Introduction and Purpose
This policy is provided for Primary Goal stakeholders, including learners, staff members and individuals
who are using or delivering the courses and qualifications on offer. It outlines the process of
implementing reasonable adjustments and processes around determining when special
considerations are appropriate.
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 in the assessment situation. It is made to an
assessment for a qualification to enable a disadvantaged learner to demonstrate their knowledge,
skills and understanding of the levels of attainment required by the specification for that qualification.
Reasonable adjustments must not affect the integrity of what needs to be assessed, but 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.
• Assistance with accessibility during assessment, such as a sign language interpreter or a
reader.
• Re-organising the assessment room, such as removing visual stimuli for a learner.
Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations Policy V2.1 19/03/2025
• Providing and allowing different coloured transparencies with which to view assessment
papers.
Reasonable adjustments are approved or set in place before the assessment activity takes place by
the Awarding Organisation. They constitute an arrangement to give the learner access to the
programme. The use of a reasonable adjustment will not be taken into consideration during the
assessment of a learner’s work.
All Awarding Organisations will have their own reasonable adjustments polices and processes. It is
important these are reviewed at the earliest opportunity in preparation for exams as well as the end
point assessment process. What is reasonable will depend on the individual circumstances, cost
implications and the practicality and effectiveness of the adjustment. Other factors, such as the need
to maintain competence standards and health and safety, will also be taken into consideration.
Principles of Making Reasonable Adjustments
Primary Goal is committed to complying with all current and relevant legislation in relation to the
development and delivery of qualifications and courses. 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 need. A special
consideration may be required where a learner has a temporary disability, medical condition, learning
need or is indisposed at the time of the assessment.
Special Considerations
Special consideration can be applied before or after an assessment if there was a reason the learner
may have been disadvantaged during the assessment. The following is set out within the Ofqual
Handbook: General Conditions of Recognition, Section G:
Special Consideration could include, but is not limited to:
• An adjustment to a learner’s mark for a learner whose performance in an assessment has
been affected.
• An adjustment to the arrangements for accessing an assessment for a learner who is not
disabled, but whose ability to access the assessment has been affected by an injury or
illness.
• Carrying over the fee for an assessment that the learner was unable to take to a later
assessment opportunity.
Any requests for Special Considerations must be carried out in line with the relevant Awarding
Organisations policy and processes and must be made by a relevant staff member at Primary Goal
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 will
be stored securely by Primary Goal and made available to the relevant Awarding Organisation on
request. A special consideration should not give the learner or apprentice an unfair advantage. The
result must reflect their achievement in the assessment and not necessarily their potential ability. It
should be noted that a successful application of special consideration will not necessarily change a
learner or apprentice’s result.
All staff and learners should note that:
• Where an assessment requires the apprentice or learner to demonstrate practical
competence or where criteria must be met fully, or in the case of qualifications that confer
a License to Practice, it may not be possible to apply special consideration.
• In some circumstances, for example for on-demand assessments, it may be more
appropriate to offer the learner an opportunity to take the assessment at a later date.
• Primary Goal will review a request for special consideration on a case-by-case basis and will
take the need of each individual apprentice or learner into consideration when deciding to
submit the request for approval to the Awarding Organisation.
Requests
The following individuals or teams are permitted to make requests for reasonable adjustments and/or
special considerations:
• A member of the Quality Team.
• A member of the Delivery Team.
• A learning support specialist.
• A learner undertaking a qualification.
Learners must make relevant staff at Primary Goal aware of any reasonable adjustments they require.
Staff members are responsible for following relevant Awarding Organisation guidelines around
reasonable adjustments and applying to the relevant Awarding Organisation for reasonable
adjustment requests.
All requests for reasonable adjustments must be made following the relevant Awarding Organisations
procedures, 7 days in advance of an assessment being undertaken (where reasonably practicable).
A learner undertaking an assessment as part of a regulated qualification may wish to request
reasonable adjustments or special considerations, in which case they should contact their recognised
member of Delivery staff.
Staff may request these on behalf of learners, or they may apply these themselves where appropriate.
For some assessment types, staff may wish to review what reasonable adjustments or special
considerations they are able to implement internally for a learner.
Primary Goal will acknowledge all requests within 48 hours of receipt. In most cases, the Company will
be able to provide an outcome within this same timescale, but in more complex cases which require
input from experts, this may be delayed. We aim to have issued outcomes to all requests within 5
working days. If we are unable to respond in this time, we will provide an estimated response date.
Supporting Evidence
All reasonable adjustment or special consideration requests must be supported by evidence, which is
sufficient, valid and reliable alongside the relevant form. This document is to be retained for 6 years
following the last year of funding. Requests may not be accepted without appropriate supporting
evidence. It is the Delivery staff’s responsibility to provide this evidence and to ensure that all
applications for reasonable adjustments are based on the individual needs of the learner.
Delivery staff should decide which of the following types of additional supporting evidence will best assist
understanding of the learner’s situation:
• An assessment of the learner’s needs in relation to the relevant assessment, made within
Primary Goal by the relevant member of staff with competence and responsibility in this
area. Staff include learning support staff, Coaches, Trainers, and other specialist staff.
• History of provision within Primary Goal.
• Written evidence produced by independent, authoritative specialists.
Review
Primary Goal will continue to review the contents of this policy and review annually.
