1. Purpose
1.1 The purpose of reasonable adjustments and special consideration requests is to enhance access to qualifications for candidates with disabilities and other difficulties, without compromising the assessment of the skills, knowledge understanding or competence being assessed.
1.2 This policy outlines:
2.1.1 arrangements for making reasonable adjustments and special considerations in relation to qualifications (access arrangements);
2.1.2 how candidates qualify for reasonable adjustments / access arrangements and special considerations;
2.1.3 the reasonable adjustments / access arrangements permitted and those where permission is required in advance before they are applied; and
2.1.4 what special considerations may be given to learners
2. Centre Responsibility
2.1 It is important that centre staff involved in the management, assessment and quality assurance of qualifications are fully aware of the contents of the policy.
2.2 SignConnects have used the JCQ website to align our Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments Guidelines and Special Consideration Guidelines for our candidates.
3. Policy Overview
3.1 The SignConnects is committed to complying with all current and relevant legislation, which at the time of writing includes, but is not limited to the Equality Act 2010. The SignConnects seeks to grant reasonable adjustments and special considerations for all learners registered on qualifications.
3.2 This policy will not discriminate either directly or indirectly against any individual on the grounds of gender, race, ethnicity or nationality, sexual orientation, marital status, religion or belief, age, disability, socio-economic status or any other personal characteristic.
3.3 Assessment should be a fair test of learners’ knowledge and what they are able to do, however, for some learners the usual format of assessment may not be suitable. We recognise that reasonable adjustments / access arrangements or special considerations may be required at the time of assessment where:
3.3.1 learners have evidence of a disability or specific learning needs;
3.3.2 learners have a temporary disability, medical condition or learning needs; and
3.3.3 learners are indisposed at the time of the assessment.
3.4 There are 2 ways in which access to fair assessment can be maintained:
3.4.1 through reasonable adjustments (access arrangements); and
3.4.2 through special considerations
3.5 Reasonable adjustments are available for learners who present particular requirements prior to assessment.
3.6 Access Arrangements are pre-examination adjustments for candidates based on evidence of need and normal way of working. Implementation of Access Arrangements is the responsibility of centres and SignConnects once approved.
3.7 Special consideration can be applied after an assessment, in circumstances where a candidate was affected by temporary illness, injury or indisposition at the time of the assessment.
4. Reasonable Adjustments: All Qualifications
4.1 Candidates likely to need reasonable adjustments / access arrangements can be identified by the Learner Support Team from enrolment information, their EHCP or medical evidence or a request identified by candidate or tutor referral.
5. Definition of Reasonable Adjustments / Access Arrangements: Coursework and Assessments
5.1 A reasonable adjustment is any action that helps to reduce the effect of a disability or difficulty that places the learner at a substantial disadvantage in the assessment situation. Reasonable adjustments are made to an assessment for a qualification to enable a disabled learner to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and understanding of the levels of attainment required by the specification for that qualification.
5.2 Reasonable adjustments / access arrangements must not affect the integrity of what needs to be assessed, but may involve:
5.2.1 changing usual assessment arrangements, for example allowing a learner extra time to complete the assessment activity having supervised rest breaks during the examination;
5.2.2 adapting assessment materials, such as providing materials in Braille;
5.2.3 providing assistance during assessment, such as a sign language interpreter, scribe, prompter or a reader / shared reader;
5.2.4 re-organising the assessment room, such as removing visual stimuli for an autistic learner;
5.2.5 using assistive technology, such as screen reading or voice activated software;
5.2.6 providing the mechanism to have different colour backgrounds to screens for onscreen assessments or asking for permission for copying to different coloured paper for paper-based assessments;
5.2.7 providing and allowing different coloured transparencies with which to view assessment papers;
5.2.8 alternative rooming arrangements e.g. a room for a smaller group of candidates with similar needs;
5.3 A separate room (learner and invigilator in a room entirely separate from other learners) may be recommended where it can be evidenced that a small group provision would put them at a ‘substantial disadvantage’ to other learners, where this is their normal way of working and where the Exam Assess Assessment (EAA) indicates that:
5.3.1 learners exam access arrangements which would disturb other candidates e.g. reading aloud;
5.3.2 learner has a medical condition needing privacy – with supporting evidence from a specialist;
5.3.3 learner has a mental health condition needing privacy– with supporting evidence from a specialist; or
5.3.4 learner has a physical condition – either temporary or permanent needing privacy
5.4 In order to provide a separate room, evidence is required from the learner. Evidence can be in the form of:
5.4.1 history of provision at a previous examination centre e.g. school;
5.4.2 medical recommendation from a consultant or specialist;
