Arrangements for Students with Additional Needs and Access Arrangements

If you or your child has a special educational need or disability that puts them at a disadvantage for tests and exams, it may be possible for special arrangements to be made to level the playing field.

Can my child have special arrangements for tests or exams?

If your child has a special educational need or disability that puts them at a disadvantage for tests and exams, it may be possible for special arrangements to be made.

These are known as ‘access arrangements’ and would come under the broad category of reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act. Access arrangements might include:

• Extra time to complete the exam.
• Rest breaks.
• Sitting the exam in a small room rather than the main hall.
• Use of technology such as a laptop or exam reading pen.
• Modified test materials, e.g., large print or braille.
• A scribe or reader.
• A prompter to help keep the candidate on task.

The Joint Council on Qualifications (JCQ) has produced guidance(opens in a new window) on access arrangements for public exams such as GCSEs, A levels and vocational qualifications.

Some arrangements, such as rest breaks or using a smaller room, are at the discretion of the school and exam centre.  Others need to be approved in advance. Full details are in the guidance.

• For extra time, a candidate will need evidence such as an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan or a recent assessment showing slow speed of reading, writing or processing.
• In all cases the access arrangement must reflect the pupil’s normal way of working. For example, your child won’t be allowed a laptop for GCSEs if they have never used one in school. The school should also put arrangements such as extra time in place well in advance for mocks and internal exams.

For more details and deadline please contact exams@essexexamcentre.co.uk