Access arrangements are governed by guidelines laid out by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ). Schools have a statutory duty to follow the guidelines which clearly stipulate the following:
• 25% must be the pupils ‘normal way of working’ and the school must first prove that supervised rest breaks are not sufficient for the pupil.
• Pupils must have evidence (mock examinations and feedback from teachers) which clearly shows the use of 25% extra time.
• Pupils must have two below average scores in tests of reading, writing or processing speed.

JCQ have indicated that supervised rest breaks are often more appropriate for pupils without a diagnosed learning difficulty. Supervised rest breaks present an opportunity for a pupil to pause an exam for a short period of time and step away from their paper. This allows them time to calm their mind and settle down before restarting their time. The new guidance has a number of implications for schools going forward in ensuring pupils are provided with the correct arrangements and that evidence is on hand to support any application. Therefore, the following steps will be
taken:
• Your child will be provided with rest breaks (instead of extra time) to determine the impact on their examinations and to determine if this arrangement is not sufficient.
• Your child will be tested to determine if they have scores which may contribute to evidence for extra time.
• Discussions with class teachers and evidence gathering for individual subjects to determine a genuine need for extra time.
• Review after mock examinations to determine if extra time is needed.

Please see information sent to parents: JCQ Access Arrangement Guidelines 2025 2026

Year 11 Access Arrangements: Access Arrangements Oct 2025