1. Curriculum Access and Examinations

2. Entitlement
Access arrangements are seen as reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act to give access to all candidates including those with a special educational need
Care is taken not to compromise the exam nor to give certain candidates an unfair advantage.
All access arrangements must reflect the normal way of working for the candidate

3. Access Arrangements Access arrangements: Not to be confused with :
agreed with JCQ before an assessment.
apply to GCSE, GCE, Functional Skills
Not to be confused with :
Reasonable adjustments:
Has a wider meaning.
Adjustments under the Equality Act to overcome a disadvantage.
Can be specific to an individual
Special Considerations:
Mark adjustments made because of illness etc at time of assessment 3

4. Making Access Arrangements
Normally prepared by Exams Officer at centre
Some can be made by the centre (eg word processor; separate invigilation)
Others need an online application (eg Reader)
Deadlines apply 4

5. Informing an application
Detail usually supplied by SENCO or Learning Manager
Specialist input required for VI or HI
HI can be difficult because main issue is not hearing but language
For VI – evidence from specialist teacher
For HI – evidence from specialist teacher to include standardised test scores for extra time over 25%, Reader, Scribe or Oral Language Modifier. Form 8 completed. 5

6. SCSN form for access arrangements
Form for General Qualifications
Form for KS2 assessment 6

7. SCSN form for access arrangements
Referring only to HI and VI arrangements
Completed by Visiting Teachers after Year 7
Updated as necessary
Informs SENCO or Learning Manager
Evidence for a JCQ inspection (if signed, dated and updated no more than 26 months before the exam
Much appreciated by FE colleges enrolling new students onto exam courses 7

8. Oral Language Modifier
Controversial – Ofqual aware of variations in application patterns and quality of modification
Vital – for candidates with a below average reading comprehension and who require language to be modified regularly in class
Role of Teacher of the HI? 8

9. Teachers of the HI and OLM
Their work revolves around language development and they should have an awareness of difficult language structures such as :
Complex sentences, especially those containing more than one subordinate clause
Passive voice
Non-literal language such as idiom and metaphor
Embedded sentences
Ellipsis
Examples of language modification 9

10. Teachers of the HI and OLM
They should be in a strong position to promote the OLM access arrangements
Courses on the OLM access arrangements are offered to groups by the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors
and online to individuals by Communicate-ed 10

11. Oral Language Modifier
It is unfair if a candidate cannot access an exam because the carrier language is too difficult (rather than language specific to the subject or command phrases)
Brief details of other access arrangements 11