Tag Archive for: ADHD

Is My Child a Candidate for Accommodations and/or Concessions?

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If your child knows the work but seems to fall apart the moment a test or exam starts, you’re not alone – and you’re asking exactly the right question. Many parents don’t realise that struggling under assessment conditions is different from struggling with the actual content. That distinction is often the first clue to what kind of support your child might actually need.

Accommodations and concessions exist to give learners with genuine barriers to learning a fair shot at succeeding academically. But they solve two different problems – and it’s not always obvious which one applies to your child, or whether it’s really a tutor you need instead. Here’s how to start figuring that out.

difference between accommodation and concession

What’s the Difference Between an Accommodation and a Concession?

This is worth getting right, because the two terms get used loosely but mean different things:

Accommodations change how your child engages with or writes an assessment – not what they’re being assessed on. Extra time, a reader, a scribe, rest breaks, enlarged print, being allowed to type instead of write: all of these adjust the conditions of the exam itself, while the actual content and standard your child is measured against stays the same.

Concessions change what your child is required to study or be assessed on in the first place. Being exempted from a First Additional Language, or granted an exemption from Mathematics and  Mathematical Literacy, are concessions – they alter the curriculum or subject requirements, not just the writing conditions.

Put simply: if the support changes how your child sits an exam, it’s an accommodation. If it changes what they’re required to take at all, it’s a concession.

Many learners only ever need accommodations. Some need a concession as well. It depends entirely on the nature of the barrier.

Signs Your Child Might Need Accommodations

A few patterns tend to point toward an accommodation – support that changes exam conditions, not subject requirements:

  • They know the work at home but blank out in tests. If your child can explain a concept clearly the night before, but the mark doesn’t reflect that understanding, the gap may be in how the assessment is administered.
  • They run out of time, every time. Not occasionally rushing the last question – consistently unable to finish, even on content they understand well.
  • Reading or writing itself is the obstacle. If your child can discuss a topic fluently but struggles to get thoughts onto paper, or reading a question is where they stumble, a reader or scribe accommodation may be worth exploring.
  • Focus, not knowledge, is the issue. Some learners – often those with ADHD or who are on the autism spectrum – know the content but lose the exam to distraction, hyperfocus, or difficulty pacing themselves.
  • There’s a diagnosed or suspected physical or medical barrier. Vision, hearing, mobility, or a condition requiring breaks or medication during a long assessment.
  • Anxiety takes over. Some learners have the knowledge and the skills, but the pressure of the assessment itself derails their performance.
  • Spelling or handwriting quality is masking what they actually know. If untidy writing or spelling errors seem to be costing marks unrelated to the subject itself, that may be an accommodation issue.

Signs Your Child Might Need a Concession

Concessions are a different question entirely – this is about whether a specific subject or requirement is the barrier, not the exam conditions:

  • A specific subject is consistently and disproportionately difficult, in a way that seems tied to a diagnosed difficulty rather than lack of effort or support – for example, a learner with dyscalculia struggling with Mathematics specifically, regardless of how much support is in place elsewhere.
  • A language requirement is the primary obstacle, particularly where a First Additional Language is proving to be a barrier unrelated to overall academic ability.
  • The issue persists despite accommodations already being in place. If your child already has extra time or a reader and a specific subject is still consistently out of reach, that may point toward a concession conversation rather than a further accommodation.

Is It a Tutor I Need, or Accommodations/Concessions?

This is the question we get asked most often, and it’s a genuinely important one to get right, because these solve different problems.

A tutor helps when the issue is understanding the content. If your child hasn’t fully grasped a topic, is behind on curriculum, or needs to build confidence and skill in a subject, tutoring is the right tool – and often makes a real, measurable difference to marks over a term.

Accommodations help when your child understands the content but can’t reliably demonstrate it under standard exam conditions – because of how they read, write, focus, or manage time. Concessions help when a specific subject or requirement itself is the barrier, regardless of how much support is given.

For some learners, it’s a combination of all three. A learner with dyscalculia, for example, might benefit from Maths tutoring, an accommodation like extra time, and ultimately a concession from the standard Mathematics requirement if the barrier persists. These aren’t competing solutions – they can work together.

If you’re not sure where your child’s situation falls, that uncertainty is itself worth raising with a professional, rather than trying to resolve it alone.

Does It Matter Which School or Exam Body My Child Is Under?

Yes – and this trips a lot of parents up. Accommodations and concessions aren’t governed by one single set of rules. Whether your child is in a CAPS (public school), IEB (private school), or Cambridge/international curriculum changes:

  • Who assesses eligibility
  • What documentation is required
  • How the application is submitted
  • How long it takes to get a decision

The good news is you don’t need to become an expert in all of this yourself. Your first move is simply to find out which body governs your child’s assessments. Your school will know – and take it from there.

