Application for reasonable adjustments (ARA)

News about our updated approach in exams

We will review all applications for reasonable adjustments on a case-bycase basis and for each examination separately and independently.

We are committed to inclusivity in dance education and thus ensuring that the qualifications in our portfolio cater for all learners – supporting teachers and students to progress both their dancing and dance teaching careers. To further enhance our commitment, the Society undertook a research project in 2018 with the University of Bedfordshire, investigating accessibility to our syllabi for disabled students. One of the key strands of this work since the seminar event, Springboard, that took place in 2019, was to explore the accessibility of our practical dance examinations, and specifically our process for the Application of Reasonable Adjustments (ARA).

To provide more context, the Equality Act 2010 requires the Society to make reasonable adjustments where students with special educational needs, disabilities or temporary injuries would be at a substantial disadvantage in undertaking an assessment. A reasonable adjustment for a particular person will be unique to that individual and is guided by what the teacher identifies the student can do, rather than what they cannot. However, awarding organisations must review several factors when arriving at decisions about whether adjustments are ‘reasonable’ or not, and there must additionally be compliance with regulatory requirements, therefore the involvement of our highly experienced lead examining team (see page 16) throughout this process is essential. We aim to accommodate all requests and will work with teachers to do our best to achieve this. However, an adjustment may not be considered ‘reasonable’ if it significantly impacts timeframes, involves unreasonable costs or most importantly, affects the security or integrity of the assessment by impacting on the level of demand of the examination. Where we are unable to meet a specific request, the opportunity for the student to gain a Certificate of Participation may be available.

Whilst we recognise the inherent challenges in applying reasonable adjustments to our proficiency and mastery based practical dance examinations, the dance department and the lead examiner teams have been piloting our new approach during the past 18 months, whereby applications are made at the beginning of the learning journey rather than at the end. The main aim of the updated process is to provide transparency for teachers, students, and their parents about the requirements of the relevant syllabus and the related examination – and to come to mutual decisions about whether reasonable adjustments can be applied and are appropriate for each individual. We are pleased to announce that this work has now been completed and the updated process will be available from autumn 2022 onwards.

We will review all applications for reasonable adjustments on a case-by-case basis and for each examination separately and independently. The teacher has a key role in this new process and discussions with us must begin as early as possible in the student’s training for a specific examination. This enables us to work together to ensure that any reasonable adjustments are properly approved in time to support the training leading up to the examination.

We will soon be providing more information and guidance on this process, so keep an eye out for webinars over the coming months.

We are committed to inclusivity in dance education.