Exam FAQs
Access Arrangements for Exams
Access arrangements are reasonable adjustments designed to give equal opportunities to all students to demonstrate their skills, knowledge, or understanding in exams.
Access arrangements do NOT give students an unfair advantage. They are intended to help students showcase their knowledge, expertise and comprehension during exams.
Access arrangements are not one-size-fits-all. Each student has unique needs so it is essential that any access arrangement put in place enables them to overcome any disadvantage that they might otherwise experience in relation to their peers, without the arrangements in place.
Any student is eligible for consideration for access arrangements. Please contact our SEND team for more information.
Normal Way of Working
Access arrangements are only confirmed once it has been shown that a student requires them as part of their normal way of working in internal exams, assessments, mock exams and classroom work. These will normally have to be in place for at least an academic year (normally throughout key stage 4), before being accepted by JCQ as a normal way of working in relation to access arrangements for exams.
Schools are required to demonstrate that any application to the Joint Council of Qualification (JCQ) awarding body for access arrangements is supported by evidence that the arrangements represent the student's normal way of working.
Teachers, parents/carers and students may make referrals for exams access arrangements, throughout their time in school.
Types of Access Arrangements
The most common types of access arrangement are:
1. Supervised rest breaks (SRB):
These are a fairly flexible arrangement which can look different for each student, depending on need. For example, a student with visual difficulties may need a minute or so to rest their eyes, or a student with ADHD may need a movement break.
The rules for SRBs, as stated by JCQ:
- The timing of the examination for that student should be paused and re-started, when the candidate is ready to continue
- During the supervised rest break the candidate must not have access to the question/answer booklet
- The purpose of a supervised rest break is for a break from the examination and should not be used as 'thinking time'
- Students can remain seated at the desk, or leave the room. This must be done with as little disruption as possible to other students
- If the candidate needs to leave the examination room, an invigilator must accompany the candidate
2. Extra time (25% or 50%):
The JCQ state that, for students with medical conditions (for example, ADHD, Autism, a physical need, a SEMH need) we need to trial SRBs before granting 25% extra time.
If a student meets the threshold (through official testing or for specific medical conditions) for extra time then students should be eligible for 25% extra time (as long as it aligns with their normal way of working, as explained above).
Students with more significant needs can, on occasion, be granted 50% extra time in exams provided certain strict criteria are met. For more information, please contact our SEND team or EXAMS office.
3. Separate invigilation/small group room:
On rare occasions, students may be permitted to sit examinations away from the exam hall. This may be due to a medical need, or through the need of a reader, prompt or human scribe (see below), which may otherwise distract other students.
Students will not be allowed to request a separate room for exam stress or anxiety, which is recognised as normal for many students sitting examinations. Please contact the Head of Year should you have concerns in this particular regard, who will be able to offer support.
4. Word processor/laptop:
Some students will require a word processor in order to be able to present their answers clearly. Students will be used to working this way for all assessments prior to sitting their exams. Some students will work in the main examination hall with a word processor, while some will be seated in a separate room (see above). All students will know in advance which room they will be sitting their exams in, prior to the exam period.
A small checklist will be provided with each exam laptop for students to follow regarding how to safely save their work at the end of each exam.
5. Reading pen and assistive technology, such as voice-to-text software:
Some students will require assistance in reading the questions, or recording their answers, in order to demonstrate their knowledge. Students will be used to working this way for all assessments prior to sitting their exams. As above, some students will work in the main examination hall with a reader pen and headphones, for example, while some will be seated in a separate room if for voice-to-text software (see above). Again, all students will know in advance which room they will be sitting their exams in, prior to the exam period.
How do we identify students who may require access arrangements?
The most common way for a student to be identified for an access arrangement is via referral from a classroom teacher (who knows them best), to our dedicated SEND team. Additionally, all students are screened at the beginning of year 9, which enables us to identify any potential, hidden need. Our SEND team will communicate information about this to you, as parents, when your child reaches year 9.