne school children with cancer react to exam petition
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Nigel Jewell, who is James’ father and a deputy headteacher at St Catherine’s College, said if a child misses an exam because of an illness they are marked as absent and if they do attend they only receive an extra five per cent as a special consideration.
Lara, 16, said: “I am fighting for my life, not my GCSEs.”
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Hide AdThe Ratton School student added: “I have spent my whole life, since I was four-years-old, trying to work for these exams and trying to do the best I can.
“There is nothing I can do about it [having cancer]. I didn’t choose to have it.”
Lara’s mother Sophia Kyprianou, who is an English teacher at Seaford Head School, said there is ‘no logic’ to the current rules.
She added: “She cannot revise because she is too tired. It is unbelievable that this doesn’t exist for children who are potentially dying.”
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Hide AdCavendish School student Jake Whillock, who was found to have a rare brain tumour in June 2022, said he is also against the current rules.
He explained: “I think it is quite stupid. They shouldn’t do that, it’s just unfair.
“It has worried me a bit because I know I am not going to do as good [as if I was well].”
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Hide AdJake’s mother Sandie Buckland said the petition is a ‘brilliant’ idea.
She added: “He [Jake] was offered to resit year 11 next year. He doesn’t want to restart. He he has been pushing himself to get through it and sit his exams.
“Jake wants to sit all of his exams but he missed some of his mocks. His education is important but his health comes first so he shouldn’t be hindered for missing exams.”