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Access arrangements — what they are, who qualifies.

Extra time, separate rooms, scribes, readers and more. Governed by JCQ across all five UK boards. Awarded only when there's a documented need andthe support has been the student's "normal way of working."

Recognised arrangements at a glance

A summary of the most common arrangements. The exact rules sit in the JCQ document "Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments" — your school's SENCO has the latest copy.

25% extra time

Who qualifies
Below average reading or writing speed (standardised score < 85), or significant processing-speed difficulty.
Evidence needed
Recent specialist assessment (within 26 months) — usually a CCET-qualified specialist teacher or EP report.
Process
School submits a Form 8 + assessor diagnostic data to JCQ. Approval is held on file.
Cost to family
Free if your school assesses; £200-£400 if you go private.

50% extra time

Who qualifies
Two below-average scores, or one extremely below average score, plus history of need.
Evidence needed
Same Form 8 process; usually requires multiple assessor data points.
Process
Form 8 + supplementary letter from the assessor. JCQ may query.
Cost to family
Same as 25%.

Separate room

Who qualifies
Anxiety, ADHD, autism, medical needs, or distraction-sensitive students.
Evidence needed
School records of need (lessons, intervention, mental health support).
Process
School signs off internally; logged on JCQ portal.
Cost to family
Free.

Reader / scribe

Who qualifies
Significant reading difficulty (reader) or significant writing difficulty (scribe) — usually with the same evidence as 25% time.
Evidence needed
Form 8 + assessor's diagnostic report.
Process
School arranges; reader/scribe is usually a trained adult — never a peer.
Cost to family
Free if school-provided.

Word processor

Who qualifies
Standard practice for the student in classwork (the 'normal way of working' rule).
Evidence needed
Internal school records demonstrating sustained use of a laptop.
Process
Spell-check is OFF for English exams (always). For other subjects it's typically OFF too — confirm with your exams officer.
Cost to family
Free.

Prompter

Who qualifies
Severe attention or focus difficulties; can include autism with hyperfocus issues.
Evidence needed
Form 8 + Educational Psychologist or specialist teacher report.
Process
Adult sits nearby and provides standardised verbal prompts (e.g. "Time to move on").
Cost to family
Free.

Bilingual translator / dictionary

Who qualifies
EAL students (English as Additional Language) within their first 2-3 years of UK schooling.
Evidence needed
School confirms residency / English exposure timeline.
Process
Bilingual paper-based dictionaries allowed in most subjects (NOT in English Language).
Cost to family
Free.

Rest breaks

Who qualifies
Anxiety, fatigue conditions (e.g. ME/CFS), pain, certain SEN profiles.
Evidence needed
Doctor letter or established school records.
Process
Rest minutes added back to the end — clock stops, paper turned over.
Cost to family
Free.

The "normal way of working" rule

JCQ won't award an arrangement that the student hasn't already been using regularly in lessons and mock exams. This means: start the conversation with school early. By Year 11 / 13, the support pattern needs to be documented across multiple terms — not applied for the first time in February.

  1. Step 1

    Year 9 / Year 10 (latest)

    If you suspect your child needs support, raise it with their SENCO before mock-exam season. Earlier = more evidence to build the case.

  2. Step 2

    Start of Year 11 / 13

    School should run access-arrangement assessments for any flagged student. Many schools do them in September.

  3. Step 3

    Mock exams (Nov–Feb)

    Confirmed arrangements are used in mocks to build the "normal way of working" evidence trail.

  4. Step 4

    February deadline

    JCQ submission deadline is typically end of February for that summer's exams. Late requests are rarely approved.

  5. Step 5

    Summer exams

    Approved arrangements are applied automatically. Always confirm in writing the day before each exam.

If your school says "no"

Schools occasionally decline to apply because they think the evidence isn't strong enough. You can:

  • · Ask for a written reason — JCQ requires schools to explain.
  • · Commission a private assessor (CCET-qualified) at your own cost; school must consider their report.
  • · Escalate to the Local Authority SEN team if there's an EHCP gap, or to the board's Centre Liaison if you suspect a centre-level error.

Private candidates

If your child is sitting as a private candidate, you arrange access via the entering centre (the school or college accepting the entry), not the board directly. The same JCQ Form 8 + assessor evidence rules apply. Most centres charge an admin fee for processing.

Disclaimer:this page summarises the JCQ "Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments" document for parents and students. It is not legal advice and does not replace your school's SENCO or a qualified assessor. Rules are revised annually — when in doubt, consult the JCQ source.

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