Guide
Assessment Arrangements Explained
Everything teachers need to know about assessment arrangements, including the principles, reasonable adjustments and how decisions are made.
Assessment arrangements explained
Assessment arrangements help learners with additional support needs or disabilities access assessment fairly. Their purpose is not to give an advantage, but to remove barriers that prevent learners from demonstrating what they know, understand and can do.
Every assessment arrangement should be based on the learner's individual assessment needs and should reflect the support they normally receive during learning and teaching.
What are assessment arrangements?
Assessment arrangements are adjustments made to the way an assessment is delivered so that a learner can demonstrate their attainment without changing the standards being assessed.
Examples include:
- Extra time
- Digital question papers
- ICT for typing responses
- Text-to-speech software
- Human readers
- Scribes
- Separate accommodation
- Supervised rest breaks
- Adapted question papers
- Practical assistants
- Sign language support
The appropriate arrangement depends on the barrier the learner experiences—not on a diagnosis or a fixed list of supports.
What assessment arrangements are not
Assessment arrangements do not:
- Improve a learner's attainment.
- Compensate for gaps in learning.
- Reduce the standard required to achieve a qualification.
- Automatically apply because a learner has a diagnosis.
- Mean every learner with the same condition receives the same support.
The aim is always to provide equitable access while maintaining the integrity of the assessment.
Remember: Assessment arrangements remove barriers to assessment—they do not change what is being assessed.
The four Qualification Scotland principles
Every decision about assessment arrangements should be guided by four key principles.
1. They enable learners to demonstrate attainment
Assessment arrangements exist to remove barriers that prevent learners showing what they have learned.
For example, a learner with dyslexia may use text-to-speech software to access a History assessment. The arrangement supports access to the questions but does not change the historical knowledge being assessed.
2. They must not compromise the integrity of the qualification
The assessment must continue to measure the intended knowledge, skills and understanding.
For example, a human reader cannot normally be used in assessments where independent reading is the skill being assessed.
3. They must meet individual needs
Assessment arrangements are determined learner by learner and subject by subject.
A learner may require:
- 25% extra time in Higher English
- 15% extra time in Higher Mathematics
- No additional support in another subject
Different subjects place different demands on learners, so the same arrangement is not automatically appropriate everywhere.
4. They should reflect the learner's normal way of working
Assessment arrangements should mirror the support the learner routinely uses during learning and teaching wherever possible.
Learners should be familiar and confident with any support they will use in assessment long before examination day.
Reasonable adjustments
Under the Equality Act 2010, assessment arrangements may form part of the reasonable adjustments provided for disabled learners.
A reasonable adjustment aims to reduce or remove the substantial disadvantage experienced by a disabled learner while maintaining the standards of the qualification.
Not every adjustment is possible. If an adjustment would change the competence or assessment standard being measured, it cannot be provided.
For learners with additional support needs who are not disabled under the Equality Act, schools still have responsibilities under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act to ensure learners can access learning and assessment appropriately.
Diagnosis versus identified need
One of the most common misunderstandings is that a diagnosis automatically leads to assessment arrangements.
It does not.
Assessment arrangements are based on identified assessment need, not diagnosis.
A learner may:
- Have dyslexia but require no assessment arrangements.
- Have no formal diagnosis but clearly demonstrate barriers that require support.
- Need different arrangements in different subjects.
The important question is:
What is preventing this learner from accessing the assessment?
Schools should be able to show evidence of:
- the learner's identified difficulty
- how it affects learning and assessment
- the support normally provided
- why the chosen arrangement is appropriate
A formal diagnosis is not required to provide assessment arrangements.
Internal and external assessments
Assessment arrangements are managed differently depending on the type of assessment.
| Internal assessments | External assessments |
|---|---|
| Schools can provide appropriate arrangements without requesting approval from Qualification Scotland, provided they do not compromise assessment standards. | Requests must be submitted through the Assessment Arrangements Request (AAR) system where required. |
| Decisions should be based on evidence and normal way of working. | Schools must ensure evidence supports every request. |
| Arrangements should reflect everyday classroom practice. | Learners should already be familiar with using the arrangement before the assessment. |
Regardless of the assessment type, decisions should always be evidence-based and centred on the learner's individual needs.
Common misconceptions
"A diagnosis automatically means extra time."
False.
Extra time is appropriate only where evidence shows that the learner needs additional time to overcome an identified barrier.
"Educational Psychology has recommended it, so we must provide it."
Not necessarily.
Professional advice contributes to decision-making, but schools must consider current classroom evidence and the learner's present assessment needs.
"Every learner with dyslexia receives the same arrangements."
False.
Learners with the same diagnosis may experience very different barriers and require different supports.
"Assessment arrangements should only be considered before exams."
False.
Assessment arrangements should develop naturally through everyday learning, teaching and assessment. They should never be introduced for the first time during external assessments.
"Assessment arrangements give learners an unfair advantage."
False.
Their purpose is to remove barriers so learners can demonstrate their attainment under fair assessment conditions.
Questions to ask before recommending an arrangement
Before deciding on any assessment arrangement, ask:
- What barrier is preventing the learner from accessing the assessment?
- How does this affect them in this subject?
- What support do they normally use in class?
- What evidence demonstrates that the support is effective?
- Does the arrangement maintain the integrity of the assessment?
If these questions can be answered clearly, you are more likely to make an appropriate and evidence-based decision.
For a fuller decision framework, use 10 Questions to Ask Before Recommending an Assessment Arrangement.
Key messages
- Assessment arrangements remove barriers—they do not improve attainment.
- Decisions are based on identified need, not diagnosis.
- Every learner should be considered individually.
- Arrangements should reflect the learner's normal way of working.
- Evidence gathered through everyday teaching is the strongest foundation for decision-making.
Ready to learn more?
Next, read Identifying Learners Who May Need Assessment Arrangements to explore how barriers to assessment can be recognised early and how teachers can contribute to effective evidence gathering.