For the full breakdown of every accommodation and concession type, plus the step-by-step process for each curriculum, see our Ultimate Guide to Concessions and Accommodations.

What Happens If I Think My Child Needs to Apply?

Broadly, the path looks like this regardless of curriculum, and regardless of whether you’re pursuing an accommodation, a concession, or both:

  1. Start the conversation with your child’s school – their teacher, school counsellor, or head of phase can point you to the right internal process.
  2. Get a professional assessment, usually from an educational psychologist, if the concern relates to a learning, emotional, or behavioural barrier. Physical or medical barriers usually require a medical report instead.
  3. Submit the required documentation through your school or governing body, and allow time – this process is rarely instant.

This is a simplified overview on purpose. Every governing body has its own forms, timelines, and specific requirements, and getting those details right matters.

Once Support Is Approved – What Then?

If your child’s approved accommodation doesn’t require another person present – extra time, a separate venue, enlarged print – your school will generally implement this directly.

If your child is approved for an accommodation that requires a facilitator – a reader, scribe, prompter, or similar – the next step is finding the right person for the job. This matters more than it might seem: a facilitator isn’t just administrative support. Rather, they’re someone your child needs to feel comfortable and confident with in a high-pressure moment.

This is where BrightSparkz comes in. We’ve placed concession facilitators for learners for years, across CAPS, IEB, and tertiary institutions. Every facilitator we place is trained, vetted, and backed by a team – so if your regular facilitator can’t make an exam, you’re never left without support. Our experienced team has put together a blog on what facilitators want clients to know, if you’d like to learn more about the nitty-gritty. 

Not Sure Where You Stand? Start Here

If you’re still unsure whether your child needs an accommodation, a concession, a tutor, or a conversation with their school first. That’s completely normal – this isn’t always a clear-cut decision. It shouldn’t have to be one you figure out alone.

Get in touch with BrightSparkz Tutors and we’ll help you think through the right next step for your child.

Understanding ADHD: A Parent’s Guide to Symptoms, Types & Diagnosis

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If you’re here because something about your child’s behaviour has you wondering – a school report that doesn’t match how bright they seem at home, a teacher’s gentle suggestion, or a nagging feeling that things are harder for them than they should be – this guide is meant to help you make sense of what ADHD actually is, and what the process of finding out looks like.

What Is ADHD?

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It’s one of the most common barriers to learning among school-aged children, affecting an estimated 5.3% of people worldwide. It’s not a matter of a child being “difficult” or not trying hard enough – it’s a recognised neurodevelopmental condition that affects how the brain manages attention, impulse control, and activity levels.

Because it’s so common, it’s worth every parent, tutor, and educator having a working understanding of what it looks like and how it’s identified – not to self-diagnose, but to know when it’s worth having a proper conversation with a professional.

Understanding ADHD: A Parent's Guide to Symptoms, Types & Diagnosis

What Are the Symptoms of ADHD?

Here’s where it gets genuinely tricky: most young children get distracted, act on impulse, and struggle to sit still at some point. That’s normal childhood behaviour, not ADHD. Symptoms of ADHD usually appear early, often between ages 3 and 6, but because they overlap so heavily with ordinary development, they can be difficult to distinguish – which is exactly why a proper assessment matters rather than a checklist alone.

Symptoms generally fall into three categories:

1. Inattention – a learner may:

  • Be easily distracted, miss details, or frequently switch between tasks
  • Struggle to focus on one thing, especially something not immediately enjoyable
  • Have difficulty organising or completing tasks, or starting something new
  • Lose things needed for tasks (pencils, books, assignments)
  • Seem not to listen when spoken to directly
  • Process information more slowly than peers, or seem to daydream often
  • Struggle to follow multi-step instructions

2. Hyperactivity – a learner may:

  • Fidget, squirm, or struggle to stay seated
  • Talk excessively or seem constantly in motion
  • Have difficulty with quiet, still activities

3. Impulsivity – a learner may:

  • Struggle to wait their turn
  • Blurt out comments or act without considering consequences
  • Interrupt conversations or other people’s activities

Most children with ADHD show a mix of all three, though not always in equal measure – which is where the different types come in.

What Are the Different Types of ADHD?

Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive

Six or more hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms present, with fewer inattentive symptoms (though some may still be there).

