Exam Access Arrangements
We understand that sometimes young people need adjustments to be made to do their best in exams. We are able to carry out the assessments needed to make an application for access arrangements.
The JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications) regulates access arrangements for GCSE and A level examinations. Access arrangements involve making reasonable adjustments to enable students with special educational needs, disabilities or temporary injuries to access examinations and demonstrate their knowledge and skills without changing the demands of the assessment.
Access arrangements can involve a range of different adjustments depending on an individual student's needs. Common adjustments include extra time, supervised rest breaks, access to a scribe or reader and use of a computer to record answers.
The JCQ requires that assessments are undertaken to establish whether a student has an impairment which substantially affects their performance. The information gathered during an assessment is given to the SENCO at the school who will consider this alongside their knowledge of the exam board specification and the child's normal way of working to determine whether recommendations for access arrangements should be made.