I am supporting a pupil with hearing/vision impairment at a secondary school. What concessions can he have for his GCSEs?

Can a Teacher of the Deaf act as a specialist assessor?

Do ToDs have to undertake accredited training to act as an OLM?

Does a student with hearing/vision impairment need a formal reading test score in order to be eligible for extra time in their exams?

Can centres order modified papers in the specific print size and style preferred by a candidate with vision impairment?

Initially we need to establish that access arrangements are not concessions. They are put in place to ensure that any disadvantage arising from the candidate's deafness or vision impairment is mitigated so that he or she can show what they know and can do. Whilst these are put in place at all times it is essential that the integrity of the examination is not put at risk.

The key elements in determining what access arrangements are appropriate are clear evidence of the impact the disability has on the student and why this would affect his or her examination performance as well as the normal way of working.

ToDs do not need to be access arrangement assessors at all, so the requirement to have undergone 100 hours of post-graduate study in assessment mentioned in the JCQ document is not relevant. For all access arrangements for deaf candidates (except OLMs) there is no requirement for a specialist assessor to be involved. Deaf children fall into the category of candidates with complex needs and just have to satisfy the five conditions in section 5.2.3 on eg. page 26 of the document (the same wording is used throughout the document to refer to eg scribes, readers etc). This, alongside evidence of the disability (eg an EHCP, statement from a ToD or consultant) is all that is needed as evidence for most arrangements.

In the case of OLMs, the document specifically states that a ToD may carry out assessments of reading comprehension or vocabulary — page 58, 5.11.2.

Therefore, ToDs need have no concerns at all about having to become an access arrangement assessor to support the application for a reader, extra time or any other arrangement other than an OLM and for that being a ToD suffices.

No. The awarding bodies recognise that both their training and daily practice equip ToD with the skills required to act as a Language Modifier so further training is not required.

No. There is no requirement to provide a standardised reading score for students with sensory impairment to justify a request for extra time, because the fact of their disability has already been established.

Instead the centre should provide evidence that the candidate's disability causes a substantial and long term adverse effect on his/her speed of working and that the extra time requested forms part of their normal way of working.

Details of the evidence required are given in section 5 of the JCQ guidance.

No. The awarding bodies provide a range of 'standard formats' for modified papers which are intended to meet the needs of most candidates with vision impairment — see the section on modified papers in this resource and Chapter 6 of the JCQ guidance.

Where none of these formats is suitable for a particular candidate the centre should discuss other options, including a different format, with the awarding body concerned as early as possible.

To quote the JCQ guidance; "The SENCo must demonstrate to the awarding body that all appropriate access arrangements such as a computer reader, an examination reading pen, a magnifier and a reader, alongside the standard modified enlarged paper formats, have been considered and totally exhausted."