Predominantly Inattentive

Six or more inattentive symptoms present, with fewer hyperactive/impulsive symptoms. This is the type most likely to be missed. These learners often sit quietly and don’t act out, so they can look like they’re simply “not paying attention” or “a bit of a daydreamer” rather than showing signs of ADHD – and it’s part of why girls, in particular, tend to be diagnosed later than boys. You can read more about ADHD in girls here.

Combined Type

Six or more symptoms in both categories – this is the most common presentation.

Why ADHD Gets Missed

Because inattentive-type ADHD doesn’t come with disruptive behaviour, it’s easy for parents and teachers to overlook. A learner who’s quiet and well-behaved doesn’t tend to raise the same flags as one who’s visibly restless, even if they’re struggling just as much to keep up.

At the same time, hyperactive-impulsive symptoms are sometimes mistaken for a discipline issue rather than a barrier to learning, particularly in younger children where higher activity levels are developmentally normal.

Both patterns mean ADHD can go unrecognised for years, which is why paying attention to persistent patterns – not isolated moments – matters more than any single behaviour.

How Is ADHD Diagnosed?

There’s no single test for ADHD. Instead, diagnosis in South Africa typically involves a registered educational psychologist (or a paediatrician who may refer you to one), who will gather information about your child’s behaviour across different settings and over time.

The process usually involves ruling out other explanations first, such as:

  • Hearing or vision problems
  • Sleep issues or other medical conditions affecting behaviour
  • Anxiety, depression, or other conditions that can mimic ADHD symptoms
  • A recent major life change (a house move, loss in the family, parents’ divorce) that could be causing temporary behavioural shifts

 

From there, the psychologist will typically look at:

  • Whether behaviours are long-term and extreme, not just occasional
  • Whether they show up more than in peers of the same age
  • Whether they appear across multiple settings – home, school, social situations – rather than just one

This is usually gathered through observation, questionnaires completed by parents and teachers, and sometimes cognitive or academic assessments to check whether a learning difficulty is also present.

What Happens After a Diagnosis?

A diagnosis isn’t an endpoint – it’s the start of knowing what kind of support will actually help. Depending on your child’s needs, that might include:

  • Tailored academic support. One-on-one tutoring, paced and structured around how your child’s brain works best, rather than a one-size-fits-all classroom approach.
  • Exam accommodations. Many learners with ADHD qualify for support such as extra time or a prompter during assessments – worth discussing with your school. You can also find more information on our quick blog here.
  • A clearer picture of exam-time challenges specifically. Some learners manage well day-to-day but really struggle when assessment pressure hits – see our guide on why ADHD symptoms often intensify at exam time.

If you’re trying to work out whether what you’re seeing at home fits this picture, or you’ve already got a diagnosis and are wondering what support looks like in practice, BrightSparkz’s neurodivergent tutoring approach is a good next step to explore.

Why Does My Child’s ADHD Seem to Get Worse at Exam Time?

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If your child manages reasonably well through the term – keeping up in class, getting homework done, coping day to day – and then everything seems to fall apart the moment exams or big assessments arrive, you’re probably not just imagining it. This is one of the most common patterns we see, and there’s a real explanation behind it.

ADHD during exam times

It’s Not That ADHD “Gets Worse” – It’s That Exams Demand Exactly What’s Hardest

ADHD doesn’t intensify overnight. What changes is the demand being placed on the parts of the brain ADHD affects most: planning, time management, working memory, and sustained focus under pressure – collectively known as executive function.

Day-to-day schoolwork is broken into smaller, structured chunks with regular check-ins from a teacher. Exams remove almost all of that structure at once: long stretches of independent, self-paced work, often across multiple subjects in a short window, with real stakes attached. For a learner whose executive function is already working harder than most just to keep up, that’s the exact combination that tends to expose the strain.

Why This Often Shows Up Specifically at Report Card and Prelim Time

A few patterns show up again and again around Term 2 report cards and Matric prelims in particular:

  • The gap between “knowing it” and “showing it” widens. Your child may understand the content perfectly when you go through it together, but freeze, blank, or run out of time the moment they’re sitting the actual assessment.
  • Studying itself becomes the obstacle. Revision requires self-directed planning – deciding what to study, when, and for how long – which is precisely the executive function skill ADHD makes hardest. It’s not unwillingness; it’s a genuine difficulty getting started and staying on track without external structure.
  • Time pressure amplifies everything. A learner who manages time reasonably well with support may completely lose track of pacing once they’re on their own in an exam venue.
  • Stress compounds the difficulty. Exam pressure adds an emotional-regulation load on top of an already-stretched attention system, which is part of why a capable learner can seem to “shut down” under pressure in a way that doesn’t match how they perform normally.

