Access Arrangements are adjustments that may be available to eligible candidates who have a disability, learning difficulty or other identified need that affects how they access examinations.
If you may require Access Arrangements, tell us when you first apply. Our Exams Team will review your requirements and advise you on the next steps.
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Helping candidates access examinations without changing what is being assessed
Access Arrangements are adjustments made before an examination or assessment to help eligible candidates access it without changing the skills, knowledge or understanding being tested.
They are intended to remove or reduce a disadvantage experienced because of a disability, learning difficulty or other identified need. Any arrangement must be appropriate to the individual candidate, supported by the required evidence where applicable, and permitted under current JCQ and awarding organisation regulations.
A diagnosis or previous Access Arrangement does not automatically mean that the same arrangement can be put in place for your examinations with North West Education Hub.
We must review your individual circumstances and the available evidence before confirming any Access Arrangements.
Access Arrangements are individual to the candidate
Depending on the candidate's individual needs and the applicable regulations, arrangements may include:
Additional time to complete an examination where the relevant criteria are met.
Approved breaks during an examination which may be appropriate for some candidates depending on their individual needs.
Use of a word processor where this reflects the candidate's needs and meets the applicable requirements.
Reading support where permitted and where the relevant criteria are satisfied.
Support with recording written responses where the candidate meets the applicable requirements.
Examination papers may be available in alternative formats for eligible candidates, subject to awarding organisation requirements and ordering deadlines.
Other adjustments may be possible depending on the candidate's individual needs, the assessment being taken and the applicable regulations.
The Access Arrangements available to you will depend on your individual circumstances, evidence of need and the applicable JCQ and awarding organisation requirements.
Every candidate is considered individually
Access Arrangements are considered according to each candidate's individual needs. Having a diagnosis does not automatically mean that a particular Access Arrangement will apply.
For many arrangements, an important consideration is the candidate's normal way of working - the support or adjustments they ordinarily use when studying, completing assessments or taking examinations.
Our Exams Team will review your circumstances and the relevant requirements before confirming which Access Arrangements may be appropriate.
Please send us your existing evidence
If you have previously received Access Arrangements, please provide as much information and existing evidence as possible when you apply. This may include:
Please do not arrange or pay for a new assessment before we have reviewed the evidence you already have.
In some circumstances, existing documentation may be suitable, may need updating or may help our SENCo determine what further evidence or assessment is required.
The evidence required depends on the arrangement
There is no single document that applies to every candidate or every Access Arrangement. The evidence required will depend on your individual needs, the arrangement being considered and the applicable JCQ requirements.
A Profile of Learning Difficulties used where applicable under the JCQ regulations.
A Profile of Need used in circumstances specified by JCQ.
Relevant evidence from an appropriately qualified professional may be required.
Previous support, examinations, internal assessments or your normal way of working may be relevant.
We may need to gather additional evidence relating to how you work under timed or examination conditions.
Not necessarily
If you already have Access Arrangement documentation or assessment evidence, please send it to us first. Our SENCo will review the information available and advise whether it can be used or whether further evidence or assessment is required.
Where a new Access Arrangement assessment is necessary, we will explain the process and the applicable fee before proceeding.
An assessment undertaken to establish eligibility for examination Access Arrangements is not necessarily a diagnostic assessment. A formal diagnostic assessment for dyslexia or another specific learning difficulty may require an appropriately qualified specialist and may fall outside the assessment provided through the Centre.
Please speak to us before arranging a new assessment.
This can help avoid paying for an assessment that may not provide the evidence required.
Applying for Access Arrangements
On the Book My Exams application, answer Yes when asked whether you require or believe you may require Access Arrangements.
Provide details of previous arrangements and how your needs affect timed or examination work.
Upload any relevant documentation you already hold.
Our SENCo will review the information and evidence provided.
If more information, evidence or assessment is required, we will explain what is needed.
Where requirements are met, the arrangement will be processed under applicable JCQ and awarding organisation rules.
We will tell you which Access Arrangements have been confirmed for your examinations.
Please apply early
Access Arrangements can require evidence to be reviewed, documentation to be completed and, where applicable, an assessment or application to be processed. Modified examination papers also have earlier ordering deadlines. North West Education Hub therefore sets internal candidate deadlines ahead of published JCQ deadlines.
November 2026
Please tell us and provide your available evidence as early as possible.
Summer 2027
Apply as early as possible because these are subject to specific ordering requirements.
Summer 2027
Provide the relevant information and available evidence by this date.
Please do not wait until these deadlines to tell us that you require Access Arrangements.
Applications received after our published deadlines will be considered where possible, but we cannot guarantee that the requested arrangement or modified paper can be put in place.
Access Arrangement Assessment and Review Fee
Where our SENCo/Access Arrangements team is required to review the candidate's needs and evidence and undertake the relevant assessment and administration process, a fee of £120 applies. Depending on the candidate's circumstances, this may include:
The £120 fee does not include a specialist diagnostic assessment or diagnosis. A formal diagnostic assessment for dyslexia or another specific learning difficulty may require an appropriately qualified specialist. Additional charges may also apply for extra staffing, specialist equipment or other examination provision; these will be explained before you decide whether to proceed.
Payment of the £120 fee does not guarantee that a particular Access Arrangement will be confirmed or put in place.
The outcome depends on the candidate's individual circumstances, evidence and applicable requirements. If you already have Form 8, Form 9, an assessment report or documentation from a previous centre, provide this when you apply and do not arrange a new assessment before we review it.
Clear answers to common questions
Not automatically. Please provide your previous Access Arrangement documentation and supporting evidence. Our SENCo will review this and determine what is required under the current regulations.
No. A diagnosis alone does not automatically mean that a candidate will receive 25% extra time. The applicable criteria and evidence requirements must be satisfied.
An EHCP can provide important evidence about a candidate's needs, but the Access Arrangement must still be appropriate for the assessment and meet the applicable requirements. Please provide your current EHCP and any other relevant evidence when you apply.
Not necessarily. Please provide your existing Form 8 and supporting documentation. Our SENCo will advise whether it can be used, needs updating or whether further evidence or assessment is required.
A word processor may be permitted where it meets the applicable requirements and reflects the candidate's needs and normal way of working. Tell us when you apply if you believe you require one.
The environment provided will depend on the candidate's individual needs and confirmed arrangements. A diagnosis or preference does not automatically mean individual room provision is required or appropriate.
Please contact our Exams Team as soon as possible. We will review the circumstances, but cannot guarantee that an Access Arrangement or modified paper can be put in place after the applicable deadline.
Please provide your existing evidence when you apply. We will review the documentation and confirm whether an Assessment and Review Fee applies as part of your quotation.
No. It does not include a specialist diagnostic assessment for dyslexia or another specific learning difficulty. If specialist diagnostic assessment is required, we will explain this to you.
No. The fee relates to the assessment, review and administrative process. Any arrangement must meet the applicable requirements.
Tell us about your needs when completing your examination application or contact our Exams Team before applying. You do not need to determine the appropriate Access Arrangement yourself.
Ready to book?
If you require Access Arrangements or think you may need additional support, tell us at the beginning of the application process. The earlier we know, the more time we have to review your evidence and determine the appropriate next steps.
Already have evidence? Have your existing documentation ready. You can upload relevant evidence securely during registration.
Please read before applying
Access Arrangements are considered individually and in accordance with current JCQ regulations and the requirements of the relevant awarding organisation.
An Access Arrangement is not confirmed until North West Education Hub has reviewed the candidate's circumstances and evidence and completed any required assessment, approval or administrative process.
