Access Arrangements

General Information

The only Access Arrangements that we can only offer to private exam candidates are Extra Time and the use of a mobile phone as a Diabetic monitor during exams.

The evidence to support these arrangements must be submitted at the same time as the application form.

Please ensure that the evidence supplied is current. You may have been granted Access Arrangements in the past, but this does not guarantee that you will be granted them now.

Our role is to gather evidence to support your application, in line with current JCQ regulations. The final decision rests with the Exam Boards.

The Access Arrangement Process

To apply for Access Arrangements, you will need to complete our online application form and indicate your need for Access Arrangements in the appropriate section. Please attach all evidence with your application. Once you have paid your exam entry fees we will be in touch to discuss your evidence and whether further testing will be required.

Evidence Required

Evidence required AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION:

  • an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) if appropriate. This must be current and in date.

  • a formal diagnosis letter from a registered specialist such as a clinical paediatrician or Hospital consultant (not a GP) *required in all cases

  • a letter from a teacher or tutor confirming that extra time is a candidate’s normal way of working and a piece of work or test which clearly shows how the extra time has been used. We suggest that the student changes to a different coloured pen at the end of the allotted standard time and completes the extra time work in the new colour. *required in all cases

  • a Form 8 or a Form 9 from a previous school, if applicable

For most candidates we will also need to conduct further assessments here with our own Assessor, which will incur a cost of £150.

All the required evidence must be supplied at the same time as the application form and before the deadlines for access arrangements which are published on our website.

Deadlines for Applications

For the Autumn 2025 exam series, applications forms, payment and all required evidence must be received by 14/09/2025. Evidence must be still be submitted at the time of application.

For the Summer 2026 exam series, applications forms, payment and all required evidence must be received by 12/12/2025. Evidence must be still be submitted at the time of application.

Access Regulations

JCQ and Cambridge have their own regulations covering the use of Access Arrangements in exams. Links to their guidance can be found below.

Access Arrangements FAQs

  • Unfortunately, we are unable to allow laptops for Private Candidates.

  • The examination board needs evidence of your Access Arrangements being used. As we do not have historical information on your needs, we require this evidence from your current teacher/tutor.

  • There will be a number of short tests which will assess various areas of your working ability, such as reading accuracy and speed, writing speed, spelling, comprehension, and processing speed. The tests may vary from candidate to candidate according to their needs but should not take more than 1 hour.

  • The examination boards publish the deadlines on their websites. We set our own internal deadlines prior to the examination boards so that we have enough time to review your evidence and process an application. This process is essential for ensuring that your application meets the criteria of the awarding body. Please wait for us to email you with the outcome from the examination board.

  • The regulations state that your phone must be kept in Airplane mode on a separate desk. You can ask to be supervised whilst you check your app. You are allowed to bring in a glucose drink in a clear plastic bottle with all labels removed. You can also bring in glucose tablets in clear packaging. You must submit an access arrangements application before the deadline so we can put this in place for you.

  • Unfortunately not. The only Access Arrangements that we can offer are Extra Time and use of a Diabetic Monitor.