Eastbourne: PM promises to help girl with cancer as GCSEs loom

Lara Kyprianou-Hickman was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma a few weeks ago and has been undergoing treatment. 

Under current rules the 16 year old from Eastbourne will have to sit her GCSEs in May and June, or if she is too sick she will receive a certificate of recognition.

Her mother Sophia Kyprianou, 52, an English teacher at Seaford Head School, thinks her daughter should be allowed to get her GCSEs based off mock exam results and predicted grades so she can focus on chemotherapy.

She said Lara is often too ill to even get out of bed at the moment.

Sophia Kyprianou and her daughter Lara (Image: Sophia Kyprianou)

After a petition from school students in the area, Eastbourne MP Caroline Ansell raised her concern in Wednesday's PMQs.

PM Rishi Sunak said his team would help to find a resolution to Lara's situation.

Caroline Ansell said: "At the height of the pandemic, centre-assessed grades allowed our young people to move forward with their lives.

“Lara, my very brave young constituent, is now battling cancer and will not sit the GCSE exams that she has worked so hard for, and could be left with only a certificate of recognition.

“In exceptional circumstances such as these, why can the same principle not apply? Would my right honourable friend the Prime Minister look compassionately at this situation?"

PM Rishi Sunak departs 10 Downing Street to go to PMQs last Wednesday (Image: PA)

In reply Rishi Sunak said: “May I start by sending my best wishes to Lara and thanking my honourable friend for raising her case in Parliament.

“Of course, it is incredibly upsetting and challenging for children and young people to be diagnosed with a serious illness, especially so close to their exams.

“There are allowances that are made, and in the first instance students will speak to their school or college to make those reasonable adjustments, but I will be happy to ensure that we work with my honourable friend to find a resolution in Lara’s case.”

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Her mum Sophia described what life has been like for the family and her daughter, who goes to Ratton School in Eastbourne.

She said: “Lara can’t do any revision, it affects your memory. She keeps getting stuff sent through, her school is being very supportive but she can’t do anything. She’s too ill from the treatment. It’s horrific.

“The impact on my family has been horrendous. She was on a school ski trip only about five weeks ago, now she is having to sit and have chemotherapy. She can’t always get out of bed at the moment.

“It’s mind blowing what this cancer does. We don’t doubt that she will survive and be okay but she is really ill.

Sophia Kyprianou and Lara (Image: Sophia Kyprianou)

“I have been teaching for nearly 30 years, I was aware of this but not really. During Covid, millions of students got centre assessed grades from teachers. The school know what grade she deserves.

“She passed all her mocks, she does all the work. There is no logical reason why children who are sick cannot get their predicted grades.”

Students from Seaford Head started the petition, which has already garnered more than 4,500 signatures, calling for students who miss out on exams due to illness to get a centre assessed grade based off their mocks and predicted grades so they do not miss out on their qualifications.

Lara has been undergoing treatment for the last few weeks (Image: Sophia Kyprianou)

Seaford Head sixth form students James Jewell and Jas Turner, both 18, started the petition.

James said: "We wanted to help Ms Kyprianou. We set up the petition at the end of the class. Our aim is to make a positive change but also give some hope for Lara as well."

Jas added: "I was sat next to James when he set it up and decided I would contact local councils and MPs. We understood Ms Kyprianou's frustration for her daughter."

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A Department for Education spokeswoman said: “We fully recognise that exams mark the culmination of a number of years of hard work, and to be diagnosed with any serious illness close to exams will always be an incredibly challenging and upsetting experience.

“As in any year, exam boards have processes in place to assist students whose ability to sit exams is affected by illness or other unforeseen circumstances, including allowing pupils to take exams at home or in hospital or awarding a grade to students who have taken at least one exam or formal assessment in a subject.

“We would encourage students who may find themselves in this position to talk to their school or college who can raise this with exam boards directly to discuss possible arrangements for them to be assessed and receive a grade.”