Exam Access Arrangements for IGCSE and A Levels: What Students With Learning Needs Can Apply For

AI Summary

Exam access arrangements let students with learning needs show their knowledge without changing what the exam assesses. At IIS, IGCSE runs through Pearson Edexcel (via PAAO on Edexcel Online) and AS/A Level through Cambridge (Handbook section 1.3), each with its own forms, evidence rules and deadlines. Applications must show a history of need and the student’s normal way of working, supported by classroom records, mock exam evidence and specialist reports where relevant. The school or exam centre applies, not the parents. Extra time is commonly up to 25%. Modified papers have earlier deadlines. Families should share evidence at the start of the course and confirm current requirements with the school, since rules change between exam series.

Key takeaways

• Tell the school about existing support early in the course, because applications need evidence of the student’s normal way of working and must be approved before the examination.
• Ask which awarding body runs each qualification, since Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge use separate application routes, forms, evidence requirements and deadlines.
• Keep specialist reports, classroom records, mock examination evidence and records of support used in lessons together so the school can show a consistent history of need.
• Confirm the current examination-series deadline with the school, especially when modified papers may be needed because those requests can close earlier.

What exam access arrangements are designed to do

Access arrangements allow a candidate to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and understanding without changing what the examination is designed to assess. Because the assessment standard stays the same, our IGCSE and A Level results are reported on the same basis as those of other candidates.

The starting point is the student’s normal way of working. The evidence should show a history of need and the support already used in day-to-day learning, including internal assessments such as mock examinations.

For families, this means classroom practice carries real weight. If a student regularly uses a word processor, supervised rest breaks or another established support, the school can document that pattern alongside any specialist assessment.

A specialist report can add useful evidence where an application relies on assessed need. When a specialist assessment is required, it should be completed by a suitably qualified assessor.

The practical question is whether a particular arrangement removes an identified barrier while preserving the demands of the paper. The answer can vary by candidate, subject and type of assessment.

Why exam access arrangements follow different routes at IIS

International GCSE at IIS sits with Pearson Edexcel, while AS and A Level sit with Cambridge. Families should expect the school to follow the process for the awarding body responsible for the qualification being taken.

The Pearson Edexcel route for IGCSE

Because our Upper Secondary IGCSE programme through Pearson Edexcel sits with a different awarding body from the sixth form, the application route changes when a student moves into AS or A Level.

For Pearson Edexcel, centres use Pearson Access Arrangements Online, known as PAAO, through Edexcel Online. The school or examination centre manages the submission and keeps the candidate assessment records that support it.

PAAO provides an outcome for each application. Where an application needs further review, the centre can refer it electronically to Pearson’s Special Requirements Team and provide additional supporting information.

An arrangement that has already been approved and remains in date does not need to be submitted again through the same Pearson process. The centre should still keep the relevant candidate assessment records.

Modified papers are also ordered through PAAO. Their deadlines fall earlier than those for other access arrangements, so families should raise format or visual access needs with the school early.

The Cambridge route for AS and A Level

Students continuing into the Cambridge AS and A Level pathway move onto a separate Cambridge process, so the school should review the student’s evidence and current support before the next examination series.

Cambridge sets its access-arrangement requirements in section 1.3 of the Cambridge Handbook. Applications are made either through Access arrangements: Preparation – Form 1 or through Cambridge’s Apply for Access Arrangements route, and the school will know which applies to its centre for the current series.

Cambridge also handles modified question papers separately from other access arrangements. The current system uses its own process and deadlines for those requests, which is another reason families should confirm timing with the school for each series.

The centre must keep evidence supporting the arrangement. Cambridge may ask to review that evidence, including material used to show the candidate’s barrier to assessment and need for the requested support.

Where psychometric evidence is relevant, Cambridge defines a standardised score of 84 or below as ‘below average’. The score forms part of the evidence picture and should be interpreted alongside the type of arrangement being requested.

Cambridge’s regulations apply to school candidates and private candidates. In both cases, the request goes through the school or examination centre where the candidate sits the examination.

What arrangements can support different needs?

Once families understand the awarding-body route, the next question is usually which specific arrangement fits their child. The useful starting point here is the barrier the student experiences under examination conditions.The school can then consider the arrangement that fits the student’s established way of working and the rules for that qualification.

When processing speed affects completion

Extra time is one of the most common arrangements, with up to 25% extra time being the standard allowance that centres can approve directly on the basis of appropriate evidence. Additional time beyond 25% is available only in specific cases where stronger evidence supports greater need and the awarding body has approved it.

Extra time is not permitted in papers where speed itself is the skill being assessed. The school therefore needs to match any request to the demands of the particular paper.

Supervised rest breaks can also help students who need short pauses during an examination. The evidence should connect the arrangement with the support the student normally uses.

When reading creates a barrier

A reader or reading software may be considered when access to written material creates a barrier and the arrangement fits the awarding body’s rules. Classroom and mock examination evidence can help show how the student normally accesses text.

