'My daughter was ill during her A-levels. What can she do? She

EDUCATION QUANDARY

Hilary's advice

Exam boards have procedures for candidates who need special consideration because of illness, accident, trauma or crisis, including a ladder of allowances from 1 per cent of marks for a headache to 5 per cent for a terminal illness.

I presume that your daughter got a sick note for her tonsillitis and that the school's exam officer has notified the exam board of her illness within the suggested seven days - later applications are not guaranteed full consideration.

Don't panic. She and you should discuss with the school her various options available when her results come out. If she is close to her required grades, she should ring the university and press her case. Many are understanding about this sort of situation.

If not, and she doesn't want to go elsewhere, she will have to knuckle down and accept the harsh reality of resits next year. Your job will then be to help her deal with this. Encourage her to plan her gap year so that she ring-fences some time for studying and some for adventures. Be patient and sympathetic, but also clear about expecting her to step up to the plate and be positive about the change of plans.

As a parent of a child whose student years have been beset by chronic illness, I know how hard this can be. Parents badly want their children's lives to go smoothly. But sometimes helping a child to accept that life sucks and they must deal with it is the best you can do.

Readers' advice

I would advise your daughter to tell the university about her illness before the A-level results come out, and ask them what she should do when she gets her results. She should see if she can get the name of someone to contact on results day. That will show enterprise, and also, when everyone else is hitting the phones, it will help her get in quickly. Both my children talked their way on to their chosen courses, even though they missed getting their full grades.

Elsa Wingham

Warwickshire

Your daughter's situation shows just how bad the whole exam system is, where you are judged on how you perform on one day. One of my friends at school was phobic about exams and was sick all through them, and I had awful period pains on one of my worst exam days. No one took any of that into account. Now, at university, I feel I'm still being tested in the same way, whereas I should be being judged on my overall performance during my degree.

Lily Beveridge

Sheffield

I had to do a resit because I missed an exam. I got my timetable muddled up. I wasn't planning a gap year, but it was fantastic. I travelled in South America. At A-levels, I was immature, which is why I screwed up, but by the time I went to university my attitude had changed.

Mike Williams

Hertfordshire

h.wilce@btinternet.com

Next Week's Quandary

Dear Hilary,

Help! After her first year at secondary school, our 12-year-old daughter has become a rebel whose work is going backwards. At school, she is popular, super-confident and a handful for teachers. At home, she is cheeky, sarcastic and full of back chat. She needs bringing down to earth, but we are at a loss.

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