I think the extra time is essential in some A-level exams where it is a struggle to finish the paper for people who don't suffer from dyslexia or dyspraxia, but if the system is abused and candidates who have no conditions are allowed extra time, then that gives them a serious, and unfair advantage.

T. Mentre, London, England

I suggest that more time and money should be spent on supporting multi-sensory, disability friendly teaching and less on accusing parents who are probably genuinely concerned about their children's education given the state of the mainstream education system.

As extra time does not give students the answers to the questions set in exams and merely serves to make up for the pupils' processing difference, is this debate and review really necessary when there are bigger fish to fry.

Suzanne , Nottingham, England

It would be good if some of the time and money spent 'helping' older dyslexic students in this way, and with DSA allowances at university, were spent on helping 5-7 year olds showing signs of dyslexia. No, it does not go away but, with the right input, many children can be taught to overcome their difficulties and with individual input they might not need access arrangements in exams later. More importantly, perhaps we could prevent some of these frustrated and damaged children from dropping out of school in their teens and often becoming a crime statistic. I'm a specialist teacher who spends too much time writing reports for extra time in exams and not enough working with kids!

Julie , Buckingham, UK

This exploitation has been going on in private schools for years! I remember years ago my daughter (private girl school)coming back home fr school and telling me that she was puzzled as to why a number of her classmates were given extra 20 mins during their 11+ exam because of some medical conditions. She had been in school with them since age 5+ and had never known them to have any reading or writing difficulties. Coincidentally many of these girls have parents in the medical profession!

Josephine P, middlessex,

What's the problem? None of these qualifications are worth a carrot. Kids with Phd's can't get decently paid jobs with some form of prospects. Cheating is becoming endemic within the education system both on the part of parents and schools. These exams now mean very, very little to the academic world, they know exactly what's going on.

judy, Liverpool, England

Surely having an A level should mean a certain level of ability in that subject. If extra time is needed that level has not been reached. Shouldn't employers/universities know that extra time/help has been given?

maggiemay, oban,

Isnt the truth that better schools are more likely to uncover learning difficulties such as dsylexia, which qualify a student for more time in exams?
What these 'rumours' show more than anything is that state schools are falling further and further behind under this Labour government.

Peter, newquay,

It is not the affluence of middle class parents that gains the priveleges, but their greater awarenss of their children's needs and their determination to exploit the situation.

Terence Kay, Angmering, United Kingdom

It would seem to me that Dyslexia and other 'learning disabilities have been pushed to the fore, mostly as an excuse for fallingstandards and exceptionally bad behaviour.

Also, I suspect that that a clinical cause for misbehaviour in school has been sought by professionals eager to find reasons for the continuing faliure of state education despite the plethora of their edicts being handed down within the system.

The truth is that education is failing in Britain because of the failure to impose discipline (especially the withdrawal of corporal punishment as a deterrent to errant behaviour).

When Labour and their limpet-like professionals finally receive the sack they should be replaced by non-professionals who are interested to see their children and those of others - succeed/

What odds will someone give me? Do I hear 100 to 1?

Edwin, Bucharest,

The other side of the coin is the distress and persistent bullying that can accompany a condition like dyspraxia - which is often not picked up by teachers who think simply think the child is not trying. Diagnosis of this condition has been relatively recent, and it can show up very clearly in two particular aspects of the standard IQ test where the child scores significantly worse than in the other components. My son has dyspraxia and it has been a nightmare - people who make comments like Jason Kennedy have no idea what's involved. To get the extra time or keyboard use is dependent on a detailed assessment by an educational psychologist - I don't see how it is possible to "abuse" the system if you have to be assessed by an expert.

Suzie Joseph, Sevenoaks,