Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration in Vocational Assessment: Practical Examples
Reasonable adjustments make assessment fair for learners with disabilities and additional needs without lowering the standard. A practical guide for assessors and IQAs, with examples for dyslexia, visual impairment, physical disability, anxiety and more.
In short
In vocational assessment, a reasonable adjustment is an arrangement agreed before assessment that reduces the effect of a disability or difficulty on a learner's ability to show what they can do — such as extra time, oral rather than written questioning, or adapted equipment. Special consideration is applied after or at the time of an assessment, for learners affected by temporary illness, injury or adverse circumstances. Neither may change what is being assessed or lower the standard; they remove barriers to the learner demonstrating competence.
Key takeaways
- Reasonable adjustments are planned in advance; special consideration responds to circumstances at the time of assessment
- The rule is to remove the barrier without changing what is being assessed
- If the skill affected is the competence being assessed, it cannot be adjusted away
- Some adjustments can be agreed by the centre; others need awarding organisation approval
- Identify needs early, record the evidence and the adjustment, and apply it consistently
Every assessor will work with learners whose disability, learning difficulty, health condition or circumstances make a standard assessment harder for them than for others — not because they lack the competence, but because of how the assessment is carried out. Reasonable adjustments and special consideration exist to remove that barrier.
They are also an area where well-meaning assessors can get it wrong, either by not making adjustments they should, or by making ones that change what is being assessed. This guide explains the difference between the two arrangements, the principle that governs both, practical examples by need, and how to record adjustments so they stand up to quality assurance.
Related: Inclusivity, Accessibility and Fairness in Assessment Design
Reasonable adjustment vs special consideration
| Reasonable adjustment | Special consideration | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A change to how an assessment is carried out, to reduce the effect of a disability or difficulty | A response to temporary illness, injury or adverse circumstances that affected the learner at the time of assessment |
| When | Agreed and put in place before the assessment | Applied at or after the time of the assessment |
| Typical examples | Extra time, rest breaks, oral questioning, assistive technology, adapted equipment | Rescheduling an assessment, extending a deadline, an adjustment to a result in some externally set assessments |
| Who approves | The centre for many adjustments; the awarding organisation for others | Usually the awarding organisation, following the centre's application |
In competence-based assessment, where learners demonstrate competence over time rather than in a single exam, special consideration more often means rescheduling or extending deadlines than adjusting results. Learners must still demonstrate the required competence.
The principle: remove the barrier, keep the standard
Every reasonable adjustment has to pass the same test: does it remove a barrier to the learner demonstrating competence, without changing what is being assessed?
The key is to be clear about what the criterion actually requires. If the barrier relates to how the learner shows their competence, it can usually be adjusted. If the barrier relates to the competence itself, it cannot.
For example, a criterion requiring a learner to explain safe working practices assesses knowledge. A learner with dyslexia could explain orally rather than in writing, because writing is not what is being assessed. But a criterion requiring a learner to read and interpret technical drawings assesses reading and interpretation, so removing the reading would change the standard. An adjustment there might be extra time or enlarged drawings, but not someone else reading the drawing for them.
Awarding organisations' reasonable adjustment policies make this distinction clear, and identify which adjustments centres can approve themselves and which need awarding organisation approval. Read the policy for each qualification you assess.
Practical examples by need
The examples below are illustrative. The right adjustment always depends on the individual learner, the evidence of their need and the requirements of the qualification.
Dyslexia and specific learning difficulties
- extra time for written work and knowledge assessments
- oral questioning or professional discussion in place of written answers, where writing is not being assessed
- assistive technology such as text-to-speech, speech-to-text or spell-checkers, where these do not affect what is assessed
- coloured overlays or paper, or adjusted font and spacing
- information about the assessment provided in advance and broken into shorter steps
Visual impairment
- enlarged print or digital documents compatible with screen readers
- extra time
- adjusted lighting or positioning during practical assessments
- adapted equipment, where the learner would use the same adaptation in their workplace
Hearing impairment
- a British Sign Language interpreter for questioning or discussion
- written questions in place of oral ones, or a combination
- positioning the assessor so the learner can lip-read, and reducing background noise where possible
Physical disability
- adapted workstations or equipment, consistent with what the learner uses in their job
- rest breaks during long practical assessments
- extra time where speed is not part of the competence being assessed
- alternative methods of recording evidence, such as voice recording or a scribe for written knowledge evidence
If a criterion requires the learner to physically carry out a task — moving and handling, for example — the adjustment cannot remove the physical requirement. It may be possible to adjust the conditions, but the learner must still demonstrate the competence.
