This course is for anyone looking to train exam access arrangement facilitators (e.g. Readers, Scribes etc.) and those invigilating candidates with access arrangements in Exams for General Qualifications.

The JCQ ‘Instructions for Conducting Examinations’ states that training on the current regulations must be held for invigilators and those facilitating an access arrangement, with an update for existing invigilators. Centres must ensure that all exam support staff are thoroughly trained and their competence and understanding of the current regulations is rigorously tested.

Please note that this training course does not cover in detail the requirements for invigilating examinations. If you require this, please see our Training for Invigilators in Exams course, or our Combined Course that gives access to both courses at a reduced price.

This course covers the regulations and procedures for the administration and invigilation of Access Arrangements as outlined in the JCQ booklets: ‘Instructions for Conducting Examinations’ (ICE) and ‘Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments’.

• JCQ Rationale for Access Arrangements
• How the supporting adult’s role in the classroom differs from their role in exams
• Readers, Scribes, Extra Time, Rest Breaks, use of a Word Processor, Bilingual Dictionary, Prompter, Sign Language Interpreter, Practical Assistant, Oral Language Modifier (further accredited training is required to act as a LM, please see our LM training)
• Video showing a reader/scribe working with a candidate
• Optional role play activity
• The changes for the current regulations are highlighted in order to help existing staff to update their knowledge

Please note that this training course does not cover in detail the requirements for invigilating examinations. If you require this, please see our Training for Invigilators in Exams course, or our Combined Course that gives access to both courses at a reduced price.

The course tutor is Caroline Read.

Caroline Read

Caroline is a Specialist Teacher who has practical experience in all areas of the Access Arrangements process and trains for LAs, Universities and SEN Services. Caroline contributed to the PATOSS/JCQ publication ‘Dyslexia: Assessing the need for Access Arrangements’, has been published in academic journals and has worked with various publishers to develop tests. She was part of the working party which set up ‘Access Arrangements Online’ and has been involved with other DfE and Ofqual training and policy projects.

If you have used our Exam Support courses previously, please note there were a few changes last year to they way that they work:

• There is no base course fee - you need to purchase a login for every delegate, and the course is charged per delegate
• Every delegate with a start date after 1st September will get access to the course until the end of the academic year (31st July), so the training can be revisited as necessary
• The online assessment needs to be passed with 100%, but you will get to attempt it as many times as needed before you pass

Why have these changes been made?

• We have removed the base course fee and reduced the delegate rate to make the course more affordable for centres whether they have many or few staff to train.
• We require each delegate to have a login because of the JCQ requirement to rigorously test the understanding of Invigilators and EAA Facilitators. We can only do this if delegates take their own assessment, and this requires an individual login.
• We have given all delegates access to the end of the academic year because it relieves the pressure on centres trying to get everyone to access the course in a 10 day window, and it saves centres purchasing the course twice if delegates want to redo the course for the next exam series.
• The assessment needs to be passed with 100% so that we can be sure that the delegates we provide certificates for have retained the necessary knowledge to be able to invigilate examinations correctly and uphold the integrity of the examinations process.
  

For centres that want to watch the training as a group:

We appreciate that many centres will still want to watch the training as a group. In this case, you would still book a login for every delegate (because they need this to access the individual assessment), but then when you gather as a group, use a projector to watch the training video together from one delegate’s login. Then every delegate can complete the online assessment via their own login after watching the training. Because every login has both the training video and the assessment, those who miss the group session, or those who want to revisit it through the year can still access the training video on their own login.

You will need to book a login for every delegate that you wish to train. You will need their name, email address and role in order to do this.

You will need to select a start date when you book. Delegates will receive access to the course from this start date until the end of the academic year.

Once you have booked your delegates, they will each receive an email with a username and password for them to log in with (this will only work from the start date selected).

Every login includes the training video and the assessment.

For centres that want to watch the training as a group:

We appreciate that many centres will still want to watch the training as a group. In this case, you would still book a login for every delegate (because they need this to access the individual assessment), but then when you gather as a group, use a projector to watch the training video together from one delegate’s login. Then every delegate can complete the online assessment via their own login after watching the training. Because every login has both the training video and the assessment, those who miss the group session, or those who want to revisit it through the year can still access the training video on their own login.

N.B. You will need a good broadband connection to access our online courses.

The course includes an online multiple choice assessment. The assessment has several sections, which each require a 100% pass mark, but can be taken more than once if needed.

Once you have completed all sections, a certificate will be available for you to download and save.

Your examinations coordinators may want a copy for their files.