This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament
Rejected petition End marks for spelling in exams and stop discrimination against dyslexia.
Stop penalising pupils and students in exams for making spelling mistakes.
Being able to spell a word isn't a measure of understanding its meaning or knowing how to use it in context.
Being able to spell does not reflect either ability or knowledge, it is simply a matter of luck.
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Marking individuals down for spelling, disadvantages and punishes them for having dyslexia.
Dyslexia can be considered a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and penalising spelling mistakes could be discriminatory.
Focussing on spelling as a measure of success isn't a fair assessment; it perpetuates misconceptions about dyslexia, undermines the confidence of those who have it and potentially limits their life chances.
This is not about 'dumbing down' - it is about reasonable adjustments.
This petition was rejected
Why was this petition rejected?
It’s not clear what the petition is asking the UK Government or Parliament to do.
Petitions must call for a specific action that the UK Government or House of Commons is responsible for. Decisions about marking exams are a matter for individual schools and exam boards, not the Government or House of Commons.
Under the Equality Act 2010 schools and education authorities already have had a duty to provide reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils. You can read more about this duty here: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/reasonable_adjustments_for_disabled_pupils_1.pdf
If you think you might have been treated unfairly and want further advice, you can contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service: https://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/
We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.