Anxiety and mental health conditions
- assessment in a familiar environment, or a quieter space for knowledge assessments
- an assessor the learner already knows
- a clear explanation in advance of what will happen and when
- rest breaks, or splitting an assessment across more than one session where the qualification allows
Learners whose first language is not English
A learner's first language is not in itself a disability, and awarding organisations treat language needs differently from reasonable adjustments. Some allow arrangements such as bilingual dictionaries for certain assessments; others do not, particularly where communication in English is part of the competence. Check the awarding organisation's policy for each qualification.
Related: Using Evidence-Informed Strategies for Inclusive Teaching, Learning, and Assessment
What is not allowed
Reasonable adjustments must not:
- lower the standard or remove criteria the learner must meet
- give the learner an unfair advantage over other learners
- involve the assessor answering for the learner, prompting answers, or leading the learner towards the response
- change what is being assessed, such as removing the reading from a reading-based criterion
- compromise the validity or reliability of the evidence
An adjustment that crosses any of these lines does not help the learner. It leaves them with a qualification that does not reflect their competence, and puts the centre at risk at external quality assurance.
Identifying and recording adjustments
Identify needs early
The best time to identify a need is at the start of the programme, through initial assessment. Ask every learner, routinely and sensitively, whether there is anything that might affect how they are assessed. Some learners will not have a formal diagnosis, and some will not mention a need until asked directly.
Related: Identifying individual learner needs and recognition of prior learning
Gather evidence
Awarding organisations usually require evidence of the need behind an adjustment — such as a diagnostic assessment, a report from a specialist or medical professional, or an education, health and care plan. The evidence required varies with the adjustment; check the policy.
Record the adjustment
For each learner with an adjustment, record:
- the need and the evidence for it
- the adjustment agreed, and for which assessments
- who approved it — the centre or the awarding organisation — and when
- confirmation that the adjustment does not change what is being assessed
- how and when it was applied
- when it will be reviewed
Apply it consistently
Every assessor working with the learner needs to know about the adjustment and apply it in the same way. Include it in assessment plans and refer to it in observation records where it affected how the assessment was carried out.
Include it in quality assurance
IQAs should sample assessments where adjustments were made, to check they were appropriate, approved and applied correctly. This is part of the "Candidates" element of a CAMERA sampling plan.
A quick decision checklist
Before agreeing a reasonable adjustment, ask:
- What is the learner's need, and what evidence supports it?
- What exactly does the criterion require? Separate the competence from the way it is usually demonstrated.
- Does the barrier affect how the learner shows competence, or the competence itself? Only the first can be adjusted.
- Would the adjustment change what is being assessed or give an unfair advantage? If yes, it is not appropriate.
- Can the centre approve it, or does it need awarding organisation approval?
- Is it consistent with how the learner works in their job?
- Has it been recorded, shared with everyone assessing the learner, and scheduled for review?
Frequently asked questions
Does a learner need a formal diagnosis to receive a reasonable adjustment?
Not always, but awarding organisations usually require some evidence of the need. The type of evidence depends on the adjustment requested. Check the awarding organisation's policy, and speak to the learner early so there is time to arrange any assessment needed.
Can I make a reasonable adjustment without telling the awarding organisation?
Many common adjustments can be approved by the centre under the awarding organisation's policy, but they must still be recorded and available for quality assurance. Others need awarding organisation approval in advance. The policy for each qualification sets out which is which.
What is the difference between a reasonable adjustment and support during learning?
Support during learning — extra tuition, adapted resources, more frequent reviews — helps the learner develop competence. A reasonable adjustment changes how competence is assessed. Learners often need both, but they are recorded and approved differently.
Can special consideration be used if a learner has a bad day during an observation?
In competence-based assessment, the usual response is to reschedule the observation rather than apply special consideration. Where illness, injury or another significant event affected the learner, follow your centre's and awarding organisation's procedures, and record what happened and what was agreed.
This article explains reasonable adjustments and special consideration in general terms. The arrangements available, the evidence required and who can approve them are set by each awarding organisation, so always check the current policy for the qualification you are assessing.
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