Exam access arrangements are changes made before an assessment to remove barriers for students with disabilities or neurodivergent students. This can include dyslexia, ADHD or autism, as well as students with sensory, physical, medical or communication needs.
For SENDCos, the challenge is making sure the right arrangements are in place and supported by the evidence JCQ requires. This means establishing each student's normal way of working, coordinating assessments where needed, meeting application deadlines and working with exams officers to put arrangements into practice.
This guide breaks down the application process, evidence requirements and key JCQ considerations to help SENDCos prepare students for exam day.
How do exam access arrangements work?
Access arrangements change how a student accesses an exam or assessment, but don’t change the knowledge, skills, or understanding they’re expected to demonstrate. For students with disabilities, access arrangements may be provided as reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. They can also support students with other accessibility needs, including temporary illness or injury.
Students may need arrangements because of reading or writing difficulties, sensory or physical needs, communication differences, medical conditions, or other needs that affect how they access an assessment.
For GCSEs, AS and A levels, and some vocational qualifications, the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) sets out the requirements centres must follow. The latest JCQ access arrangements guidance should always be the starting point when checking requirements, evidence, and deadlines.
What does 'normal way of working' mean?
One of the most important principles behind JCQ access arrangements is a student's normal way of working. An arrangement should reflect the support a student normally uses when learning and completing assessments. It should not appear for the first time in a public exam simply because it could improve performance.
For example, a student who regularly uses text-to-speech to access written material may be able to demonstrate an established need for a computer reader in eligible assessments. A student who routinely types longer pieces of work because handwriting creates a barrier may use a word processor where this reflects their normal way of working and the assessment permits it.
Who is responsible for exam access arrangements?
Applying for access arrangements is a shared responsibility. The SENDCo, exams officer, teaching staff, assessors, and senior leaders may all contribute at different stages.
The SENDCo's role
The SENDCo will usually play a central role in identifying needs and building the evidence behind an application. This can include gathering information from teachers, working with appropriate assessors, establishing normal ways of working, and making sure the centre holds the evidence required by JCQ.
The precise requirements vary depending on the arrangement being considered. This is another reason to check the current JCQ guidance rather than relying on one process for every student.
The exams officer's role
The exams officer helps turn approved arrangements into a practical exam-day experience.
This may involve:
- Processing applications where required
- Planning rooms, staffing, and invigilation
- Ordering modified papers
- Making sure approved arrangements are available on exam day
Close communication between the SENDCo and exams officer helps prevent a gap between the support agreed for a student and what actually happens in the exam room.
Working with assessors
Some access arrangements require evidence from an appropriately qualified assessor. Schools should check the current JCQ requirements for who can assess candidates, what qualifications are required, and what evidence must be held by the centre.
Keeping this information up to date is important both for the application process and for JCQ inspection.
Start early and build evidence over time
There is no single timeline that will work for every student. Needs can emerge at different points, and JCQ deadlines can change between academic years. Schools should check the current deadlines each year and work backwards from them.
What matters is that support is established early enough to become part of the student's normal way of working. This gives schools time to:
- Identify barriers affecting assessment
- Trial appropriate support in lessons
- Use arrangements during internal assessments or mocks where appropriate
- Gather teacher and assessment evidence
- Make sure students are confident using the support
The student should also be part of this process. An arrangement may meet the formal requirements but still be ineffective if the student has not practised using it or does not find it helpful.
What evidence is needed to apply for exam access arrangements?
There is no single evidence checklist that applies to every exam access arrangement. The evidence required depends on the student's needs and the arrangement being considered. However, schools will often need to show a clear picture of how a difficulty affects the student and what support is normally used.
Classroom evidence
Useful evidence can come from everyday teaching and assessment. This might include teacher observations, examples of classwork, records from internal assessments, or evidence showing regular use of an adjustment or assistive technology.
For example, evidence might show that a student routinely:
- Uses text-to-speech to access longer texts
- Types written work rather than handwriting it
- Takes supervised rest breaks during assessments
- Uses enlarged or adapted materials
The important point is not simply that the support exists. The evidence should help explain why it is needed and how it supports the individual student.
Assessment and professional evidence
Some arrangements require specialist assessment or other professional evidence. Depending on the student's needs, this could include assessment information relating to reading, writing, or processing, or evidence from an appropriate medical or specialist professional.
A diagnosis alone does not automatically determine which access arrangement a student should receive. The evidence needs to relate to the barrier experienced in the assessment and the requirements for the specific arrangement.
How to apply for exam access arrangements
Once the student's needs and normal way of working are established, the centre can determine what action is required. Some arrangements need to be processed through Access Arrangements Online (AAO), while others are delegated to the centre and do not require an online application.
1. Check the current JCQ requirements
Start with the arrangement being considered rather than assuming the same process applies to every student. Check:
- Whether an online application is required
- What evidence must be held
- Whether specialist assessment is needed
- What forms or records are required
- The deadline for the relevant exam series
2. Gather the evidence
Bring together the information required to show the student's need and normal way of working. This may involve teachers, the SENDCo, an assessor, medical professionals, the student, and their family depending on the circumstances.
