Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration Policy

REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS

A reasonable adjustment is any action that helps to reduce the effect of a disability or difficulty that places the learner at a substantial disadvantage in the assessment situation. Reasonable adjustments must not affect the integrity of what is being assessed.

Reasonable adjustments are approved or set in place before the assessment activity takes place; they constitute an arrangement to give the learner access to the assessment activity. The use of a reasonable adjustment will not be taken into consideration during the assessment of a learner’s work.

Awarding Organisations and centres are only required by law to do what is ‘reasonable’ in terms of giving access. What is reasonable will depend on the individual circumstances, cost implications and the practicality and effectiveness of the adjustment. Other factors, such as the need to maintain competence standards and health and safety, will also be taken into consideration.

Pragmatic Consulting requires all requests for reasonable adjustments to be submitted on the Reasonable Adjustment Form in Appendix A, at least 20 working days prior to the assessment activity taking place. 

They will review the request and where appropriate will communicate with the relevant awarding body for consideration. If an awarding body is consult Pragmatic Consulting will adopt their policies and procedures for submitting such a request.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

Special consideration may be given following a dated examination for candidates who are present for the examination but may have been disadvantaged, for example, by temporary illness or adverse circumstances during the assessment.

Where an assessment requires a competence, criterion or standard to be met fully or in the case of a Licence to Practise it may not be possible to apply special consideration.

In the case of an on-demand assessment the assessment may require to be rescheduled.

In all circumstances for special considerations, Pragmatic Consulting will liaise directly with the appropriate awarding body and adopt their policy on procedures for submitting such as request.

In the first instance, the special consideration form (Appendix B) should be completed and submitted to Pragmatic Consulting for consideration before communication with the awarding body commences, this form should be submitted within 5 working days of the end of the assessment/examination and sent to the Centre Manager.

APPENDIX A - REASONABLE ADJUSTMENT FORM