1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that students with special educational needs, disabilities, or temporary injuries (collectively “access needs”) have fair access to public examinations, in compliance with Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) regulations and the Equality Act 2010. The policy sets out how access arrangements and reasonable adjustments are managed, applied for, implemented, and reviewed.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All external examinations and assessments (e.g., GCSE, A-level, vocational qualifications) administered by the school.
• All students who may need access arrangements or special consideration.
• All staff involved: SENCo / Access Arrangements Coordinator, SEN Administrator, Exams Officer, teaching staff, invigilators, and senior leadership.

3. Definitions and Legal Framework

• Access Arrangements – Pre-examination adjustments made for students, based on evidence of need, without altering the demands of the assessment.
• Reasonable Adjustments – Adjustments required under the Equality Act 2010 to prevent substantial disadvantage.
• Special Consideration – Post-examination adjustments, such as awarding extra marks, to reflect temporary illness, injury, or other disruption. J
• The school’s duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for disabled students.
• The school also follows the JCQ “Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments” regulations. https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/JCQ-AARA-2025_FINAL.pdf

For the full policy, please open the PDF at the foot of this page.

(Page updated 07.01.26)