Understanding Exam Access Arrangements
For GCSE and A Level Exams
Reasonable Adjustments
The Equality Act 2010* requires an awarding body to make reasonable adjustments where a candidate, who is disabled within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010, would be at a substantial disadvantage in comparison to someone who is not disabled.
The Purpose of Access Arrangements
Barriers to assessment are removed for a disabled candidate preventing him/her from being placed at a substantial disadvantage due to persistent and significant difficulties.
The integrity of the assessment is maintained, whilst at the same time providing access to assessments for disabled candidate.
Exam Boards
The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ)
AQA/Pearson Edexcel
A single voice for the eight largest qualification providers in the United Kingdom on issues of examination administration.
Cambridge
ICT, drama and computing
Adjustments for candidates with disabilities and learning difficulties
Deadline for Applications
No applications for Exams Access can be made beyond the 21st March in the year of the exams.
Schools, for example, should be able to process applications at the start of or during the first year of a two-year GCSE course having firmly established a picture of need and normal way of working during Years 7 to 9.
Key Points from JCQ Guidelines
The HoI, must ensure that the proposed access arrangement/reasonable adjustment does not unfairly disadvantage or advantage the candidate
Arrangements must always be approved before an examination or assessment.
The arrangement(s) put in place must reflect the support given to the candidate in the centre
The candidate must have had appropriate opportunities to practise using the EAA
25% Extra Time: Learning Difficulties
Learning Difficulties (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia)
A fully completed Form 8 with an assessment (Part 2 of Form 8) carried out no earlier than the start of Year 9 by an assessor confirming a learning difficulty.
Part 1: Form 8, painting a ‘holistic picture of need’
The information provided can include but is not limited to the following:
Substantial Impairment
So as not to give an unfair advantage, Part 2 of Form 8 must confirm that the candidate has at least:
• two below average standardised scores of 84 or less; or
• one below average standardised score of 84 or less and one low average standardised score (85-89)
25% Extra Time Learning Difficulties
Two standardised scores must relate to two different areas of speed of working as below:
• speed of reading and speed of writing; or
• speed of reading and cognitive processing; or
• speed of writing and cognitive processing; or
• two different areas of cognitive processing which have a substantial and long-term adverse effect on speed of working.
25% Extra Time Learning Difficulties
Cognitive Processing
Supervised Rest Breaks
Where a candidate has an impairment other than a learning difficulty, the SENCo should have explored and trialled the option of supervised rest breaks through timed internal tests and mock examinations before making an application for 25% extra time.
Supervised Rest Breaks
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Sensory and/or physical needs
• Social, emotional and mental health needs (e.g. ADHD)
• Speech, Language and Communication Needs
What are rest breaks?
The timing of the exam paused-restarted
No access to the question paper/answer booklet.
The purpose of a supervised rest break is for a break from the examination and should not be used as ‘thinking time’.
Rest Breaks
The SENCo must be satisfied that:
• the candidate has an impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect, giving rise to persistent and significant difficulties (the candidate is disabled within the meaning of the Equality Act); and
• there is a genuine need for the arrangement.
Supervised Rest Breaks
In addition, the candidate’s difficulties must be established within the centre and thus known to a Form Tutor, a Head of Year, the SENCo and/or a senior member of staff with pastoral responsibilities.
Substantial impairment – evidence of need
So as not to give an unfair advantage, the SENCo must address both bullet points below, on centre headed paper/template, signed and dated):
• confirm that 25% extra time is the candidate’s normal way of working within the centre;
• provide evidence from teaching staff that the candidate has persistent and significant difficulties, and how these substantially impact on teaching and learning.
Reader
A reader is a responsible adult who reads the instructions of the question paper and the questions to the candidate. This may involve reading the whole paper to the candidate or the candidate may request only some words to be read.
The SENCo must be satisfied that:
• the candidate has an impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect, giving rise to persistent and significant reading difficulties (the candidate is disabled within the meaning of the Equality Act); and
• there is a genuine need for the arrangement.
Scribe
A scribe is a responsible adult who, types or writes a candidate’s dictated answers to the questions.
If a word processor (with the spelling and grammar check disabled) is the candidate’s normal way of working within the centre, then it should be used in examinations to encourage independent working and access to marks awarded for spelling, punctuation and grammar. (English, history, geography)
A scribe must only be used where a candidate is not sufficiently competent or confident in using a word processor with the spelling and grammar check or predictive text facility disabled (switched off).
Math/Physics.
So as not to give an unfair advantage, a scribe will only be allowed where:
• an impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the candidate’s writing; or
• a candidate cannot write, type or Braille independently, or at sufficient speed to record their answers even with extra time allowed, because of a substantial and long-term impairment.
The use of a scribe must reflect the candidate’s normal way of working within the centre in the light of their substantial and long-term impairment.
A scribe will not be allowed in Modern Foreign Language papers, unless the candidate can dictate foreign words letter by letter
Word Processor
A word processor cannot simply be granted to a candidate because he/she now wants to type rather than write in examinations or can work faster on a keyboard, or because he/she uses a laptop at home.
The use of a word processor must reflect the candidate’s normal way of working within the centre.
learning difficulty which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to write legibly;
A medical condition, a physical disability, a sensory impairment, planning and organisational problems when writing by hand and/or poor handwriting
Separate Location
Students may sit their exams with:
A decision where an exam candidate may be approved separate invigilation within the centre will be made by the HoI. The decision will be based on:
whether the candidate has a substantial and long-term impairment which has an adverse effect and the candidate’s normal way of working within the centre
Reader/scribe
The Process
Parental Engagement
Student Support
Form 8/ Psycho-educational assessment
Identification of Needs
Exam Board Application
Vestibulum congue
Vestibulum congue
Vestibulum congue
Vestibulum congue
Vestibulum congue
EAA
GCSE/A level
Application to Exam Boards
Normal Way of Working/training
Identification of need
Form 8/-Report
Documentation
Data Protection Forms
Please collect and sign!
Thank you