SENDCo Statement for Exam Access Arrangements 2026-2027
Examination Access Arrangements
Access Arrangements are pre-examination adjustments for candidates who may otherwise be placed at a substantial disadvantage when compared with their peers. The purpose of an access arrangement is to ensure fairness and provide an appropriate means of access to an examination without compromising the integrity or assessment objectives of the qualification.
Any access arrangement awarded by Yavneh College is based upon:
- Evidence of need.
- The student’s normal way of working within school.
- Current JCQ regulations.
- The professional judgement of the school.
A diagnosis alone does not automatically entitle a student to examination access arrangements. Access Arrangements are not diagnosis-led. Decisions are based upon a range of evidence gathered over time within the school setting and the extent to which a student’s difficulties substantially affect their ability to access examinations under normal conditions.
The school follows all current JCQ regulations and guidance when determining whether a student meets the criteria for an access arrangement.
Examination Access Arrangements Coordinator
Mrs Marcia Roland (mroland @ yavnehcollege.org) is Yavneh College’s Examination Access Arrangements Coordinator.
All enquiries regarding:
- Examination Access Arrangements
- Specialist assessments
- Form 8 documentation
- Access Arrangement reviews
- Supporting evidence
- Examination support arrangements
should be directed to Mrs Roland in the first instance.
Mrs Roland works alongside the SENCo, Examinations Officer and relevant staff to ensure that examination access arrangements are administered in accordance with JCQ regulations and Yavneh College procedures.
Identification of Students
Teaching staff support the SENCo and Examination Access Arrangements Coordinator by identifying students who may be substantially disadvantaged when accessing learning, assessments and examinations.
Evidence used when considering a student’s needs may include:
- Classroom observations.
- Teacher feedback.
- Internal assessment data.
- Mock examination performance.
- Information from parents and external professionals.
- Evidence of the student’s normal way of working.
Students must demonstrate a genuine and ongoing need for any arrangement being considered. Access Arrangements are not awarded solely because they may improve examination performance.
Arrangements awarded for public examinations should reflect a student’s normal way of working within the classroom and during internal assessments.
Responsibility for Examination Access Arrangements
The SENCo has overall responsibility for determining whether a student meets the criteria for an examination access arrangement.
The school retains responsibility for:
- Determining whether an assessment is required.
- Deciding the nature of any assessment undertaken.
- Determining whether the available evidence supports an application.
- Deciding whether an arrangement reflects the student’s normal way of working.
- Making and maintaining applications through Access Arrangements Online where applicable.
The final decision regarding examination access arrangements rests solely with Yavneh College.
Who Can Carry Out Assessments?
The Head of Centre is responsible for appointing specialist assessors who meet the requirements specified by JCQ.
Yavneh College uses specialist assessors who are employed, engaged or formally appointed by the Centre.
Where a specialist assessment is required to support an examination access arrangement application, the assessment must be completed through arrangements approved by the school.
The school will not rely upon privately commissioned assessments when determining examination access arrangements.
Assessor Requirements
Any assessor appointed by the Centre must:
- Have a thorough understanding of the current JCQ publication Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments.
- Be familiar with the Equality Act 2010.
- Hold qualifications recognised by JCQ.
- Have appropriate experience assessing secondary-aged students and young people with learning difficulties.
- Seek and consider school-based evidence before undertaking any assessment.
- Conduct appropriate assessments to identify need.
- Complete all required documentation.
- Provide evidence of qualifications and professional accreditation for inspection purposes.
Evidence of qualifications and professional registration will be retained by the school and made available for inspection where required.
Private Educational Psychologists’ Reports and Independently Commissioned Assessments
Parents and carers may choose to obtain private educational psychology reports, dyslexia assessments or other specialist assessments for their own information and understanding of their child’s needs.
Yavneh College will not complete, provide or authorise Form 8 documentation for privately commissioned assessments. Where parents or carers independently arrange an assessment, this remains a private arrangement between the parent or carer and the assessor and will not form part of the Centre’s examination access arrangements assessment process.
Yavneh College’s policy is that assessments used to support examination access arrangement applications will only be undertaken by assessors appointed directly by the Centre.
Accordingly, the school will not:
- Complete, provide or authorise Form 8 documentation in connection with a privately commissioned assessment.
- Commission or facilitate privately commissioned assessments for the purpose of examination access arrangements.
- Use scores from privately commissioned assessments as evidence in support of an access arrangement application.
- Submit applications based upon privately commissioned assessment data.
- Accept recommendations made by privately commissioned assessors as determining entitlement to examination access arrangements.
Where a parent commissions a private assessment independently, this remains a private arrangement between the parent and assessor.
The school may review information contained within privately commissioned reports where relevant to a student’s wider educational profile. However, such reports will not be used as evidence for examination access arrangement applications and will not replace the school’s own assessment processes, evidence of need, evidence of normal way of working or professional judgement.
The existence of a privately commissioned report does not create any obligation upon the school to assess, apply for, approve or implement an examination access arrangement.
The final decision regarding examination access arrangements rests solely with Yavneh College.
Medical, Physical and Sensory Difficulties
Where a medical, physical, sensory or other disability-related difficulty is identified, evidence must be obtained from an appropriately qualified professional.
The role of the professional is to:
- Describe the nature of the difficulty or disability.
- Explain how it affects teaching and learning.
- Explain how it may impact examinations and assessments.
The school will consider this evidence alongside its own evidence of need and normal way of working when determining whether an access arrangement is appropriate.
Centre Procedures
Teaching staff must discuss concerns relating to examination access with the SENCo and Examination Access Arrangements Coordinator.
Where an access arrangement is being considered, evidence may be gathered from:
- Teachers.
- Support staff.
- School assessment data.
- Internal examinations.
- Mock examinations.
- Intervention records.
- School-based observations.
- Centre-appointed specialist assessments where appropriate.
Where an application is made, the appropriate JCQ documentation will be completed and retained in accordance with regulatory requirements.
Evidence supporting any approved arrangement will be held by the school and made available for inspection where required.
Students will normally have opportunities to use approved access arrangements during classroom assessments, internal examinations and mock examinations before they are used in external examinations.
Record Keeping
The school will maintain appropriate records relating to:
- Evidence of need.
- Normal way of working.
- Assessment outcomes.
- Applications submitted.
- Approved arrangements.
- Use of arrangements in internal and external examinations.
These records will be retained in accordance with JCQ requirements and will be made available for inspection where necessary.
Communication with Parents and Students
The school will communicate any approved examination access arrangements to students and parents.
The determination of examination access arrangements rests with Yavneh College and will be made in accordance with JCQ regulations, school evidence and professional judgement.
Yavneh College is committed to ensuring that all students are treated fairly and consistently and that examination access arrangements reflect genuine need and normal way of working rather than diagnostic labels or privately commissioned recommendations.
