What is an Access Arrangement?

If a student has an identified learning need or disability that means that he or she is disadvantaged in comparison to other students of similar ability, he or she may qualify for access arrangements for public examinations. There are a number of different types of access arrangement and these are determined by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ). The main ones are listed at the bottom of this document. The criteria that must be met for an access arrangement changes frequently and JCQ issue guidance booklets every year. You can access these online – www.jcq.org.uk for information.

Reasonable Adjustments

The Equality Act 2010 requires an Awarding Body (Exam Board) to make reasonable adjustments where a disabled person would be at a substantial disadvantage in undertaking an assessment.

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. (JCQ 2017)

When we will assess a student

We will assess all students at the end of year 9 or start of Year 10 in order to ascertain whether students meet the criteria and subsequently apply for access arrangements to be granted. Any application is only valid for 26 months and it is for this reason that we do not apply earlier.

In order for us to apply we need to provide evidence of an ongoing need and show that the access arrangement we apply for is the student’s normal way of working. Therefore, throughout Years 7, 8 and 9 we may trial various strategies and conduct a number of different tests and assessments in order to make sure that we are not only meeting the criteria but that we can work out what might be the best provision for your child.

No access arrangement is formalised until the end of Year 9/start of Year 10 and any arrangement made before that time is essentially part of the assessment process. This can be quite confusing for parents as we are aware that students have sometimes been granted an access arrangement for tests at primary school. Please be aware that these do not carry forward and that the assessment process for GCSE examinations, does not occur until year 9/10. Please also be aware that having an Education Health and Care Plan or diagnosis of a Specific Learning Difficulty, does not necessarily mean that a student will qualify for access arrangements, even if your child has regular in class support.

At the end of Year 9/Start of Year 10, the SENCo will write to parents/carers if the school have arranged for a Specialist Assessor to assess their child.  The SENCo will then write to confirm any Access Arrangements that the candidate is eligible for.

If you have any queries, please contact Mrs Reddy, SENCo.

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Access arrangements information

“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; and the candidate is disabled within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010”.
Access Arrangements and Reasonable adjustments - JCQ 2018/19
 

Below is a summary of the current JCQ directives regarding access arrangements.

Supervised rest breaks:

• These must always be considered before applying for extra time.
• These will be allowed where it is the candidate’s normal way of working.
• Medical conditions – rest breaks can be agreed if you have a serious medical condition, examples of this are type 1diabetes or a sensory need. Medical evidence is required. AD(H)D - if you have a diagnosis we will look at the recommendations and consider whether rest
  breaks will be helpful in exams. Evidence of your diagnosis is required.
• Evidence from CAMHs of current treatment for a condition that requires rest breaks. However, we do not accept evidence from this service if you have been discharged from treatment.

Please Note: We are not able or allowed to provide rest breaks in advance for anxiety/worry/ stress caused by taking exams. It is normal to feel stressed and worried about exams. Please feel reassured that our exam invigilators are experienced and trained to deal with students who are upset and worried on the day.

Prompter:

• These do not need to be registered on Access Arrangements Online.
• A prompter may be permitted where a candidate has a substantial and long term adverse impairment resulting in persistent distractibility or significant difficulty in concentrating.

25% extra time:

• These must be applied for and registered on Access Arrangements Online.

• Applications will be considered based on either a Statement of Special Educational Need or an assessment carried out no earlier than Year 9 by a specialist assessor to confirm a learning difficulty.
• Candidates with 25% extra time normally sit their examinations in the hall (unless an additional arrangement such as a reader/scribe is in place).
• Candidates must have at least one below average standardised score of 84 or less in either;
  • Speed of reading
  • Speed of reading comprehension
  • Speed of writing
  • Cognitive processing measures.

Allocation of a reader:

• These must be applied for and registered on Access Arrangements Online.
• Applications will be considered based on either a Statement of Special Educational Need or an assessment carried out no earlier than Year 9 by a specialist assessor to confirm a learning difficulty.

• A reader will only be allowed if; language and vocabulary difficulties have a substantial and long term adverse effect on the candidates’ ability to access written text or there is a substantial and long term visual impairment which means the candidate cannot access Braille or enlarged print independently.
• Where substantial impairment is evidenced the SENCO must be able to demonstrate the candidate would be at a substantial disadvantage when compared with other, non-disabled candidates undertaking the exam.

