Extra time access arrangements - Perspectives and experiences of students and staff in England

Oct 20, 2026

The study examines how centre staff and Year 12 students with special educational needs and disabilities experience extra time access arrangements in England’s exams. Findings show uneven student uptake linked to peer pressure, subject differences, and limited training, alongside classroom support challenges that constrain practice and raise fairness concerns. Staff report centre-to-centre variability in identifying needs, expertise, evidence thresholds, and the growing administrative burden amid rising, increasingly complex accommodation combinations. Recommendations focus on clearer guidance, digital streamlined evidence processes, and timetabling that accounts for fatigue.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Executive summary

Key findings

Improving practice and identifying further support

Implications and future directions

Introduction

Study context

Extra time access arrangements: Perspectives and experiences of students and staff in England Research and Innovation Emma Rawlings Smith and Faye Walker Executive summary Approvals for extra time access arrangements have risen over the last decade, with a noticeable uptick since the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored the perspectives of centre staff involved in organising access arrangements and students with special educational needs and disabilities who receive them, complementing a large-scale survey by AQA’s Customer Insights team. The research involved interviews with centre staff, exam-hall observations during a live exam series and focus groups with Year 12 students. Participants were asked about the use of extra time, the challenges associated with applying for and administering it, and the types of support that staff and students would find helpful. Data collection took place between November 2025 and February 2026. Key findings • Participants reported that students do not always make use of extra time in exams. Variation in use was linked to peer pressure, subject type and lack of training in how to use it. • Participants described challenges in providing students with appropriate support during classroom assessments, limiting opportunities for them to practise using extra time and raising concerns about fairness. • Staff reported variation between centres in their approaches to identifying and supporting emerging needs, the level of expertise among staff involved in access arrangements and the evidence thresholds applied. • Staff described significant practical challenges in organising and managing access arrangements, linked to rising numbers and increasingly complex combinations of accommodations. • Staff were concerned about the unsustainability of the current system, citing growing pressure from parents and external professionals to secure extra time, the heavy administrative burden of evidencing need for increasing numbers of applications and the resulting impact on students with the greatest needs. Improving practice and identifying further support • Provide clearer, role-specific guidance on access arrangements and the types of evidence required, to promote consistency across centres and reduce unnecessary variation in practice. • Provide teachers with information and subject-specific strategies to support the effective use of extra time. • Deliver digital, streamlined forms and enable the bulk upload of evidence for access arrangements. • Improve the visibility and promotion of annual webinars and conferences on exam administration so that all staff receive one consistent set of instructions. • When timetabling assessments, account for fatigue and cumulative assessment burden during exam periods for students with extra time. • Direct parents and external professionals to clear guidance on access arrangements and how they relate to different profiles of need. Implications and future directions It is important to understand the challenges and support needs of centres and students so that the JCQ and exam boards can respond effectively to the continuing rise in extra time approvals. Despite the high administrative burden on centre staff to identify need, collect evidence and submit applications, extra time continues to play an important role in supporting fairness and accessibility in high-stakes exams for students with SEND. Looking ahead, digital tools have the potential to reduce administrative burden and support fair implementation of extra time and related adjustments during live exams. Alongside this, decisions about access arrangements should take account of students’ perspectives, with policy and practice reflecting this. Introduction Access arrangements are adjustments to exams that help students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) access the assessment without changing its demands (JCQ, 2025). Approvals for extra time access arrangeme

FAQs

What did the study explore about extra time access arrangements?

It explored centre staff perspectives and Year 12 students’ experiences of using extra time in exams, including the challenges of applying for and administering it and the support that would be helpful.

Why don’t students always use extra time, according to participants?

Participants reported that students do not always use extra time; variation was associated with peer pressure, subject type, and a lack of training on how to use it.

What major concerns did staff raise about the current system?

Staff raised concerns about unsustainability due to increased pressure from parents and external professionals, heavy evidence administration for growing application numbers, and impacts on students with the greatest needs.

Oct 20, 2026

Uploaded by Taylor Morgan