Coloured overlays or modified papers may also be relevant. Modified papers require earlier planning because their ordering process can close before other access-arrangement requests.

When writing creates a barrier

A scribe or word processor may support a student whose normal way of working includes help with written output. The school should be able to show how that support is used in lessons or internal assessments.

For a word processor, the exact settings and permitted functions depend on the awarding body’s rules and the assessment. The centre should confirm those details for the examination series.

When the examination setting affects access

A separate or smaller room can be considered when the usual examination setting creates a documented barrier. A prompter may also be appropriate where that support reflects the student’s established need.

The same principle applies across arrangements. The support should help the student access the assessment while preserving the skills and knowledge being tested.

What evidence supports exam access arrangements

Evidence works best when it tells one consistent story. The school should be able to see the student’s history of need, the support used in everyday learning and how that support carries into internal assessments such as mocks.

A specialist assessment may form part of the file where the request relies on assessed need. The assessor should be suitably qualified, and the report should sit alongside evidence from the student’s normal school experience. At IIS, we can conduct a comprehensive assessment to better understand your child’s learning needs and identify any appropriate examination accommodations.

Once the assessment is complete, we can also submit the report to Pearson or Cambridge and provide recommendations for suitable access arrangements or accommodations.

This means the entire process — from assessment through to supporting documentation and submission — can be managed seamlessly through IIS, making things simpler and less stressful for families. 

For parents, classroom evidence is especially important because it shows what happens over time. Teacher observations, records from internal assessments and examples of established support can help explain why a particular arrangement is appropriate.

Because our support team registers students for external examinations, families should send relevant reports and evidence of the student’s normal way of working to the school early in the course.

Pearson Edexcel centres keep their candidate assessment records regardless of the PAAO outcome. Cambridge also requires centres to retain supporting evidence and can ask to review it.

A formal diagnosis can contribute useful information, but under Cambridge’s rules the deciding factor is whether the evidence file shows the barrier the student experiences in assessment conditions and the support that forms part of their established, normal way of working. This is the basis on which the centre selects the appropriate arrangement and, where required, seeks Cambridge’s approval. 

When should families start preparing?

Work backwards from the examination series. The school needs time to review existing reports, observe the student’s normal way of working, gather specialist evidence where required and prepare the correct submission.

Applications should ideally be considered at the start of the course and must be approved before the examination. Exact deadlines vary by awarding body and examination series, so families should confirm the current timetable with the school.

Modified question papers are handled through a separate Cambridge process with its own deadlines, which typically fall earlier than the general access-arrangement deadlines. Families should therefore raise any visual, print or format needs with the school as soon as they become aware of them, so the school can order the appropriate modified format in time.

Families joining a school partway through a course should share previous reports and records promptly. Existing evidence can help the new centre understand the student’s established support and decide what needs to be reviewed or submitted.

What parents and students should do

Start by telling the school about any existing arrangements, specialist reports, mock examination records or long-standing classroom support. Early discussion gives staff time to observe how the student works across lessons and assessments.

Next, ask which awarding body governs the qualification. Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge use separate routes, so the school’s process can change when a student moves from IGCSE into AS or A Level.

Keep copies of reports and examples of support used in internal assessments. These records help the school connect specialist evidence with the student’s normal way of working.

Before the examination series approaches, ask whether the evidence file is complete and whether the required application, notification or order has been made. Confirm the current deadline and any earlier date that applies to modified papers.

Plan early so the right support is ready

Exam access arrangements work best when evidence, classroom practice, timing and the awarding-body process all point in the same direction. Families can help by sharing reports early and keeping the school informed about support the student already uses.

The school or examination centre then reviews the evidence and handles the submission through Pearson Edexcel or Cambridge. Requirements can change between examination series, so the current process should always be checked before a request is prepared.

One useful action is to gather the student’s current reports and examples of support used in mock examinations, then send them to the school for review. If your child is joining IIS partway through a course, speak to our admissions team early so the school can review the evidence already in place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who applies for exam access arrangements?

The school or examination centre makes the request through the relevant awarding-body process. Parents and students support the application by sharing evidence and raising existing support early.

Does my child need a diagnosis to receive access arrangements?

The evidence needs to show the barrier the student experiences and the support that is appropriate for the assessment. A specialist report may form part of that evidence where relevant, while classroom practice and internal assessment records help show the student’s normal way of working.

Is extra time always 25%?

Twenty-five per cent is a commonly used extra-time allowance. Larger allowances can exist where the relevant rules and evidence support a greater need.

Can an arrangement approved for IGCSE carry straight into A Level?

Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge use separate processes. When a student moves between the two awarding bodies, the school should review the existing evidence and follow the current process for the new qualification.

When should families speak to the school?

Families should raise access needs at the start of the course where possible. This gives the school time to gather evidence, establish normal classroom practice and complete the correct process before the examination series.