From 1999 many members of Patoss have contributed timings of handwriting speed to given criteria, for examination purposes. I am delighted to be able to publish the results from 2,701 students aged 11-16 years.

Exam Success depends upon:

Thorough subject knowledge and understanding.
This depends on the tuition and revision methods and revolves around study skills.

The ability to read and interpret the questions correctly in a limited time.
This second component is the complex skill of reading and includes accuracy, comprehension and rate.

Lastly there is the composition and execution of the written evidence to prove that the candidate has subject knowledge and understanding.
Slow handwriting speed is a major factor, which prevents many students achieving the success they deserve.

Slow Handwriting may be due to:

• Delays in information processing
• Problems with spelling
• Motor co-ordination difficulties
• Labour intensive style, which results from lack of tuition in handwriting skills.

Students must first be identified, efforts made to improve their speed, raise their self-esteem and provide equal opportunity for achieving success. Ideally all students should be tested annually and this would provide evidence to support special arrangements in all written exams. It would also bring them to the attention of staff.

I tested almost 900 pupils in my own school, using the test that is published in Backhouse,G. 2000 and this formed the basis of my MA dissertation in 2000. A DfES Best Practice Scholarship has allowed me to continue to add data from other schools and I have included the results:

	Year 7	Year 8	Year 9	Year 10	Year 11
Average H.W. Speed - words per /minute	13.9	14.6	15.7	16.3	16.9
25% slower (extra-time)	10.4	10.9	11.8	12.2	12.7
40% slower (amanuensis)	8.3	8.8	9.4	9.8	10.1

The test and the results are accepted as evidence to support applications for any students with slow handwriting speeds to be given adequate time to show subject knowledge. If only schools could be persuaded to regard this also as a problem in the classroom, affecting behaviour and learning, they will see that pupils who cannot keep up with writing in class, might find ways to avoid feelings of failure, by misbehaving.

The report which was posted on the DfES website can be read by clicking here. (pdf format)

My sincere thanks to everyone who supported me in the successful outcome of this research. I hope you will find it useful.

Backhouse, G. 2000 Providing for Candidates with Special Assessment needs during GCE[A-Level],VCE,GCSE & GNVQ A Practical Guide. ISBN 0 9539315 0 1