Entrance Assessments

Criteria for Awarding Access Arrangements in the 11+ and 13+ Entrance Assessments

Formal evidence is required in order to consider awarding access arrangements, including extra time. Recommendations made in full diagnostic assessments by an Educational Psychologist or Specialist Assessor will be accepted, regardless of when they were conducted. All other evidence (e.g. school-based screening) must have been obtained no earlier than the start of the previous school year (i.e. either Year 5 or Year 8).

In all instances, tests used to produce evidence should be upto-date, fully standardised tests that are age appropriate and have a ceiling level at least equivalent to the chronological age of the pupil. In the case of centre-delegated access arrangements, such as use of a word processor or prompt, evidence should be provided in the form of a letter from the school’s SENCO, signed, dated and written on centre headed paper, stating the nature of the pupil’s impairment. If access arrangements are required due to a physical disability or named medical condition (not including specific learning difficulties), a letter describing the physical or medical condition, written by a doctor, must accompany the application form. Each application for access arrangements is considered against the criteria set out below and must be received with the application form. PGS follows the criteria specified by the Joint Council of Qualifications (JCQ) in the document, ‘Adjustments for candidates with disabilities and learning difficulties’. This document can be downloaded from the JCQ website. It is updated every September. To be eligible for 25% additional time, a pupil should have:

1. A current Statement of Special Educational Need,

Education and Health Care Plan or full diagnostic report by an Educational Psychologist or Specialist Assessor which confirms a disability; or 2. An assessment which confirms that the candidate has at least one below average standardised score of 84 or less which relates to an assessment of:

• Speed of reading, or • Speed of writing, or • Cognitive processing measures which have a substantial and long term adverse effect on speed of working 3. In exceptional circumstances 25% extra time may be awarded to a candidate where the assessment confirms that they have at least two low average standardised scores (85-89) related to speed of processing (as above) 4. In rare and very exceptional circumstances, where there are no scores of 89 or less, 25% extra time may be awarded where a candidate has been diagnosed as having a significant learning difficulty or disability which has a clear, measurable and substantial long term adverse effect on performance and speed of working. 50% extra time is only awarded in very exceptional circumstances and would not normally be available to candidates. It would be awarded following careful consideration of the evidence and a meeting with parents.