If you're here, you probably know a thing or two already about access arrangements and exams: how they unlock target grades, boost learning confidence and brighter educational futures for hundreds of thousands of children and young people with special educational needs (SEN). It’s a vital part of ensuring that exams work for everyone – not just the students who can access learning with ease.

That’s why every year, learners with SEN and their exam centres can apply for access arrangements such as extra time in exams, separate rooming, or reading support during their exams. It's a way of keeping the process fair, comfortable and accessible.

...But those figures are rising. According to Ofqual, for the 2023-2024 school year, a total of 625,000 access arrangements were approved in schools and colleges – making it the highest number on record. That’s a 12.3% increase on last year, and a 39.6% increase over the last three. 

Predictably, that’s got a fair few people talking. 

Data source: Ofqual.

How many students are approved for extra time in exams?

25% extra time in exams is the most common form of access arrangement requested, accounting for 67.2% of all access arrangements given. In the 2023-2024 school year, just under 420,000 students received it as an approved accommodation, with a further 7,600 students receiving an extra time allocation of more than 25%.

If we generalise across settings, that translates to just under one in three students sitting exams in summer 2024 having an extra time provision.

Any student entered for a GCSE or A-Level who meets the exam board’s eligibility criteria can receive an access arrangement.

Why has there been such a large uptick in extra time requests?

⌛ Parents, teachers and students themselves are far more aware of neurodiversity and SEN than they were 10 years ago. In part thanks to the internet and social media, more people now know the hallmarks of dyslexia, ADHD and ASC – and that’s led to fewer learners going undiagnosed. This has prompted a spike in support requests.

⌛ In 2023, NHS data revealed that 1 in 5 children and young people in England had a probable mental health challenge – meaning that we’ve likely seen a large uptick in extra time requests for reasons like anxiety, too.

⌛ The impact of the pandemic can’t be understated here: as an event that had a significant impact on student mental health, exam readiness and attitudes to learning, many of those anxiety and stress challenges that students are facing have their roots in the remote learning period.

⌛ And changes in exam policy have made it administratively easier to access support requirements like extra time in recent years, such as reducing the amount of paperwork required and widening the criteria for access. Ofqual has been helping standardise this across exam boards, by providing guidelines and ensuring school compliance. 

But there are differences in private and state school figures.

In 2024, almost 42% of students in independent schools were granted extra time in exams, compared to 26.5% in state schools.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Jon Andrews, head of analysis at the Education Policy Institute, cited the idea that private schools were better at ‘using the system’ and had more resources to support students who needed these extra requirements. It’s also on the government’s radar – UK Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson MP has reported to be in conversation with Ofqual about the ‘range of reasons that might be driving this, and whether any policy response should be required’. But are there simpler explanations?

As SchoolsWeek points out, although a disparity of this depth will have multiple origins, it’s important to note that the Ofqual data is not broken down by individual school type within the state – independent bracket, meaning that special schools (where a far larger proportion of exam-takers will have exam arrangements in place) may not be represented fully accurately.

So could 42% of my students really require extra time in exams?

Based on current data, it's certainly not impossible.

If there’s one thing we’re learning in the 2020s it’s that more people are neurodivergent than previous estimates have anticipated, and instead of one or two learners in a year group requiring exam support, there’s likely far more.

And although not everyone with an identified special educational need requires exam arrangements, many do – so when current data indicates 10-20% of people have dyslexia, 5-10% ADHD, 3% ASC and 20% have mental health challenges, there may be some weight to the idea that these figures are not too far off, and independent-setting parents are just more likely to have the resources for diagnosis.

…And is extra time enough?

Having access to extra time in exams is vital if we’re to make them fair, and alleviate the intense pressures the exam environment places on learners with mental health challenges and neurodivergent needs. On a logistical level, it allows them extra processing time and reading/writing time, and supports those whose timekeeping skills may not be the same as those of their peers.

But what extra time can’t do is address challenges that run deeper: the ones that create barriers between students and their fundamental understanding of what that paper is asking them to do, and what those set texts are saying, like dyslexia or language challenges.

So is extra time really enough when one of the building blocks of the assessment process is compromised?

We know it’s the ability to read with confidence that unlocks the door to exam success. It’s comprehension that leads the way – and without it, that extra time just isn’t working as hard as students need it to.

C-Pen Exam Reader 2 puts that power back in students’ hands!

C-Pen Exam Reader 2 is a text-to-speech reading pen that’s approved for use in UK exams by JCQ. Any student can use one, as long as a reading pen has been established as their Normal Way of Working (NWoW) during the school year, and it’s supporting learners all over the world smashing their target grades and opening the door to long-term exam success.

...How does it work?

Exam Reader 2 is a specialised reading pen designed for exam compliance. It doesn’t have inbuilt user storage or Wi-Fi connectivity, meaning it can be safely used in any exam setup, from SATs, GCSEs, and A-Levels to Common Entrance (CE) Exams.

Students just move the pen across the text on the page to hear the words relayed via audio through headphones. This multi-sensory way of reading supports word recognition and recall, as well as allowing learners to focus on understanding the text, rather than getting daunted or frustrated.

It helps students read faster, overcome exam anxiety, and comprehend the words on the test paper with absolute confidence. Although there’s no requirement for an extra time allocation to be in play for them to use it, it can help students make the most of the extra time they’ve been granted, and really put it to work.

✅ Zero-storage, no Bluetooth or Wi-Fi

✅ Boost comprehension and confidence 

✅ Discreet – no need for separate rooming

✅ Portable and rechargeable

✅ Beat the rising cost of human readers!

Don’t gamble on student futures this summer!

You can find out more about C-Pen Exam Reader 2 at its home at Scanning Pens. But we know that student futures are at stake, and that resources are tighter than ever in so many schools – that’s why teachers need to know they’re investing in something that gets the job done.

That’s why Scanning Pens offer educators

FREE 30-Day Trials of C-Pen Exam Reader 2!

And we’re a chatty bunch. If you want to speak to one of our reading support experts about supporting the exam-time reading needs in your Trust, school or classroom, we’re always happy to explore in-depth solutions for your setting!

📧 Drop us a line: ukinfo@scanningpens.com 

☎️ Give us a call: +44 (0) 207 976 4910