Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations Policy

Scope of the policy

This policy is provided for MKLC customers, including learners and staff members who are using or delivering the training/ qualifications MKLC offer.

Location of the policy

This policy is available for all staff members, third parties and learners to access.

Communication of the policy

It is important that staff involved in the management, delivery, assessment and quality assurance of the training/qualifications and learners undertaking these qualifications, are fully aware of the contents of the policy.

Review of the policy

MKLC will review the policy annually and revise it as and when required in response to customer and stakeholder feedback, changes in practices, actions required by Awarding Bodies or changes in legislation. Our review will ensure that our procedures continue to be consistent with the regulatory criteria and are applied properly and fairly in arriving at judgements.

Policy Statement

This policy provided for MKLC centre staff and learners to ensure they deal with all reasonable adjustment and special consideration requests in a consistent manner.

Statement of Principles

MKLC is committed to complying with all current and relevant legislation in relation to the development and delivery of qualifications. We are committed to ensuring that all learners have fair and equal access to assessment where possible and practicable. A reasonable adjustment may be required where a learner has a permanent disability or specific learning needs A special consideration may be required where a learner has a temporary disability, medical condition or learning needs or is indisposed at the time of the assessment.

Definition of 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 during an assessment.

Reasonable adjustments may involve:

  • changing usual assessment arrangements, for example allowing a learner extra time to complete the assessment activity

  • adapting assessment materials, such as providing materials in Braille

  • providing assistance during assessment, such as a sign language interpreter or a reader

  • re-organising the assessment room, such as removing visual stimuli for an autistic learner

  • providing and allowing different coloured transparencies.

Reasonable adjustments are approved or set in place by the Awarding Body before the assessment activity takes place; they constitute an arrangement to give the learner access to the assessment.

Requesting Reasonable Adjustments

Learners must make relevant MKLC staff members aware of any reasonable adjustments they require. MKLC staff members are responsible for applying to The Awarding Body for reasonable adjustment request (when appropriate). All requests must be made following procedures as outlined in The Awarding Body’s guidelines and policies.

Definition of Special Considerations

Special consideration can be applied after an assessment, if there was a reason the learner may have been disadvantaged during the assessment.

Any requests to The Awarding Body for Special Considerations, must be made by a relevant MKLC staff member within 5 days of the assessment taking place.

For example, special consideration could apply to a learner who had temporarily experienced:-

  • an illness or injury

  • some other event outside of their control

Special consideration, if successful, may result in a small post-assessment adjustment to the mark of the learner. The size of the adjustment will depend on the circumstances and reflect the difficulty faced by the learner.

All documents relating to reasonable adjustments and special considerations must be saved and stored securely in the centre. The Awarding Body must be given access to any information or documents regarding any appeals, when requested.