Is It ADHD, or Is It Just Exam Stress?

This is a fair question, and the honest answer is: it can be both, and they can worsen each other. Ordinary exam nerves are common in almost every learner. What tends to point specifically toward ADHD-related strain, rather than general stress, is a pattern where:

  • The struggle is disproportionate to how well your child understands the actual content
  • It happens consistently across assessments and subjects, not just one stressful test
  • It’s paired with the same difficulties you may see at other times – losing track of tasks, poor time estimation, trouble starting – just more visible under pressure

If you’re not sure which is driving what you’re seeing, that’s a reasonable thing to raise directly with a psychologist or your child’s tutor, rather than trying to work it out alone.

What Actually Helps at This Stage

The good news is that this pattern, while frustrating, is well understood – and there’s a lot that can help:

  • Structured, one-on-one support that breaks studying into manageable, externally-paced chunks – rather than expecting a learner to self-organise their own revision from scratch.
  • Practising under timed, exam-like conditions in advance, so the pressure itself becomes more familiar rather than something they’re facing cold for the first time.
  • Checking whether exam accommodations are appropriate – many learners with ADHD qualify for support like extra time or a prompter, which can meaningfully change how an exam actually plays out for them. See our guide on accommodations and concessions if this is new territory for you.
  • Tutoring specifically paced around how your child’s brain works, rather than a generic study plan. BrightSparkz’s neurodivergent tutoring approach is built around exactly this kind of individualised pacing.

You’re Not Overreacting

If report card season or prelims have you noticing a real dip that doesn’t match how capable you know your child to be, that instinct is worth listening to. This is one of the most common reasons families come to us for support in Term 2 and ahead of Matric finals – and it’s very fixable with the right structure in place.

Get in touch with BrightSparkz Tutors if you’d like help figuring out what kind of support would make the biggest difference for your child right now.

Coping with and Helping Learners with ADHD

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This blog recaps one of my previous about how to help learners with ADHD. This blog includes challenges posed for tutors and teachers who might have learners with ADHD as well as tips for tutors and learners who have ADHD.

ADHD can present the following challenges for tutors and teachers

  • Learners require more attention
  • Learners have trouble following instructions, especially when presented in a list
  • Learners often forget to write down homework assignments as well as completing given work
  • Learners may have trouble with operations that require ordered steps, such as long division
    or solving equations
  • Learners usually have problems with long-term projects where there is no direct supervision

To read more about being a great tutor, check out our Ultimate Guide on Tutoring!

ADHD can affect learners in the following ways

  • Low grades
  • Teasing from peers
  • Low self-esteem.

So what can we do to help and aid these learners with their studies?

Patience, creativity and consistency are three of the most important aspects to take into consideration when tutoring or teaching learners with ADHD. As a tutor or teacher, our job is to evaluate each individual learner’s needs and strengths. We then need to develop our lessons and strategies in accordance with this.

Additionally, one of the most effective ways of helping learners with ADHD is maintaining a positive attitude. Make the learner your partner and say, “Let’s figure out ways together to help you get your work done.” Reassure the learner that you will be looking for good behaviour and quality work. When you see it, support it with prompt and sincere acclaim. Finally, look for ways to motivate a learner by offering rewards (such as a longer break or less homework).

Tips for the Learner

  • Sit away from windows and doors so as to minimise distractions
  • Move while you work. Constantly moving can help you focus better on the task at hand
  • Concentrate on certain words! Studies show that repeating anchor words like “focus” can block distractions

Tips for the Tutor

  • Give instructions one at a time and repeat whenever necessary
  • Signal the start of a lesson with a cue and in opening the lesson, tell the learner what he or she is going to learn and what your expectations are
  • Tell students exactly what materials they’ll need
  • Where possible, work on the most difficult material first. This can help to make the most of your session/lesson
  • Colour-code sections of material and make use of visuals!
  • Test the learner in the way he or she does best, such as orally or filling in blanks
  • Divide long-term projects into sections and assign a completion date/goal for each
  • Allow the learner to do as much work as possible on a computer
  • Make sure the learner has a system for writing down assignments and important dates and uses it!
  • Establish eye contact
  • Vary the pace and include different kinds of activities. Many students with ADD do well
    with competitive games or other activities that are rapid and intense
  • Allow for frequent (but short) breaks
  • Summarise the key points before finishing the lesson
  • Lastly, and most importantly – be patient and understanding

At BrightSparkz Tutors we provide excellent one-on-one tutoring for Maths, Science, English, Afrikaans and more… Get a tutor today!  Visit www.brightsparkz.co.za for more information.

A version of this article has also been published on our sister-site.