Exams
Health conditions can make exams more stressful and make you feel at a disadvantage, but you are entitled to access arrangements to help you overcome this and do your best.
If you have any kind of physical condition/illness, mental health condition or learning difficulty you may be eligible for access adjustments – read more in our explainer on “who counts as disabled”.
Example exam access arrangements:
What: | Details: | Eligibility examples: (N.B. This list isn’t conclusive: find & ask for what’ll help you) |
Extra- time | Often 25% extra on top of the standard time allowed for exams |
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(Supervised) Rest breaks | You can ‘stop the clock’ on your time allowance, often a 5/10-minute break for each hour of the exam. Options: rest at your desk, snack (uni exams with extra time can be 4hrs long!), go to the toilet or walk around, move & stretch. |
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Seating | You can sit at the front/back of the exam hall, sit exams in a small room/a room on your own, have a comfier/adapted seat |
N.B. Your school/exam centre can sort seating positions without a formal application for access arrangement but you must discuss with them long in advance |
A reader | A human or computer reader may be allowed for exams (as long as the exam doesn’t assess reading comprehension) |
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A scribe | If your handwriting ability is impaired by a condition or injury scribes can write for you. |
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Assistive technology | If you usually use assistive tech in class you can get permission to use it in exams too: typing on a computer, voice processors, exam reader pens, computer text readers |
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Adapted exam papers | Braille, larger font, different colours, modified language |
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*If your access needs change/emerge close to the exam date, tell your school/exam centre immediately – they need time to apply for and arrange your support. If it’s already past the deadline don’t worry; if you need extra support to sit your exams, it can still be arranged (just tell your school ASAP).
Securing access arrangements:
There are deadlines for your school/exam centre to apply for access arrangements; you can find some of the deadlines here.
As your school/exam centre has to prepare your application beforehand, you must let them know well in advance.
**Note on coursework: you may not get the same access arrangements and you’ll have to apply earlier, as it often takes place before exams.
To secure your access arrangements, depending on your condition and what you’re applying for, it may be enough for your Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) to confirm that these arrangements are your normal way of working in school, or to conduct an in-school/home assessment which confirms your Specific Learning Difficulties.
In other cases, you’ll need to provide medical evidence from a ‘medical practitioner’, usually your GP, consultant, educational assessor or psychologist. Your school will let you know if this applies to you, and will ask you to obtain an evidence letter.
Your practitioner should know what to include: the name of your condition(s), all the specific access arrangements they recommend for you, written on ‘headed paper’ with their contact details. It should be relatively up-to-date. N.B. Practitioners may charge a small admin fee.
At university, the process is very similar. Your tutor or disability advisor should contact you about your exam needs; make sure you apply for exam arrangements via your university exams officer or disability advisor before the deadline. Depending upon your condition, your requested arrangements and how strict your university is, evidence from a past SpLD or SENCo assessment may be sufficient, or you may be asked to provide written evidence from a medical practitioner, i.e. a GP letter.
About Us
The general aim and objective of Head Up! is to promote the interests of young people with disabilities, physical and/or mental health conditions, specific learning difficulties and neurodivergence; offering them practical advice and support concerning their education and welfare.