Updated: Sept 23rd, 2026
Exams can be daunting for everybody in the classroom, but for students with dyslexia, they can pose an even greater challenge.
That’s where JCQ Access Arrangements come in - they’re a set of guidelines and changes to the exam setup to make it as fair and accessible as possible.
Sounds complicated? It doesn’t have to be: if you’re looking for support in securing JCQ Access Arrangements for a student with dyslexia, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know, with none of the confusing stuff, because we’re good like that.
What do JCQ Access Arrangements mean?
JCQ Access Arrangements provide adjustments for candidates with learning differences, disabilities, or mental health conditions to ensure fair access to GCSE exams.
They are regulated by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), which represents major UK exam boards including AQA, OCR, Pearson Edexcel, and WJEC. Who qualifies for JCQ Access Arrangements?
Pupils in the UK can get access arrangements from JCQ for a range of conditions that fall under four main categories of need. These categories, with examples of specific conditions, are:
Cognition and learning needs:
· Dyslexia
· Dyscalculia
· General learning difficulties
Communication and interaction needs:
· Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
· Speech and language difficulties
Sensory and physical needs:
· Visual impairments
· Hearing impairments
· Physical disabilities (e.g., cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy)
· Temporary injuries (e.g., a broken arm before an exam)
Social, emotional, and mental health needs:
· Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
· Depression
· Anxiety disorders
But even with one of these conditions, there’s no guarantee of support: each application is considered individually based on the scope of need, and a diagnosis alone does not guarantee access arrangements.
How do I secure JCQ Access Arrangements for a dyslexic student in my care?
Step 1: Identify and assess individual reading needs
This often starts in the classroom, but it can come from the parent side of things too. Teachers and SENCOs might notice that a student is slower at completing tasks than their peers are, that they find reading comprehension challenging, or that there are signs of dyslexia appearing in their written work.
Step 2: Collect evidence of normal way of working
An application for JCQ Access Arrangements requires a large amount of evidence-gathering, assessment and examinations of the support and tools that make up a student’s Normal Way of Working (NWoW).
When you’re building your case, include:
· Educational evidence, such as some of the student’s classwork that best evidence the persistent difficulties, they’re experiencing
· Standardised assessments that show evidence of a student’s processing speed, working memory, and reading comprehension skills
· Medical and/or assessment evidence, such as reports from doctors or other primary care practitioners, therapists, assessors and educational psychologists.
Step 3: When is a Form 8 application required for access arrangements?
This information should go into a document called a Form 8. You can download the template for one from the JCQ website here.
A Form 8 is the piece of JCQ documentation that unlocks access arrangements in exams for students in the UK who have access needs, but don’t have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). SENCos usually complete Form 8 around the end of the student’s Year 9.
The school or college must retain a signed copy of each student’s Form 8 by the SENCo or Access Arrangements co-ordinator for inspection processes to support an approved application processed online, so save those completed documents where you can find them if you need to.
Step 4: Complete the access arrangement approval process
The Form 8 then progresses through the JCQ Access Arrangements Online (AAO) platform for review. Some arrangements are automatically approved through the portal, but some that are more complex or lack the depth of information required on Form 8 tend to trigger a request for more evidence, review or resubmission.
A completed and approved Form 8 unlocks JCQ access arrangements, such as:
· Extra time (25%, or 26-50%, dependent on the scope of need)
· Language modifiers
· A scribe, to support students with writing needs
· Supervised rest breaks, when combined with other accommodations
· A reader, reading pen or computer reader, to support students with reading needs
Step 5: Implement access arrangements across all exams
Once your Form 8 is approved, the school or college is responsible for ensuring the arrangements are in place for all internal and external exams.
It’s also a good idea to use the time before exams kick off to liaise with the student, and to work through any teething problems or insecurities they might have about the support they’ve been approved for.
What happens is I’ve missed the Form 8 Deadline?
If you’ve just realized a student needs exam reading support after the submission cutoff, you aren't alone. Older students often mask neurodivergent traits like dyslexia to blend in with their peers, making late identification common.
It’s not too late, your student can still access the support they need to succeed, here’s how:
Already past the deadline? Try C-Pen Exam Reader 2!
The C-Pen Exam Reader 2 is an award-winning tool that schools and colleges can start using right away. There’s no need for Form 8 or complicated approvals; just pick it up and put it to work for your students.
Students just scan the text and listen through their headphones, making it easier to understand and feel confident during GCSE exams. There’s no need for a diagnosis, if using the pen is their usual way of working, they’re good to go.
With no long assessments or extra paperwork, SENCo staff get back valuable time, just when it matters most.
You can learn more about using C-Pen Exam Reader 2 to provide support when you’re past the deadline at our blog, Fed up of Form 8s? Try Exam Reader 2 for JCQ Access Arrangements on easy mode!
No Form 8s, no deadlines – no problem!
· Approved for use in exams by JCQ!
· Zero-storage, no need for Wi-Fi
· Beat the rising cost of human readers
· No need for separate rooming!
· No need for Form 8s – just establish as Normal Way of Working (NWoW)!
· Centre-delegated arrangement: provide support when you’re past the deadline
How does exam reading support benefit dyslexic students?
Beyond simple text decoding, exam accommodations provide vital psychological relief and confidence. Consider two dyslexic Year 11 students preparing for a GCSE History exam:
- Student A (without support): Battles severe anxiety over slow reading speeds, lost writing time, and accidental misreads that could jeopardize her grade and college acceptance.
- Student B (with a C-Pen Exam Reader 2): Enters the exam confident and calm, able to listen to questions as many times as needed to ensure full comprehension and keep pace with her peers.
All she needs to focus on for that hour, and forty-five minutes is her answer. She’s got this.
How do exam access arrangements benefit student mental health and performance?
Securing reading support, whether through a Form 8 application or a centre-delegated tool like Exam Reader 2, significantly protects student well-being.
Without guaranteed support, struggling readers often spiral into anxiety, especially during independent study. This stress directly impairs memory recall, cognitive processing, and exam performance.
Providing reliable access arrangements eliminates panic and restores confidence, ensuring students enter exams relaxed, demonstrate their true potential, and secure the qualifications needed for future work or study.
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Have questions or need tailored advice about how to implement JCQ Access Arrangements when you’re past the deadline? Our friendly team of reading support experts is here to help find the perfect solution for your Trust, school, or classroom needs.