An overview of the access arrangements and reasonable adjustments process for centres accepting private candidates

This document has been specifically written to support SENCos, assessors and senior leaders within centres who enter private candidates for examinations.

The document is intended to support, but not replace, the JCQ publication Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments which SENCos, equivalent members of staff within FE colleges and assessors must continue to refer to.

Wording highlighted in yellow reflects the principal changes for the academic year 2024/25.

Access arrangements are agreed before examinations. They allow candidates with specific needs, such as special educational needs, disabilities or temporary injuries, to access the assessment and show what they know and can do without changing the demands of the assessment. The intention behind an access arrangement is to meet the needs of an individual candidate without affecting the integrity of the assessment. Access arrangements are the
principal way in which awarding organisations comply with the duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make ‘reasonable adjustments’.

The Equality Act 2010 requires an awarding organisation 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 awarding organisation is required to take reasonable steps to overcome that disadvantage. An example would be a computer reader, 50% extra time and a word processor, which would be reasonable adjustments for a vision-impaired candidate. A reasonable adjustment may be unique to that individual.

Whether an adjustment will be considered reasonable will depend on several factors which will include, but are not limited to:

• the needs of the disabled candidate;
• the effectiveness of the adjustment;
• the cost of the adjustment; and
• the likely impact of the adjustment upon the candidate and other candidates.

An adjustment will not be approved if it:

• involves unreasonable costs to the awarding organisation;
• involves unreasonable timeframes; or
• affects the security and integrity of the assessment.
• This is because the adjustment is not ‘reasonable’.

In most cases, it will not be reasonable for adjustments to be made to assessment objectives within a qualification. To do so would likely undermine the effectiveness of the qualification in providing a reliable indication of the knowledge, skills and understanding of the candidate. There is no duty to make adjustments that the qualifications regulators have specified should not be
made.

For further information, heads of centre, senior leaders, SENCos and assessors should refer to Chapters 1 and 3 of the JCQ document Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments.

Twenty-one access arrangements/reasonable adjustments are delegated to centres. These arrangements do not require an examination centre to process an online application or, in most cases, produce any evidence of need for inspection. The SENCo, or an equivalent member of staff within an FE college, is empowered at a local level to determine the appropriateness and
reasonableness of the arrangement. However, the SENCo must be satisfied of the need for the arrangement(s).

The SENCo will base their decision on the private candidate’s normal way of working and whether their impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect. See section 7, which provides information on establishing a candidate’s normal way of working.

The following arrangements are delegated to centres:

• Alternative rooming arrangements – sitting the examination outside of the main examination hall/room, e.g. a room for a smaller group of candidates with similar needs. This would be where the candidate could not be seated more appropriately within the main examination hall/room. Centres will apply strict criteria for this arrangement, subject to appropriate evidence of need.
• Amplification equipment
• Bilingual dictionary
• Braille transcript
• Braillers
• Colour naming by the invigilator for candidates who are colour blind
• Coloured overlays
• Communication Professional (for candidates using Sign Language)
• Examination on coloured/enlarged paper
• Fidget toys and stress balls
• Live speaker for pre-recorded examination components
• Low vision aid/magnifier
• Non electronic ear defenders/ear plugs
• Non-electronic headphones
• Optical Character Reader (OCR) scanners
• Prompter
• Read aloud (which can include an examination reading pen)
• Squared paper for visual spatial difficulties
• Supervised rest breaks
• Timer on a candidate’s desk
• Word processor (with the spelling and grammar check switched off)

It is recommended that the SENCo confirms in writing any agreed centre delegated access arrangement(s) with a private candidate.

The following arrangements require an online application to be submitted by the centre, supported by evidence of need:

• Access to a mobile phone for medical purposes
• Bilingual dictionary with 25% extra time (principally for GCSE qualifications)
• Computer reader/reader
• 25% extra time
• Extra time over 25%†
• Listening to music/white noise due to a substantial impairment
• Practical Assistant†
• *Remote invigilation†
• Scribe/speech recognition technology
• Timetable variation on the day of the exam for a candidate with a disability
• Timetable variation requiring overnight supervision for a candidate with a disability

†The arrangement will be automatically rejected. Applications should then be referred
online by the centre to the relevant awarding organisation.

*Remote invigilation may be acceptable in very exceptional circumstances.

A disabled candidate may require other adjustments which are not listed in this document. Accordingly, the list of arrangements is not exhaustive. Where a candidate has substantial needs which are not accommodated by Access arrangements online, the centre must make an online referral to the relevant awarding organisation/organisations. This must be done via Access arrangements online by selecting ‘Other’.

Additional paperwork may be required to justify the request being made. Awarding organisations may require more compelling evidence of need before approving an arrangement that would otherwise unfairly advantage the candidate. The requirement for evidence of need is important to maintain the rigour and standard of the examination system. Evidence is also necessary to ensure that those using examination certificates can continue to have confidence in the awarding of qualification grades.