Allocation of a scribe:

• These must be applied for and registered on Access Arrangements Online.
• Applications will be considered based on either a Statement of Special Educational Need or an assessment carried out no earlier than Year 9 by a specialist assessor to confirm a learning difficulty.
• If a word processor is the candidates’ normal way of working within school then it should be used within examinations.
• The use of a scribe must reflect the candidates’ normal way of working within school.
• A scribe should only be used where a candidate cannot use a word processor with the spelling and grammar check disabled.
• A scribe will only be allowed where; impairment has a substantial and long term adverse effect on the candidates’ writing or a candidate cannot write, type or Braille independently, or at sufficient speed to record their answers even with extra time allowed

   

Word Processor:

The following criteria details how the centre awards and allocates word processors for examinations and controlled assessments.

• If a candidate believes they should be using a word processor for their examinations and/or controlled assessments they must first speak with the SENCo. The use of a laptop will only be granted to a student if it is appropriate to their needs and approved by the SENCo.
• If the SENCo agrees that a word processor is acceptable for a candidate to use in their examinations and/or controlled assessments (as set out in Section 5.8 of the JCQ Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments), they will inform the examinations officer and subject leader staff by email.
• The examinations officer, will then add this entitlement to their Exams profile so it is recorded for public examination seasons. However, please note that the candidate may or may not wish to use the word processor on the day of the examination and may only use the word processor for certain subjects.
• The subject leader must make sure that the word processor is ready if the candidate wants to use this for their controlled assessment. However, the candidate may or may not wish to use the word processor on the day of the controlled assessment. Please note that word processors cannot be used in controlled assessments if prohibited for that unit and/or specification. The examinations officer will be able to advise and/or contact the relevant awarding body to seek clarification or permission to use a word processor in that controlled assessment unit. The Subject leader needs to contact the Examinations officer 2 weeks before a controlled assessment is due to take place.
• The JCQ requirement and recommendation for candidates regarding the use of word processors in examinations and/or controlled assessments is that this is their normal way of working.
• Where possible, students taking year group, in class and other tests and assessments will have the opportunity to use a laptop, if one is available. There will be occasions, particularly during the year 11 mock exam series and the summer public exam series, where laptops may not be available to other year groups.

  This centre follows the 2018-19 JCQ rules from the Access Arrangements regulation book regarding the use of word processors, noted below:

  (AA 5.8.1)

• Provides a word processor with the spelling and grammar check facility/predictive text disabled (switched off).
• Only grants the use of a word processor to a candidate where it is their normal way of working.
• Only grants the use of a word processor to a candidate if it is appropriate to their needs (for example, the quality of language significantly improves as a result of using a word processor due to problems with planning and organisation when writing by hand). The above also extends to the use of electronic braillers and tablets.

  (AA 5.8.2)

• Provides access to word processors to candidates in non-examination assessments (including controlled assessments or coursework) components as standard practice unless prohibited by the specification.

  (AA 5.8.3)

• Allows candidates to use a word processor in an examination to type certain questions, i.e. those requiring extended writing, and handwrite shorter answers. The centre is also aware that examinations which have a significant amount of writing, as well as those that place a greater demand on the need to organise thought and plan extended answers, are those where candidates will frequently need to type. Examinations which require more simplistic answers are often easier to handwrite within the answer booklet. The candidate avoids the difficulty of visually tracking between the question paper and screen.

  (AA 5.8.4)

• In all cases, ensures that a word processor cover sheet (Form 4) is completed and included with each candidate's typed script.
• Does not simply grant the use of a word processor to a candidate because he/she prefers to type rather than write or can work faster on a keyboard, or because he/she uses a laptop at home

Please note: Re: Maths - The use of a word processor in exams is for students who need to do extended writing. Unless there is a medical reason or a specific need, we do not permit the use of a word processor for Maths

Separate Invigilation:  (students sit with others in a smaller room rather than in the Sports Hall) for examinations and controlled assessments.

There is an exceptionally high demand for separate invigilation and we require medical evidence of need from a consultant or specialist. We cannot accept a letter from GPs. This must be dated within one year of the exam to be taken. Unless it is for a serious, acute and/or chronic medical or psychological condition, we cannot provide Separate Invigilation. General anxiety, low mood, stress indicators or other common
conditions or factors will generally not provide adequate evidence for separate invigilation. We encourage all students requesting separate invigilation to make use of the school’s pastoral team and school counsellor to help with student welfare, wellbeing and exam stress.

Individual Invigilation

Individual Invigilation can only be accommodated in highly exceptional circumstances. We require evidence of need from a consultant or specialist which provides details of the student’s condition and states exactly why Individual Invigilation is necessary. Following submission of this evidence, the SENCo and Examinations Officer will make a final decision and communicate this back to the applicant and parents/carers.