What are access arrangements? JCQ exam adjustments explained

Access arrangements are the exam-side version of reasonable adjustments. They answer the question: what do we need to put in place before the exam so this candidate can show what they know?

What are access arrangements?

The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) publishes Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments each year. It distinguishes access arrangements, which are agreed before an assessment and allow candidates to access the assessment without changing its content, from reasonable adjustments, which may be tailored to the individual and go beyond standard arrangements so that no disabled person is put at a substantial disadvantage. Special consideration is a separate process that adjusts marks after the exam for temporary illness, injury or other circumstances.

Typical arrangements include extra time, a reader, a scribe, a word processor, a separate room and supervised rest breaks. The guidance expects arrangements to be based on evidence of need and on how the candidate normally works. Some applications need a form of evidence, such as a Form 8, the profile of learning difficulties, completed by a suitably qualified assessor.

How do access arrangements apply in FE and apprenticeships?

Colleges are exam centres for GCSE English and maths resits, A levels and other JCQ qualifications. Many learners arrive with arrangements from school. The college needs to check whether the evidence still stands, whether it still reflects how the learner works, and whether a fresh application is needed. For learners new to the college, begin the process early because assessments and approvals take time.

Teaching staff play a part: the arrangement should match what happens in class and in mock exams. Learner voice matters too, because a learner who dislikes a laptop or reader will not want it in the exam. See our guide to exam access arrangements and the role of the SENCo or equivalent.

For apprentices, English and maths and other qualifications may be assessed through JCQ, but the end-point assessment follows the EPAO’s own adjustment policy.

What is a common misconception about access arrangements?

The most common misconception is that a diagnosis guarantees an arrangement. JCQ guidance looks at evidence of need, history of provision and normal way of working. Another is that access arrangements can change what is tested. They cannot; they remove barriers to access. A third is that arrangements are only for external exams. Good practice is to use them in classwork and mocks first.

Where can you find the official source?

The JCQ website publishes the current Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments document. The version updated in March 2026 is labelled 2025 to 26. JCQ guidance changes each year, so check the current edition for deadlines and rules. The legal duty underneath is the reasonable adjustments duty in the Equality Act 2010.