Exams and assessment

Organisations that administer exams (“assessment bodies” or “exam boards”) can make changes to compensate for individual students’ difficulties, or potential difficulties, in the exam process. The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) is the organisation that oversees qualifications and exams throughout the UK. The JCQ give guidance to schools, colleges and exam boards on the types of changes that can be made to exams. Instructions and forms for schools and exam boards can be downloaded free from the JCQ website. The school or college is responsible for collecting information from the student, their family, teachers, and sometimes from health professionals. There are two main types of changes that can be made: special consideration and access arrangements.

Special consideration

Special consideration is appropriate if an event just before or during an exam may cause the student to do less well than they are capable of. This could be suitable for some students with epilepsy, for example if their main worry is a seizure disrupting an exam. A seizure during an exam, in the morning before an exam, or one which makes the candidate unable to attend the exam, could be compensated by special consideration.

In order to apply for special consideration, a JCQ form must be filled in and sent to the Special Requirements Unit of the exam board. If possible, the difficulty should be made known to the school or college before the exam is taken. If the candidate misses an exam due to a long term medical condition which the school or college is aware of, the form should be completed and kept by the school or college. The marks for the exam may be adjusted by comparing other assessments, such as an earlier part of the exam, other exams, course work, or advice from the teacher. The maximum change to exam marks is five per cent of the total marks available, even for the most serious circumstances. It is usually better for a student to complete as much of the exam as they can.

Students and their parents and carers should also bear in mind that their performance may be affected in the run up to a seizure. So if a student managed to complete half an exam before experiencing a seizure, simply adjusting the marks by a small amount may not reflect their true potential. Access arrangements are more appropriate for many students with epilepsy, and are explained below.

Access arrangements

Access arrangements are designed to help individuals with disabilities, including learning disabilities. These arrangements allow the exams system to comply with disability discrimination laws, by making sure people with disabilities are not disadvantaged or discriminated against in the exam and assessment process. Many different types of arrangements can be made, depending on the student’s disability. In most cases, the school or college will have some discretion and flexibility in how to make these arrangements, and they can sometimes make them without having to apply to the exam board.

For a student with epilepsy, access arrangements could take several forms. One of these could be extra time to compensate for absence seizures – up to 25 per cent extra time can be allowed. Or a person such as a teaching assistant could sit with the student to identify seizures and add extra time accordingly. Rest breaks can be granted to any person with a medical condition, as long as the school or college are aware of the condition in good time. In practical exams such as science and technology, adult support can be provided. Separate invigilation (a separate place to sit the exam) can also be organised. This may include a candidate sitting the exam at a different time, as well as in a different location. For example, a student who normally has seizures first thing in the morning could sit the exam in the afternoon when they have had time to recover. If a person with epilepsy is sitting an exam separately, they should still be supervised in case they have a seizure during the exam.

Access arrangements are also designed to cater for young people with learning disabilities, and an assessment by a psychologist or certain types of specialist teacher will probably be needed. The arrangements for students with learning difficulties and disabilities are easier to make if there is a history of provision for that student, through the special educational needs (SEN) framework. Parents should check that the school have made preparations for exams. More information is available from the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities (Skill).

• Epilepsy awareness project for primary schools