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Exam access arrangements

How access arrangements such as extra time, readers, scribes and rest breaks work for GCSEs, A levels and other qualifications across the UK.

Sample content. This prototype article summarises official UK sources listed at the end of the page. It is information, not legal or medical advice, and what you are entitled to depends on your circumstances.

Jurisdiction
UK-wide
Date last checked
14 June 2026
Date last updated
14 June 2026
Next review due
14 December 2026
Article version
1.0
Review status
Review status: Published and checked

Overview

Access arrangements are agreed changes to how a candidate takes an exam, such as extra time, a reader, a scribe, a word processor, rest breaks, a smaller room, or modified papers such as braille or enlarged print.

They are meant to reflect a student's normal way of working in class, not to give an unfair advantage. Exam boards in England, Wales and Northern Ireland follow the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) regulations; Scotland's SQA has its own separate assessment arrangements system.

Arrangements are usually agreed well before the exam series, often based on an assessment by a specialist teacher or an educational psychologist, and evidence of need in normal classroom work.

Common barriers people describe

  • Assessments for arrangements being expensive or hard to access privately, especially for adult learners or those outside school.
  • Requests made too close to exams, when there is not enough time to gather evidence.
  • Inconsistent understanding among some staff about who can put arrangements in place.
  • Arrangements agreed for coursework or mocks but not carried through to final exams.

Practical support

  • Speak to the school, college or exam centre's SENCo, ALNCo or exams officer as early as possible, ideally at the start of the course.
  • For a diagnostic assessment, ask your school, GP or an educational psychologist about routes to assessment; some schools have their own specialist assessors.
  • JCQ publishes the 'Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments' guidance used by centres in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; SQA publishes its own assessment arrangements guidance for Scotland.
  • Private candidates (for example home-educated students or adults) can still apply for access arrangements through an exam centre willing to enter them.

Your rights

  • Access arrangements are part of an exam centre's duty to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 (or equivalent disability discrimination law) for disabled candidates.
  • A reasonable adjustment can be agreed even where it is not a standard, pre-approved access arrangement, if it is needed and does not compromise the assessment of the qualification.
  • If a school or college refuses to apply for arrangements you believe you need, you can ask for the decision to be reviewed, and ultimately raise a complaint with the exam centre or the relevant exams regulator (Ofqual in England, Qualifications Wales, CCEA in Northern Ireland, or the SQA in Scotland).

Possible benefits and financial support

These are things you may want to check. Nothing here is a decision, and entitlement always depends on your circumstances.

    Workplace adjustments to consider

      Education adjustments to consider

      • Common arrangements include 25% extra time, a reader or reading pen, a scribe or speech recognition software, rest breaks, a separate room, and coloured overlays or papers.
      • Modified papers, such as braille, enlarged print or symbol-supported papers, need to be ordered well in advance of the exam series.
      • Access arrangements should be reviewed if a student's needs change, and re-confirmed for each qualification and exam series as required by the awarding body.
      • Universities and colleges have their own, separate processes for coursework extensions and exam adjustments in higher education, often linked to a support plan set up through disability or learning support services.

      Getting healthcare that works for you

      • Where an access arrangement is based on a medical condition, such as diabetes needing food or monitoring breaks, a letter from a GP, specialist nurse or consultant can support the application.

      Related rights topics

      Sources

      Every fact on this page comes from the sources below. Follow the links for the full, official version.

      Update history

      • Version 1.0 — 14 June 2026

        First published sample article on exam access arrangements across the UK's exam systems.

        Approved by: Editorial reviewer (sample)

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