Access Arrangements: Pat Stokes-Smith

EXAMS! OH NO!

Can dyslexic children and students have concessions for National Curriculum Tests and other later examinations?

The answer is YES, in some cases, as long as there is evidence of a learning difficulty that prevents them from showing their knowledge, skills and understanding and that they have established evidence of need in the normal working arrangements in school or college. For National Curriculum Tests (Key Stage SATs) concessions are likely to be granted for children with a Statement of Special Educational Need ( or who are going through statutory assessment or re-assessment), or who receive additional support through School Action or School Action Plus. For GCSE, VCE,AEA, GNVQ, GCE, Entry level & Key Skills, the evidence must be supported by a report from an Educational Psychologist or a Specialist Teacher with an additional recognised qualification.

These concessions are now known as Access Arrangements. They can be used tosupport children and students (candidates) in class tests, National Curriculum Tests, coursework, modular, mock and final exams.

The main types of Access Arrangements are:

• Extra time, for candidates who work very slowly

• Rest breaks, for poor concentration or extreme stress

• Readers, for very poor readers with decoding or comprehension difficulties, who cannot read by themselves

• Reading aloud, for those who have reading difficulties and can concentrate better if they can hear themselves read

• Scribes, for very poor or slow writers who cannot write by themselves

• Word processors, for very poor or slow writers who are used to typing

• Transcripts of scripts which may be hard for the examiner to read

• Prompters, for candidates who lose concentration easily

-It is essential that candidates are identified as early as possible in their school or college career because:

• The arrangements should be made early for Key Stage SATs or at the start of the course for GCSE etc so that candidates know what is available

• The arrangements should reflect what help has to be given in the classroom and the normal way of working should reflect what is going to be available in the examinations

• For most types of arrangements the school or centre has to apply to the awarding bodies (exam boards) for permission and by specific dates

• Schools or centres must make sure that candidates practise using their agreed access arrangements

There is no specific access arrangement for poor spelling unless it is so poor that the examiner cannot read it, in which case n transcript, or in very extreme cases a scribe, may be appropriate.

Schools have all the information needed about this and there is much good practice about. Schools have access to Educational Psychologists and Specialist Teachers when assessments are needed, but where these are not members of staff it is essential that they contact the SENCo or Learning Support Manager to discuss the findings of the assessment. The final decision on what to allow or apply for is also based on the candidates normal way of working and rests with the school or college.

The regulations must be very strictly observed as it is essential that the validity of an award is not undermined by inappropriate allocation of an access arrangement and candidates who have them must not be given an unfair advantage.

If you have any questions regarding access arrangements you should discuss them with the SENCo at school or Learning Support Manager at college.

Some useful references: National Curriculum Tests:
www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/parentpartnership www.qca.org.uk

GCE, AEA, VCE, GCSE, GNVQ, Entry Level & Key Skills:
www. jcq.org.uk
www.patoss-dyslexia.org

Please note that this information is the writer's own interpretation of the regulations and is for guidance only. All interested parties must also refer to the appropriate regulations themselves to reach their own conclusions

Pat Stokes-Smith 2006 patstokessmith@hotmail.com