Access Arrangements

We aim to give all pupils access to the curriculum and exams. Some examples of ways in which we achieve this are: offering different learning tasks, scribing, reading, and allowing extra time.

Before pupils take external qualifications we collect evidence to demonstrate their normal way of working and also use a test to assess their level of need in different areas.

Access Arrangements are then put in place. These are pre-examination adjustments for candidates based on evidence of need and normal way of working.

Access Arrangements allow learners with special educational needs, disabilities or temporary injuries to access the assessment without changing the demands of the assessment.  For example, readers, scribes, and Braille question papers.  In this way Awarding Bodies will comply with the duty of the Equality Act 2010 to make 'reasonable adjustments'.

Reasonable Adjustments

The Equality Act 2010 requires an Awarding Body to make reasonable adjustments where a pupil with special educational needs 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 candidate/learner.  An adjustment may not be considered reasonable if it involves unreasonable costs/timeframes or affects the security/integrity of the assessment.