Access Arrangements and Special Consideration
Centre approved Access Arrangements
Online reporting of Centre approved Access Arrangements
AQA has been working with the NAA and other awarding bodies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to develop an online system which will enable you to inform us about those candidates for whom your centre has agreed additional time, rest breaks, prompters, transcripts or the use of a bilingual dictionary. This system is now available through e–AQA.
Extra time
The regulations relating to extra time are to be found, in full, in the Regulations and Guidance Relating to Candidates who are Eligible for Adjustments in Examinations published by the Joint Council for Qualifications in the section dealing with Access Arrangements delegated to centres.
Up to 25% additional time can be agreed by the Head of Centre provided the following conditions are met. In the case of learning difficulties there must be evidence of need and a history of provision to meet that need. There must also be either a Statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN) relating to secondary education including an assessment from an Educational Psychologist or a relevant diagnostic report produced by an educational psychologist or appropriately qualified teacher produced during the secondary phase of education. Where candidates are granted additional time this must be reported to AQA following the examination using form JCQ/CA.(Form 9) or online through e–AQA.
Supervised rest breaks
Supervised rest breaks may be granted by the Head of Centre to candidates with permanent or temporary physical disabilities, those with a known medical condition (as long as this can be verified either by the Head of Centre or by a medical certificate) and those with a learning difficulty. In the case of candidates with learning difficulties the same conditions apply as outlined above in respect of extra time. Where candidates are granted supervised rest breaks this must be reported to AQA following the examination using form JCQ/CA.(Form 9) or online through e–AQA.
Bi-lingual Translation dictionaries with/without extra time
Centres may permit a bi-lingual translation dictionary to be used by candidates whose first language is not English, Irish (or Gaelige) or Welsh and up to 25% extra time may be allowed for some candidates who have been in the UK for less than two years subject to the conditions stated in the Regulations and Guidance Relating to Candidates who are Eligible for Adjustments in Examinations published by the Joint Council for Qualifications. Where these arrangements are granted this must be reported to AQA following the examination using form JCQ/CA.(Form 9) or online through e–AQA.
Transcripts
Centres may make a transcript of the examination scripts of candidates whose handwriting is difficult to read subject to the conditions stated in the Regulations and Guidance Relating to Candidates who are Eligible for Adjustments in Examinations published by the Joint Council for Qualifications.Where this arrangement is granted this must be reported to AQA following the examination using form JCQ/CA.(Form 9) or online through e–AQA.
Prompters
Centres may permit the use of a prompter subject to the conditions stated in the Regulations and Guidance Relating to Candidates who are Eligible for Adjustments in Examinations published by the Joint Council for Qualifications.Where this arrangement is granted this must be reported to AQA following the examination using form JCQ/CA.(Form 9) or online through e–AQA.
Separate Invigilation
You do not need to apply to AQA in order to have a candidate invigilated separately.
Reading aloud
Where it is thought to be helpful, a candidate may be allowed to sit the examination under separate invigilation and read questions aloud without correction from the invigilator. You do not need to apply to AQA for this arrangement.
Coloured overlays, low vision aids, closed circuit TV, OCR scanners, amplification equipment
Candidates with particular difficulties find one or more of these arrangements helpful You do not need to apply to AQA for these arrangements.