3. Complete the required documentation
JCQ uses different documentation depending on the candidate and arrangement. Where Form 8 or another JCQ form is required, each relevant section must be completed by the appropriate person and supported by the evidence specified in the current regulations.
4. Process the arrangement
Where an application is required, it should be processed through Access Arrangements Online before the relevant JCQ deadline. Some arrangements do not require an online application. For example, JCQ states that a word processor with spelling and grammar checking switched off does not require an AAO application when its use meets the relevant conditions.
5. Put the arrangement into practice
Approval or centre-level agreement is not the end of the process. Students should have opportunities to use the arrangement before the final exam where appropriate. Teachers and exams teams also need to understand what has been agreed and how it will work on the day.
Common exam access arrangements
Different students face different barriers, so there is no standard package of exam support. The evidence and application requirements are not identical for each arrangement. SENDCos should check the current JCQ rules for the individual student and assessment rather than relying on a single test score or diagnosis.
| Arrangement | What it can support | Typical evidence |
|---|---|---|
| 25% extra time | Students who need longer to process, read or respond because of a disability or learning difficulty | Relevant assessment evidence where required, alongside evidence that extra time reflects the student's normal way of working |
| Computer reader or reader | Students who face a significant barrier when accessing written questions | Evidence of reading needs and regular use of appropriate reading support |
| Scribe or speech recognition | Students who face significant barriers producing written responses | Evidence relating to writing or physical needs and established use of the support |
| Word processor | Students whose normal way of working involves typing rather than handwriting | Evidence that using a word processor is the student's established way of working |
| Supervised rest breaks | Students who need breaks because of disability, medical needs or other relevant needs | Evidence explaining the need for breaks and how they are normally used |
| Modified papers | Students who need the presentation of the paper adapted | Relevant evidence of the visual, sensory or other access need |
Evidence requirements vary between arrangements. SENDCos should always check the current JCQ regulations before applying, particularly where standardised assessment scores are required.
A note on standardised scores
Standardised scores are relevant to some JCQ applications involving learning difficulties. In some circumstances, a score of 84 or below, which falls below the average range, can form part of the evidence for an arrangement. However, there is no single score that automatically qualifies a student for every access arrangement.
The evidence required depends on the arrangement being requested and the student's individual needs. This is why SENDCos should consider assessment evidence alongside normal way of working and the current JCQ criteria.
Using assistive technology throughout the year
Assistive technology is most effective when it is part of everyday learning, not something introduced shortly before an exam.
Regular use can help students become confident and independent with the tools that remove barriers for them. Where relevant to a particular arrangement, it can also help demonstrate a student's normal way of working.
Using technology in exams
For students who normally use technology for written work, it is important that the tools used in exams provide the right support without giving access to features that are not permitted. ExamWritePad provides a distraction-free writing environment designed specifically for exams.
Read&Write Exam Mode can also give students access to approved Read&Write features while restricting those that are not permitted during an assessment. Together, these options can help schools provide familiar technology while meeting exam requirements.
Text-to-speech and computer readers
Text-to-speech can read digital text aloud while students follow it on screen. For students who experience barriers when reading, this can support more independent access to lessons and assessments.
Tools such as Read&Write can make features such as text-to-speech part of everyday learning across subjects. Where a computer reader is being considered for exams, regular classroom use can also help establish how the student normally accesses written information.
Speech-to-text
Speech recognition allows students to turn spoken words into written text.
For students who face barriers with handwriting or producing written responses, regular use can provide another way to express what they know. Whether and how speech recognition can be used in a particular assessment depends on the current JCQ rules and the demands of that qualification.
The principle is simple: technology should support the student before, during, and beyond exams, rather than being treated as an exam-only adjustment.
Getting evidence and records right
Good record keeping makes the application process easier and helps centres prepare for JCQ inspection.
Records will vary depending on the arrangement, but schools may need to hold documentation such as:
- Relevant JCQ forms
- Assessment or professional evidence
- Evidence of normal way of working
- Required candidate information or consent
- Online application outcomes where applicable
Rather than creating evidence shortly before an inspection, schools should make documentation part of their normal access-arrangements process.
It is also important to review procedures when JCQ publishes new regulations. Requirements can change, so a process that worked for one exam series should not automatically be carried forward without checking the latest guidance.
Avoiding common access arrangement problems
Most problems can be reduced by starting early and checking the requirements for the specific arrangement. Common issues include evidence that does not clearly support the requested arrangement, incomplete documentation, outdated processes, and applications made too close to deadlines.
A useful question throughout the process is: Does our evidence clearly show the barrier this student experiences, the support they normally use, and why this arrangement is appropriate?
That keeps the focus on the individual student rather than treating access arrangements as a paperwork exercise.
Frequently asked questions about exam access arrangements
Do exam access arrangements cover both GCSE and A level exams?
JCQ access arrangements guidance applies to GCSEs, AS and A levels, as well as some other qualifications. However, centres should check the requirements for the qualification and awarding organisation involved, as the same arrangement may not be permitted in every assessment.
What access arrangements apply to online or on-screen assessments?
Access arrangements can also apply to digital assessments, but what is permitted depends on the qualification, assessment platform, and student's needs. Schools should check the relevant awarding organisation and JCQ guidance before the assessment and make sure students have practised using any approved technology.
