Exam access arrangements when at uni - but no disability

[Swiftlyintothenight]

DS has always had 25% extra time in exams - in GCSEs and in the A-levels this summer. He qualifies because the school runs the appropriate tests (JCQ?). However, he does not have a disability - he's just a bit slow in processing info. Will his exam access arrangements roll-over to university? I fear not because there was nowhere to declare them in UCAS form - other than if you ticked the disability box (which he couldn't as doesn't have one!).

His university will have a disability support team and a process for requesting exam arrangements. However, this relies on evidence - where I work students need a diagnosis letter from the relevant professional, eg a letter from an ed psychologist for learning disabilities. It’s not generally adequate to provide evidence that adjustments were granted at secondary school.

You should start the process of getting a formal assessment and recommendation, which your DS then needs to take to the disability support team when he starts university.

"You're disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a 'substantial' and 'long-term' negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities."

Sounds like a disability to me
He needs to speak to disability support services at the chosen uni
Whether or not he chooses to call himself disabled
That service can advise him

The uni Disability service will do its own tests on his processing speed and arrange for extra time if it's required. No need to mention on UCAS - but he does need to get in touch when he enrols.

He should tick the dsa box on Student Finance and contact the Student Support service at his uni to get any adjustments put in place. Extra time in exams, extended deadlines, access to recordings of lectures, mentor etc are all posdibility

Without evidence it's very difficult to get adjustments. We see a lot of students who have had access arrangements at school but cannot support these without evidence. If you can, get him to an Ed Psych who can give a diagnostic decision. Slow processing can be a qualifying disability, but not on the say so of the school.

Most university disability/ accessibility/ neurodiversity teams will ask for evidence of a disability before putting adjustments in place.

It's possible that your son could get a screening for a specific learning difference and then be referred for a full diagnostic assessment - either at the institution or externally- but this would not happen before he starts his course. (The institution generally pays for most or all of this assessment).

I wish school / HE provision was more joined up.

He may need a Post 16 assessment to Access dsa support but the uni can advise and give him details of what is required if he does not have anything formal already from an Ed Psych or qualified SENDCO. If the Post 16 assessment can be done before he starts uni that will speed up the process then there is a Needs Assessment to identify what support he may need via DSA.

"You're disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a 'substantial' and 'long-term' negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities."
Sounds like a disability to me

You do know that 21.6% of candidates got extra time in GCSEs in 2020/1? See here at 3.3 (www.gov.uk/government/statistics/access-arrangements-for-gcse-as-and-a-level-2020-to-2021-academic-year/access-arrangements-for-gcse-as-and-a-level-2020-to-2021-academic-year).

Are you seriously suggesting that 1/5 of students are disabled? I am no disability denier - my eldest has autism!

amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/feb/08/surge-in-young-people-declaring-disability-in-england-and-wales

The 2021 census has disability across the population as 17.1% so 21.6% doesn't seem far off that especially when you take into consideration disabilities tend to be more readily diagnosed in children today compared to say 40 years ago

Read the APP of the Uni (they are published) for any support available - however, bear in mind JCQ AAs only relate to exams, ie time controlled assessments which don't necessarily feature in all modules at L4 and above

Thank you @sowk and @LIZS - so I should pay for a private educational psychologist to assess him you think? Will happily do so (assuming it's not £££££). He hasn't had an ed psych report at school - just did the JCQ tests

I worked for an FE college which ran Foundation degrees under the aegis of the local university. Our FE students could get extra time for slow processing identified by the JCQ approved testing, as you describe.

The university would not give any exam access arrangements without a diagnosed disability or learning difficulty and it was the student’s responsibility to provide up-to-date evidence. Same for DSA.

It’s always worth talking to the disability officer at the university because universities can and do make their own rules, and don’t have to follow nationally proscribed rules in the way that schools do, but you should prepare yourselves for a big fat “no”.

@Swiftlyintothenight read the Access and Participation Plan first so you know what is in place to support (I work in FE/HE)

Thanks @titchy - but this wasn't my nephew's experience when he went to Cambridge 3 years ago. He had extra time in school exams too but the DSC said they didn't conduct tests?

Anecdotal I know, but my dc's University wouldn't give her the support (extra time, smaller room) she had had for exams in 6th form, despite the school confirming that is what she had had there, and sharing some diagnostic testing they had done, because she didn't have a confirmed diagnosis of anything.
Once she finally got her diagnosis, then SFE confirmed she could have DSA and they were falling over themselves to give her a plethora of resources.
So, our experience is you will need a diagnosis, yes.

My dd is exactly the same. She contacted disability services at her Uni last Dec (joined Uni Sept 22). They organised a test at a very nominal charge and has confirmed she is indeed a ‘slow processor’ and has dyslexia. We never realised!! They have confirmed that she is eligible for extra time for exams. They have said she also might have ADHD but they do not offer the tests for that. I will be doing that privately.
I believe some universities offer this service and some don’t. When she got her offer, I had enquired with disability services but they refused to let me know anything (since dad is 18) and suggested DD contact them once she joins. Hope this information puts your mind at rest a bit.

@HeddaGarbled this is exactly my understanding - hence my quizzical post. Universities want a diagnosed disability - and he won't be diagnosed with one coz he doesn't have one!

@LIZS with respect, OP has stated DS is not disabled. DSA is strictly means tested

DSA isn't means tested at all

@Swiftlyintothenight if you have queries, contact Admissions at the Uni(s) and they will advise your best route to knowing what support is in place

DSA is not means tested but you do need to have a diagnosed disability or learning difficulty to qualify and to produce diagnostic evidence.

@UsingChangeofName it very much is, otherwise it would be abused

Slow speed of information processing is a recognised learning difficulty. You will need to provide evidence, the test for it is carried out by an Ed psych. Some schools bring in Ed psychs to do this.

@HeddaGarbled ie means tested - you need to provide evidence via diagnosis