Access Arrangements allow candidates/learners with disabilities to access the assessment without changing the demands of the assessment. This might include, for example, readers, scribes and modified question papers. In this way Awarding Bodies will comply with the duty of the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments. Further information is available using the following link: Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration – JCQ Joint Council for Qualifications
There are also additional helpful documents, including Case Studies for students with significant disabilities using the following link: Regulations and Guidance – JCQ Joint Council for Qualifications
Reasonable Adjustments
The Equality Act 2010 requires an Awarding Body to make reasonable adjustments where a disabled person would be at a substantial disadvantage in undertaking an assessment. A reasonable adjustment for a particular person may be unique to that individual and may not be included in the list of available Access Arrangements.
How reasonable the adjustment is will depend on a number of factors including the needs of the disabled candidate/learner. An adjustment may not be considered reasonable if it involves unreasonable costs, timeframes or affects the security or integrity of the assessment. There is no duty on the Awarding Bodies to make any adjustment to the assessment objectives being tested in an assessment.
Access arrangements cover the entire course (up to 2 years if at same institution doing same qualification).
The SENCo must also include a signed and dated document on centre headed paper, which addresses both bullet points below:
- Confirm that 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.
All arrangements must reflect usual classroom practice.
They can include:
- Additional time
- Different room e.g. using a scribe which may be distracting for others
- Practical assistant may be used for e.g. safety
- Reader: human or computer (but not for comprehension/reading papers)
- Rest breaks: can be appropriate for a child or young person who finds it difficult to concentrate or who may experience fatigue or pain
- Scribe: can be used only when children or young people are unable to write their own answers or use technology
- Technology can be used provided it’s normal classroom practice
- Written transcription: all or part of a test can be transcribed if it will be difficult for a marker to read the child or young person’s writing