Eye gaze

 

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2026/oct/02/patrick-mccabe-success-cheshire-reveals-limits-send-tech?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

What do you see in the picture? What do you notice? What do you think this story might be about?

Patrick McCabe is 16 years old and goes to Fallibroome Academy in Macclesfield, Cheshire. This summer, Patrick achieved something at school that made the news. Patrick did his GCSE's alongside his friends. However, while his friends did the exams over a few weeks. Patrick took 4 months to do his GCSEs. 

Why do you think Patrick took 4 months to do his GCSEs?

Patrick is thoughtful, articulate, intelligent, witty and honest. He also has cerebral palsy, which means his body works in a different way. The word cerebral refers to the brain and palsy refers to muscles. Patrick and his teachers had to work out a different way for Patrick to do his exams because he doesn't use his hands in the same way his friends use theirs and so pencils / pens do not have what he needs.

What do you think Patrick used to record learning in his exams?

Patrick used eye tracking technology, sometimes known as eye gaze technology.

What do you think eye tracking/ eye gaze technology means, how does it work?

Eye gaze technology is a device that enables the user to communicate by using only eye movements. The user selects letters, words or icons to express themselves. The tech can be paired with speech which enables words and phrases to be heard.

Patrick attends a mainstream school. He says, "The best thing has been that, just like my big brothers, I have been able to learn and develop skills and gain knowledge of the world around me. Even if some days I didn't want to go to school, I think the opportunity to learn has helped me to grow and develop an independent mind."

What challenges do you think Patrick faces at school?

Patrick says, "The most difficult things have been building meaningful relationships, and communication barriers do exist."

What barriers do you think Patrick is talking about here?

"People are not always familiar with eye gaze technology and are not always able or willing to give it a chance in terms of friendships."

What is your response to this comment - what is happening here?

What is the solution? 

It wasn't easy to get permission from the exam board to give Patrick 4 months to do his exams. Other pupils had just hours to sit their exams in June; Patrick started his exams on 2nd February and worked on the exams every morning till 5th June. One question that was worth 30 marks could take up to 6 hours to answer for Patrick. Some might argue that's not fair... 

Can you see both sides of this argument?

What is your response?

Now Patrick has started his A Levels - French, Business and Media Studies and he wants to go to University. Patrick is not only worried about exams as he moves forward; what worries him most is friendships; "My concerns remain around friendships, if I'm honest."

Why do you think this is?

What can we learn from Patrick?

What needs to change moving forward for Patrick to stop worrying about friends?

Why is is about No Outsiders?

Which British Value is this about? 

Do you want this assembly as a power point? To join the free mailing list and receive these assemblies as power points every week, email me on a.moffat@excelsiormat.org

I usually send these out on a Sunday morning.

 

No Outsiders: We belong here by Andrew Moffat  (scheme of work for primary schools) 

Andrew Moffat delivers in-school No Outsiders training- watch a short video here 

Register to be a No Outsiders school  (get access to members page with additional resources)