5.4.3 mental health recommendation from a specialist; or
5.4.4 EHCP recommendation.
5.5 Alternative rooming arrangements and reasonable adjustments must reflect the candidate’s normal and current way of working in internal tests and mock examinations. Nervousness, low level anxiety or being worried about examinations is not sufficient grounds for separate invigilation within the centre.
5.6 Reasonable adjustments / access arrangements are approved or set in place before the assessment activity takes place; they constitute an arrangement to give the learner access to the programme. The use of a reasonable adjustment will not be taken into consideration during the assessment of a learner’s work.
The centre is only required by law to do what is ‘reasonable’ in terms of giving access. What is reasonable will depend on the individual circumstances, cost implications and the practicality and effectiveness of the adjustment. Other factors, such as the need to maintain competence standards and health and safety, will also be taken into consideration.
6. Internal Process for making Applications for reasonable adjustments for Formative Assessments.
6.1 The process for making an application for reasonable adjustments is as follows:
6.1.1 learner is identified to Learning Support department;
6.1.2 Learning Support will request evidence of need and / or evidence of prior assessment arrangements from the learner, conduct assessments as appropriate and request Normal Way of Working (NWoW) from curriculum staff, with supporting evidence e.g., MAP, timed assessment or in class work (further information is available in the ALS Procedure document and the JCQ Rules);
6.2 Any reasonable adjustment must reflect the normal learning or working practice of a learner in a centre or working within the occupational area (pre assessment). The reasonable adjustment in the assessment must reflect the learner’s normal way of learning. E.g., reader in class therefore reader in assessment.
6.3 The evidence of need will vary depending on the disability and the access arrangement(s) being applied for. If, after the special consideration process has been applied, the learner does not meet the criteria, centre-based arrangements and reasonable adjustments will be revisited.
6.4 SignConnects arrangements are formalised for all applicable exams.
6.5 Both the Learning Support team and SignConnects must submit before the deadlines for access arrangements/reasonable adjustments and orders for modified papers.
6.6 SignConnects may not be able to process referrals for access arrangements for learners are referred after these deadlines.
6.7 All information and data, whether electronic or paper based, will be stored in accordance with the SignConnects GDPR Policy.
7. Definition of Special Considerations: All Qualifications
7.1 Special consideration can be applied after an assessment if there was a reason the learner may have been disadvantaged during the assessment, and as a consequence their performance in the assessment.
7.2 All applications must be made to SignConnects. By completing the special consideration and reasonable adjustment form.
7.3 The Curriculum Manager will make applications for special consideration on a case-by-case basis. The head of centre must authorise all applications for special consideration.
7.4 Students cannot enter a request for special considerations for assessment solely on the grounds of disability or learning difficulty.
7.5 Special consideration, if successful, may result in a small post-assessment adjustment to the mark of the learner. The size of the adjustment will depend on the circumstances and reflect the difficulty faced by the learner.
8. Appeals
8.1 If you wish to appeal against our decision to decline requests for reasonable adjustments or special consideration arrangements, please do by completing the SignConnects appeal form. We will respond in 10 working days of notification of decision.
For a downloadable copy of this policy, please use the link below.