Introduction
CompEx is committed to ensuring access to fair assessment for all learners and to protecting the integrity of its qualifications. There may be circumstances whereby arrangements need to be made to take account of learners’ requirements to ensure that this is achieved without giving any unfair advantage over other learners.
The Policy outlines CompEx’s reasonable steps to ensure it avoids disadvantage (directly or indirectly) in line with the requirements of The UK Equality Act 2010 (Disability) Regulations.
Reasonable Adjustments
CompEx is committed to providing supportive and fair opportunities to all learners. The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance to help learners and ATP staff in determining the specific support required for theory and practical assessments.
Learners are entitled to request a reasonable adjustment to their assessment and CompEx will consider all requests providing the appropriate supporting evidence is submitted within the required timeframes.
Reasonable adjustments can be made to assessments to meet the needs of the individuals who have a disability or impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on that person’s ability to undertake an examination as defined by The Equality Act 2010. Adjustments will not entail the lowering of standards, nor will they exempt candidates from demonstrating that they are fit to undertake assessments independently.
CompEx are committed to ensuring that this guidance be applied consistently to all candidates who apply to undertake their assessments within the UK and overseas.
Examples of reasonable adjustments to assessments may include but are not limited to:
• Extra time
• Scribes / readers
• Isolated areas
• Rest breaks
CompEx acknowledges that requests for adjustments may vary / be unique and, as such, separate to some of the more established assessment adjustments listed above. It is possible that an adjustment may not be determined as reasonable taking into consideration the following:
• If it has an impact on any aspects related to the integrity of the assessment.
• If it involves immoderate / excessive costs.
CompEx will take reasonable steps to do the following:
• Avoid substantial disadvantage where a provision, criterion or practice puts people with a disability at a substantial disadvantage.
• Avoid substantial disadvantage where a physical feature puts people with disability at a substantial disadvantage; this includes removing the physical feature in question, altering it or providing a reasonable means of avoiding it.
• Provide an auxiliary aid where, without one, a person with a disability would be put at a substantial disadvantage.
Special Considerations
A request for Special Consideration must be unique to each learner or assessment. A learner will be eligible for Special Consideration if they have been fully prepared and have covered the whole unit or series of units but performance in an assessment is affected by adverse circumstances outside of their control. It is important to note that it may not be possible to apply special consideration where:
• An assessment requires the demonstration of a practical competence.
• The assessment criteria must be fully met.
Where an assessment has been missed due to an adverse event, the ATP should offer the learner an opportunity to take the test later.
CompEx will ensure that any special considerations claimed:
• Do not confer an unfair advantage over other learners.
• Do not mislead about the level ad extent of attainment.
• Do not compromise the integrity or credibility of the unit(s), for the learner concerned or for other learners.
• Are clearly tracked for audit purposes, with all supporting documentation where appropriate.
Mitigating / adverse circumstance(s) that could result in the need for Special Considerations to be made may include:
• Temporary illness or accident / injury at the time of the assessment.
• Bereavement at the time of the assessment.
• Domestic crisis arising at the time of the assessment.
• Serious disruption during the assessment.
• Other accidental events, such as being given the wrong assessment.
• Failure by the ATP or CompEx to implement previously agreed access arrangements.
Learners will not be eligible for special consideration if preparation for or performance in the assessment is affected by:
• Long term illness or other difficulties during the course affecting the revision time unless the illness or circumstances manifest themselves during the assessment.
• Domestic inconvenience such as moving house, lack of facilities or taking holidays at the time of the assessment.
• Minor disruption during the assessment, e.g., phone ringing or badly behaved learner.
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