Standing Order 21 Appendices

Guidelines For Making Reasonable Adjustments To Examination/ Assessment Arrangements

Introduction

1.

The variation of assessment arrangements is intended to enable all students to have the same opportunity to demonstrate the achievement of specific learning outcomes:

• Without compromising academic standards or affecting prescribed standards of professional bodies;
• And taking into account the guidance in the QAA Code of Practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education, Section 3: Students with disabilities and relevant legislation (including the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001).

Guidelines

2.

The Superintendent of Examinations may permit reasonable adjustments to the arrangements for the conduct of examinations for disabled students.

3.

The University is responsible for taking all reasonable steps to identify the support needs of disabled students and publishes clear information on the procedure and time limits for requesting reasonable adjustments. It is the student's responsibility to inform the University if he/she expects to have additional specific needs.

4.

An application for reasonable adjustment shall be supported by appropriate documentary evidence. The disability may remain constant but the type of adjustment may vary over time. Requests shall normally be disregarded if not supported by appropriate documentary evidence. In the case of students with dyslexia, a report must be received from a qualified psychologist experienced in working with dyslexic adults or from someone with a qualification from a professional training course involving assessing adults with dyslexia.

5.

The procedure and time-limit for making an application for reasonable adjustment shall be specified by the Institution concerned. The student should be made aware that it may not be possible to process an application outside the specified deadline in time for an examination which has already been scheduled. The procedure shall direct the student to the first point of contact. Where a student's circumstances are known to be prolonged or permanent, the identification of specific needs may be initiated prior to the start of the session.

6.

A range of reasonable adjustments may be considered at the discretion of the institution. These may be technical, for example, use of a PC, or may require a change in the location of the examination or may be facilitated by the use of an appropriate Support Worker (allocated by the Institution). More than one adjustment may be required. In some cases, an appropriate reasonable adjustment may be to change the method of assessment in order to allow the students to demonstrate their ability; this will need to be agreed with the relevant academic staff to ensure comparability.

7.

The adjustment shall depend on the nature of the disability and shall take into account the advice of the Student Support Services and relevant specialists, the student's preference and the nature of the assessment. Where there is professional body accreditation, these adjustments will need to be undertaken in consultation with that body.

8.

The choice of adjustment may be limited by the available technical, physical and human resources.

9.

The adjustment shall comply with the requirements for invigilation and security to ensure the effective conduct of the examination.

10.

The Superintendent of Examinations, on receipt of a recommendation for reasonable adjustments, shall decide whether or not to approve the application and the provision which shall be made available to the student. The decision of the Superintendent shall be final.

11.

The Institution shall indicate how and by whom the student will be informed of the adjustment which has been approved. The range of adjustments can be amended subsequently, where this is required to meet the changing needs of the individual student.

12.

Depending on the adjustment provided, students shall be advised to familiarise themselves with its use before the examinations take place.

13.

Students shall inform the Superintendent in good time if the adjustment needs to be modified or is no longer required.

14.

The School/Department shall be notified of the adjustment which has been approved. The Examining Board shall receive a list of students with approved adjustments and no further allowance shall be made in reaching a decision on the performance of the student in the examination.

15.

The student may request a review of the case if he/she feels that the agreed adjustment does not meet his/her individual needs. The procedure for requesting a review shall be specified by the Institution.

Temporary Illness or Disability

16.

A student who has submitted to the Superintendent of Examinations a medical certificate that he or she is unable through illness or accident to attend at the examination room but is fit to undergo examination may be examined in a special room if the Superintendent is able to make satisfactory arrangements for the examination and with the support of the School/Department. Other adjustments may be made at the discretion of the Superintendent.

Students whose first language is not English or Welsh

17.

The use of foreign language bilingual dictionaries in examinations shall be determined at the discretion of the Institution.

18.

Arrangements for the use of a British Sign Language (BSL) communicator and other adjustments shall be made in consultation with the Student Support Service or other specialised staff.

November 2005

Standing Order 21 - 2