UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL EXAMINATIONS OFFICE ALTERNATIVE EXAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS GUIDANCE FOR STAFF These guidelines should be read in conjunction with the University’s Code of Practice for the Assessment of Students on Taught Programmes (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/esu/assessment/codeonline.html). You might also find it useful to read the case studies in Appendix B of this document. The processes around the provision of alternative examination arrangements will be kept under review and the guidance notes will be updated regularly in line with any revisions. 1. What are alternative examination arrangements? An alternative examination arrangement (AEA) is any reasonable adjustment made to an examination assessment where, because of a permanent disability or health condition, the University considers that the standard arrangements would place a student at a disadvantage. 2. Who can apply to be considered for alternative examination arrangements? Students with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (eg dyspraxia, dyscalculia) 2.1.1 Disability Services will draw up a Disability Support Summary (DSS) for any student who is actively using Disability Services and for whom they hold appropriate diagnostic evidence and or a Disabled Student’s Allowance Needs Assessment. The DSS will include details of any alternative examination arrangements required and will be passed to the School Disability Co-ordinator who will agree the contents with Disability Services. 2.1.2 Students with specific learning difficulties who do not intend to use Disability Services, or who have not used them yet, may still be eligible for AEA. Any request for AEA must be accompanied by a diagnostic report which was prepared at secondary school for GCSE/A level examinations. See Section 3 for the AEA procedures. 2.1.3 Students who present with a specific learning difficulty after they arrive to study at the University, and who do not have a dyslexia report which was prepared at secondary school for GCSE/A level examinations, should be referred to Disability Services (disability-services@bristol.ac.uk). Disability Services can advise the student and signpost them to qualified Chartered/Educational Psychologists or Specialist Teachers for a diagnostic assessment. The student will be responsible for any expenses incurred, although the University will meet the assessment costs for students in receipt 2.1 of a university bursary or who fit the criteria for the financial assistance fund.. Overseas students, including those from EU countries, are not eligible for the DSA or University funding and should seek advice from Disability Services (disability-services@bristol.ac.uk). 2.1.4 The most common AEA for students with dyslexia is 15 minutes per hour additional time to complete examinations (ie 25% extra). Some reports may recommend a different amount of extra time and this should be considered on a case by case basis, based on the recommendations of the diagnostic assessment. Students seeking greater than 25% extra time should be referred to Disability Services http://www.bristol.ac.uk/disability-services/ and where a student prefers not to use Disability Services, the school/faculty can seek advice about the reasonable adjustment from Disability Services. 2.2 Students with other disabilities or health conditions 2.2.1 Disability Services will draw up a Disability Support Summary (DSS) for any student who is actively using Disability Services and for whom they hold appropriate diagnostic evidence and or a Disabled Student’s Allowance Needs Assessment report. The DSS will include details of any AEA required and will be passed to the School Disability Co-ordinator who will agree the contents with Disability Services prior to the plan being given to the student. 2.2.2 Disabled students who do not intend to use Disability Services, or who have not used them yet, may still be eligible for AEA. Any request for AEA must be accompanied by appropriate evidence (see Section 3 for procedures for application for AEA and Section 3.4 for acceptable forms of evidence). Advice on the eligibility of any evidence presented can be sought from Disability Services (disability-services@bristol.ac.uk). 2.2.3 Students who present with a disability after they arrive to study at the University should be referred to Disability Services (disability-services@bristol.ac.uk) who will be able to advise them on support available to assist them with their studies and how they can go about accessing it. Those students who choose not to use Disability Services are recommended to contact their School Disability Coordinator. 2.2.4 Students with a temporary injury/illness (eg fractured limb or glandular fever, stomach problem) should be dealt with by the School, but appropriate evidence (see Section 3.4) should accompany any request for AEA. 3. 3.1 How do students apply for alternative examination arrangements? The deadlines for submission of AEA requests are given each year on the Exams Office website (www.bristol.ac.uk/exams). The University cannot guarantee to accommodate the AEA requirements where the deadline is not met. The administrative staff in the School should be consulted in cases where the deadlines cannot be met. Students who hold a DSS do not need to complete the AEA request form, but the DSS should be sent to the Faculty, along with Part B of the form within the deadlines specified. All students who do not hold a DSS and who are 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 requesting AEAs should complete the AEA request form which can be obtained from the Examinations Office website (www.bristol.ac.uk/exams). A sample of the form is attached as Appendix A. You may find it useful to contact Disability Services to check whether or not the student is already known to them (telephone: (0117) 331 0444) Where a student holds a DSS then the student does not have to do anything regarding his/her examination arrangements. The School will complete Part B, arrange for it to be signed by the Head of School (or nominee) and pass this, together with a copy of the DSS to the Faculty by the deadline shown. If the student does not have a DSS then the AEA form should be completed by the student and passed to the School administrative office by the deadline shown, accompanied by appropriate evidence (see Section 3.6). The form must be signed by the Head of School (or nominee). The form should then be passed to the Faculty for authorisation by the Undergraduate or Graduate Dean (or nominee). Faculty Office will update the SITS system with details of the agreed