Record Rise in Exam Adjustments Transforms Student Lives, Strains Institutions

Modifications to examinations, ranging from extended time to sitting exams in smaller classrooms, are being implemented at an unprecedented rate to support students. Data released on Thursday by the exams regulator Ofqual indicates that 625,000 adjustments were applied to GCSE, AS, and A-level examinations across England during the past year. This trend has created significant logistical challenges for numerous educational institutions, including schools and colleges, as they strive to implement these adjustments. Consequently, some have resorted to renting external examination venues due to their own facilities reaching full capacity, while others are employing additional invigilators to supervise exams, incurring further expenses. For 17-year-old Hannah, minor, “simple” alterations to her examination setup profoundly impacted her experience. When Hannah commenced taking exams at school at the age of 10, she began suffering from panic attacks and “crippling anxiety”. Teachers frequently had to remove her from the examination hall to help her regain composure and control her breathing. She seldom completed her exams, and the stressful nature of these events severely affected her mental well-being, ultimately leading to her admission to CAMHS, the NHS service dedicated to assisting children and young people with emotional, behavioural, and mental health difficulties. However, following a later diagnosis of dyslexia, Hannah’s school implemented various modifications to her examination arrangements. She states, “It completely and utterly shifted my high school experience.” Hannah represents one of many thousands of students in England who receive access arrangements for their examinations. Currently attending Leeds Sixth Form College, she benefits from several exam adjustments, such as 50% additional time and exams printed on blue paper, which aids her concentration on the material. During the most recent academic year, a record 625,000 access arrangements received approval across schools and colleges in England. This total marks a 12.3% increase compared to the preceding year. In contrast, the number of students undertaking exams during the identical timeframe saw an increase of only 5.6%. Over the last three years, the cumulative number of approved access arrangements has grown by 39.6%. To secure exam access arrangements for students, educational institutions, including schools and colleges, must provide comprehensive evidence to qualified assessors. These assessors subsequently meet with each student individually to ascertain their eligibility for additional support and to identify the specific adjustments needed. While some students receive a single adjustment, others are eligible for multiple accommodations. Educational psychologist Dr Patricia Britto attributes the increase in approved requests partly to a surge in diagnoses of neurodiverse conditions among children, including ADHD and autism. She states, “We also have better tools now than we’ve ever done in being able to identify the different needs that children have.” However, Dr Britto further notes that a greater number of children still require additional assistance in both lessons and exams to enable them to “thrive rather than survive” within the school environment. Martin Stables, the examination assessment and engagement lead at Leeds City College, explains that access arrangements are customized for each student to ensure examinations reflect their classroom learning methods. At Leeds City, over 3,900 students, representing 38% of the college’s total population, utilize at least one type of individualized exam arrangement. While this “holistic approach” enhances student performance in exams, Mr Stables emphasizes the extensive planning required to ensure the smooth execution of every examination. Previously, the college has needed to rent a community centre to meet additional space demands on examination days. This year, a sports hall at a nearby leisure centre served this purpose. Mr Stables states, “The cost of all that is having to be swallowed by the college itself.” He adds, “Without these additional spaces, it would nigh-on impossible given the level of access arrangements that we have.” Furthermore, every staff member at the college has undergone training to invigilate examinations, prompted by the significant increase in students needing additional assistance. Last year, the college’s CEO personally invigilated an exam, reflecting the sentiment: “It’s everyone mucking in.” Barry Wheller, an independent assessor for exam access arrangements, indicates that funding and staffing difficulties are also emerging as significant concerns for schools. As more students require rest breaks and authorization to take exams in smaller settings, schools are increasingly compelled to employ extra exam invigilators. He states, “Schools have to swallow this extra cost.” Wheller also mentions the expense of assistive technologies, such as read and write software and exam reader pens, each costing hundreds of pounds. Despite the challenges encountered by schools and colleges in providing access arrangements, Hannah asserts that the supplementary support has the potential to “completely change people’s lives”. She draws a parallel with her father, who departed school without qualifications because he “didn’t get the help he needed”, contrasting his situation with her own. Hannah concludes, “I think we’re extremely privileged to have people who can recognise these issues, but the grades you get in your education do determine what happens in your career.”