I approve the SEND request, what do I need to do?

No further action is required if the request for extra time and any other access arrangement is approved.

If the request is for extra time, the applicant record will reflect 25% extra time added to the test. This will be applied through the system. The applicant will log on with their Test Code and the test will have 25% extra time automatically added.

Any notes that the parents or guardians have added in either the 25% extra time box or the other adjustments box will be visible to the invigilation centre so that they can comply with the requirements for that applicant.

Reasonable adjustments should be provided to any candidate who is considered disabled for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.

The JCQ guidelines are specific to a range of examinations and not the Common Pre-Test. Allowing extra time in this assessment will not give automatic rights to the candidate to have extra time for their GCSE examinations. For schools which would like to make this position clear to parents we have suggested the use of a signed pro-forma which is shared with senior schools and kept on the candidate's file.

Restricting access to extra time for candidates who have appropriate professional evidence indicating that they require additional time to access the assessment could place them at a substantial disadvantage. Schools should therefore consider each request carefully and, where supported by evidence and consistent with the candidate’s normal way of working, provide reasonable adjustments. Failure to do so may amount to discrimination under the Equality Act 2010, as independent schools must not disadvantage a person in the arrangements they make for deciding who is offered admission.