arrangements, make a copy of the form and pass it back to the School. The School should take a copy of the form and pass the original back to the student as confirmation of their AEA. Where a student has been seen by Disability Services very close to the deadline for AEA Disability Services will advise the student to also complete an AEA application with the school if it is expected that the DSS will arrive after the AEA deadline. All forms should be processed by the date shown on the AEA. If the delay is simply because the student has not completed the form on time and the request is submitted very close to the date of the examination then, providing you can prove that every effort has been made on the student’s behalf to encourage them to submit on time, you are within your rights to refuse to accommodate the AEA requirement. Acceptable evidence includes: Dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties- diagnostic report (this report must be a secondary school level report prepared no earlier than for A levels) Disability Support Summary provided by Disability Services Evidence from the student’s own GP Evidence from a doctor in the University’s Student Health Centre (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/students-health) Report from a hospital where the student is being treated Report from a psychiatric nurse or other mental health professional If there is any doubt about the appropriateness of the evidence submitted, the Undergraduate or Graduate Dean should be consulted. Disability Services (disability-services@bristol.ac.uk) would also be able to advise. 4. 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 What arrangements will be put in place? Students allocated up to 25% extra time with no additional arrangements (up to a maximum of total exam length of 3 hours 45 minutes) will be accommodated in the central extra time room run by the Examinations Office. This will be the case where the examination has been timetabled by the Examinations Office and is taking place on Monday to Friday during the main examination periods. Students prescribed 25% extra time with the use of coloured overlays and/or coloured writing paper (ie some students with Irlens syndrome) can also be accommodated in the central extra time room. Students who are given permission to use a PC to complete their examination will be accommodated in the central computer room, providing they have up to 25% (or no) extra time and no other requirements. Other students (see 4.4) will be accommodated in School. Students with any other requirements will normally be accommodated in the School wherever possible. The School responsible for the student’s programme of study will normally run the examination, unless there are specific reasons for the examination being held elsewhere. These requirements may include: More than 25% extra time Large print or Braille format examination papers or special lighting arrangements British Sign Language interpretation of the examination regulations is required Amanuensis/scribe Rest breaks/toilet breaks throughout the examination Medical attention during the examination (eg students with diabetes) Sole occupancy of a room (with an invigilator) Small group venues Special seating arrangements (eg seated near a door or window or a specially adapted chair) Background music or silent conditions Room booking for School AEAs It is the responsibility of the School running the exam to provide a room for students sitting exams in the School. However, the Syllabus+ website (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/academicregistry/timetabling/web-room-booking/) gives useful information on the availability of rooms throughout the University. Invigilation for School AEAs It is the responsibility of the School running the exam to provide the appropriate level of invigilation for students sitting exams in the School. The Exams Office (exams-office@bristol.ac.uk) can provide a list of research students who have been appointed and trained to assist with invigilation. Where the examination is being assisted by a reader or scribe, an invigilator must be appointed in addition to this. Appointment of Examination Support Personnel If the student needs support during the examination (eg scribe/reader) you must arrange this via Disability Services at least six weeks prior to the start of the examination period (see the Examinations Office website www.bristol.ac.uk/exams for examination period dates). Disability Services will endeavour to meet any demand after the deadline but, where it is not possible to do so, it is the responsibility of the School to put the support requirements in place. Disability Services will be happy to provide any advice on the use of scribes/readers or other examination support (disability-services@bristol.ac.uk ). 5. What if students are not satisfied with the AEAs provided? Where possible, the University will endeavour to provide an appropriate and reasonable arrangement for examinations, taking into account the individual circumstances of the student as well as other factors such as resources available to the School/Faculty and the practicality of the arrangement. However, if a student feels that their requirements are not being met, they need to raise this with the School Disability Co-ordinator in the first instance. If they feel, retrospectively, that their requirements were not met and that this was detrimental to their performance in the assessment, they should be advised to follow the School practice on the submission of extenuating circumstances. Further Information Disability Services disability-services@bristol.ac.uk http://www.bristol.ac.uk/disability-services/links.html Telephone: (0117) 331 0444 Exams Office Exams-office@bristol.ac.uk www.bristol.ac.uk/exams Telephone: (0117) 33 17652 Revised 9 February 2016 MP/LM APPENDIX A Alternative Examination Arrangements Form Academic Year XXXX/XX This form should be used to request any changes to examination arrangements. The request may include the use of dictionaries, computers or other special equipment during examinations as well as application for extra time and special accommodation requirements. The form should be submitted to the Head of School for your programme of study after you have completed Part A. You will be given a copy of the form. Please note the final deadline dates for submission of the form shown at the foot of the page. Student to complete PART A PART A Name………………………………………………………… University ID ...................... Programme of study……................................................ Year of study ............................ School………………………… Faculty............................................... University email ................................................................................................................... Please indicate below the nature of any disability indicated in the supporting evidence, (e.g. dyslexia) and whether you are in receipt of Disabled Students Allowance (DSA). (This will be recorded in the University student record system). If your request for alternative arrangements is because of unforeseen circumstances you MUST talk to your School Disability Representative who will advise you of the course of action you should take. I am/am not in receipt of Student Disability Allowance Please explain the alternative arrangements that you require. Suitable evidence in support of your request must be submitted with this form. Submission of the request is not a guarantee that your alternative arrangements will be accommodated Signed ………………………………………………………..…. Date………..…………… DEADLINES for submission XX November XXXX for exams taken up to the XX February XXXX XX January XXXX for exams taken from XX March XXXX onwards Please note that if your application is received after the dates outlined above the requested alternative arrangements may not be approved PART B: Approval Process (Staff) Authorised by Head of School Signed………………………………………………………..Head of School or Nominee Print Name ………………………………………...Date …………………………………… The student will sit examinations in: Central Room* School/Department* *Please delete whichever is not applicable I confirm that the approved alternative arrangements for examinations applies: To the current academic year only * For the duration of study on the student’s current programme * *Please delete whichever is not applicable This form MUST be signed by the Head of School or their nominee before being submitted to the relevant Faculty Office for approval Authorised by Dean Signed…………………………………………….. Dean of Faculty or Nominee Print Name ………………………………………...Date …………………………………… NOTES FOR GUIDANCE The school/department should approve the alternative arrangements and determine whether the approval applies to the current year only or for the duration of study. You may need to check with your school examinations officer that the requested arrangement can be accommodated. Following authorisation by the Head of School, the school/department must send the form, together with any attachments (inc. supporting evidence), to the Faculty Office for approval by the Dean. Following approval, the Faculty Office will input the information onto the SITS Student Records database by ?? November 2010 for exam taken up to the ?? February 2011 and the ?? February 2011 for exams taken from the ?? March 2011 and return the original form and evidence to the home school. The student’s home school MUST provide a copy of the approved form to the student Where the student is taking exams outside the home school a copy of the form MUST also be provided to the other schools involved. APPENDIX B – CASE STUDIES Case 1 Student A suffered from intense back pain and could not take her exams in the main hall or with other students in a smaller room as she needed to be able to stretch and find the most comfortable position in which to write (this involved changes of position). Medical evidence was provided along with a recommendation for use of a separate room and extra time (10 minutes extra per hour). The request was agreed and the student was accommodated within the school. Case 2 Some three weeks before his final Law exams Student C broke his hand in a sports accident and found writing to be difficult and slow (it is not possible to sit final year Law exams in September). The doctor recommended that he should be allowed to type his answers on to a computer and that he should receive additional time. The request was approved and these arrangements were set up within the school. Case 3 Student X was diagnosed with dyslexia when he was 15. He was assessed by his School and was allowed extra-time both in his GCSE and A’level examinations. When he applied for University he was also advised to apply for the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA). On being accepted by the University of Bristol, he was contacted by the Disability Services and was given a Learning Support Plan, which allowed him to have 25% extra time to complete all written examinations. Before his first examinations, he completed an alternative examination arrangements form which allowed him extra time throughout the duration of his studies at the University. All of his examinations were scheduled in the central extra time room. Case 4 Student Y had a visual impairment which meant that she needed her examination papers to be printed in a large (20point) font and she also needed to be provided with extra lighting in order to complete her examinations. She also needed extra time (25%) for each of her written examinations. She was known to the Disability Services and had applied for Disabled Students Allowance. She had been provided with a Learning Support Plan which outlined her additional examination requirements. Her home school gave her an AEA which she completed and submitted prior to her first examinations. All of her examinations were hosted in her home school. Case 5 A student has a screening for dyslexia in Disability Services and is referred for a full psychological assessment at an external agency. As there is likely to be a delay of three or four weeks before a report on this assessment is received, the psychologist completes an Interim Certificate of Dyslexia. This confirms that the student is both dyslexic and dyspraxic and sets out the recommendations for exam provision which will be made in the report - in this case, 25% additional time and the use of a computer. The Certificate is sent to the Disability Adviser, who tells the student that a follow-up appointment will be offered in Disability Services once the full report is received. Meanwhile, she asks where the student wants the Certificate to be sent and advises him to contact his Department immediately, as the deadline for applying for alternative exam arrangements has passed. She attaches an Alternative Arrangements form. The student replies that the Department knows that he has had a dyslexia assessment and that he has already filled out an Alternative Arrangements form. He asks that the Certificate be sent straight to the Department, as evidence to support his application. The Department sends his form to the Faculty Office to be signed off. The Exams Office make arrangements for candidates who use computers to be accommodated centrally, the student sits his exam in the central computer room.