Visual impairment in children is a low incidence disability and it is likely that many schools and colleges will only come across it occasionally. Here are some key points to consider when entering a blind or partially sighted learner for external exams.
Choosing courses
Most courses are fully accessible to candidates with visual impairment. However, with some practical subjects or those involving inherently visual skills there may be some assessment requirements which a candidate may not be able to meet and for which they will therefore lose marks. It is important to check before a learner starts a course whether this is likely to be the case and what impact it might have on their final grade.
Access Arrangements
The main types of access arrangement are summarised in the document below.
With all access arrangements, the guiding principle is that a learner's exam experience should match as closely as possible the way they work in the classroom. Consulting visually impaired learners themselves is an essential way of making sure that this happens.
Seeking specialist advice
Most visually impaired learners will receive specialist input from a qualified teacher of children with visual impairment (QTVI). It is important to consult the QTVI before deciding what access arrangements to request.
Extra time
Most visually impaired candidates will require extra time in their exams because of a reduced speed of information processing which relates to their disability. There should be no need to provide evidence from standardised reading tests to justify a request for extra time for a visually impaired candidate. The amount of time requested should be based on the student's normal method of working in the classroom. Amounts vary from 25-100 percent depending on the individual learner and the content of the exam.
Modified papers
Awarding bodies offer a range of 'standard' formats for modified papers in accessible formats. It is important to check which format is best suited to a learner's needs and not to order a format with which they are not familiar. If in doubt, ask the awarding body concerned for samples. You can find out more about accessible formats on our Papers in accessible formats page.
The 'standard' list of accessible formats is not exhaustive and you can ask for papers in a format not listed if you have strong evidence that a candidate needs this. This might involve seeking permission to open papers early to modify them further.
In some instances it may be appropriate to ask for papers in an electronic format to be accessed by the learner on a laptop, tablet or braille device. Care needs to be taken here to ensure that an electronic version of the paper will be fully accessible to the learner. If in doubt, seek technical advice.
The deadline for modified papers is earlier than that for other access arrangements in order to give awarding bodies the time to produce the papers in the formats requested. It is important to keep to these deadlines to guarantee that the papers can be produced in time.You can find out more information on modified papers on our Modification and production of exam papers page.
Further information on access arrangements for GCSEs and SATs is available below:
General qualifications (GCSE etc)
Details of access arrangements are available in a publication called 'Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration' which is updated each year and available to download on the Joint Council for Qualifications website.
For enquiries about specific access arrangements, contact JCQ
Tel: 020 7638 4132.
Email: info@jcq.org.uk
National Curriculum tests (SATs)
General information about assessment and reporting arrangements, including access arrangements, for the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stages 1-3 is available on the Department for Education website.
For information about modified tests for visually impaired pupils contact the Modified Test Agency helpline on 0300 3033019 or email schooltests@rnib.org.uk.
Past exam papers
Using past papers is an important way for students to practise for exams and is also a good way of ensuring that they have chosen the correct format. Find out how you can obtain past exam papers.