Statement
Titan Development Centre’s policy on assessment is to give all learners equal access and opportunity to demonstrate their achievements. This is to ensure that arrangements are made to take account of particular requirements, without giving unfair advantage over other learners. Through this, Titan Development Centre aims to ensure that learner achievement is properly represented to other relevant bodies, such as employers and educational establishments.
To support this policy, Titan Development Centre takes advice from relevant professional bodies for example those with expertise in disabilities and learning difficulties. Titan Development Centre continues to develop and refine its practice through regular review and feedback from these bodies as well as from centres, learners and external moderators.
Titan Development Centre and the Awarding Organisation qualifications are developed to national standards of knowledge, skills and competences. These are defined in the units of assessment as learning outcomes and assessment criteria. The assessment grids or benchmark assessments and/or where appropriate external assessments, ensure that the required standards are met; these cannot be altered outside of Titan Development Centre’s qualification approval processes.
1. Reasonable Adjustments
Reasonable adjustments may be made/requested, for learners with particular requirements. The nature of any reasonable adjustments depends on the particular requirements as well as on the programme of learning and assessment methods, and its implementation is appropriate at all levels of achievement.
Reasonable adjustments are generally not appropriate where the learner’s particular difficulty directly affects performance in the actual attributes to be assessed. It should also be noted that reasonable adjustments would not be needed by ever learner at Entry Level.
Advice on any subject specific information regarding learners with particular requirements should be found in the relevant qualification guide.
For reasonable adjustments to be made, a JCQ/SC Form 10 will need to be completed.
Reporting on the approval and the implementation of reasonable adjustments will be included in the E V report.
Centre responsibilities
- The centre is responsible for choosing an appropriate qualification and/or unit of a qualification for the learner whose skills can be independently demonstrated by that qualification and/or unit of a qualification.
- Any particular requirements of an individual learner must have been recognised by the centre currently making appropriate provision. The arrangements proposed must reflect the learner’s normal way of working. The learner should therefore have experience of and practice in the use of any arrangement proposed for the reasonable adjustment for assessment, unless the need arises from a temporary injury or condition.
- The centre must ensure that the reasonable adjustments will assist the learner to demonstrate attainment without affecting or circumventing the assessment requirements for the qualification and/or unit of a qualification. Learners cannot be given credit for skills they are unable to demonstrate independently.
- The centre is asked to record the details of all reasonable adjustments that are used at the discretion of the centre. This record must be brought to the attention of the Quality Reviewer and a representative sample presented for verification.
Titan Development Centre has differentiated between reasonable adjustments that can be used at the discretion of a Centre, and those that require permission from AOs.
Arrangements which can be used at the discretion of the Centre
The centre Officer responsible for the qualification may make any of the following arrangements for a learner, without application to the Quality Reviewer, provided that such arrangements do not confer an unfair advantage.
- Low vision aids, overlays
- Brailing of non-secure assessment material
- Amplification, taped questions and responses
- Supervised rest breaks
- Use of a Reader*
- Use of an Amanuensis*
- Use of a Practical Assistant*
- Use of a Communicator*
- Bilingual dictionaries with an allowance of additional time
- Transcription of a learner’s written responses
- Word processor
- Use of a Prompter
- Prior modification of external assessment papers. Titan Development Centre will have received the External Assessment Pack as part of the set of documents. Any necessary photocopying onto coloured paper or other modification for an individual learner, such as change of font for ease of reading, etc. can be carried out before the assessment takes place, as long the modification is carried out under secure conditions.
* A description of the activities allowed by each type of helper is described below.
Readers, Amanuenses, Communicators and Practical Assistants
When a Reader, an Amanuensis or a Communicator assists a learner, help must not be given with the subject matter being assessed. This support must not give the learner an unfair advantage or disadvantage. It must not invalidate the assessment. Additional time may also be available and a separate room will be necessary if the learner is to dictate responses. The Head of Centre should ensure that Readers, Amanuenses and Communicators and Practical Assistants are acceptable and responsible adults, familiar with the subject matter being tested and have worked with the learner before the examination. A relative of the learner may not act as a Reader, Amanuensis or Communicator.
Readers
A Reader is required to read, on request, all or part of the assessment or any part of the learner’s response. The Reader must read accurately and at a reasonable rate. The Reader may repeat as necessary any instructions given on an assessment, as well as the questions and answers already recorded. The Reader may assist a visually impaired learner using tactile diagrams, graphs and tables to obtain the information, which the printed paper would give to a sighted learner. The Reader must, if required, spell out any word, which occurs in the assessment. In addition, in Entry Level Assessments a Reader may decode certain terms in order to give the learner access to the assessment but no explanation of technical terms may be given. The Reader must be prepared for periods of inactivity. In English, Welsh, Irish and Other Languages, the Reader must not be used for any reading test.
Amanuenses
An Amanuensis is required to write out answers given by the learner. The Amanuensis must be able to write legibly or type, at a reasonable speed and should have a working knowledge of the subject. The Amanuensis must write down the answers exactly as they are dictated. The Amanuensis must draw or add to diagrams strictly in accordance with the learner’s instructions. The learner will not be expected to indicate spellings. The Amanuensis should work at the learner’s pace. In English, Welsh, Irish and Other Languages, the Amanuensis must not be used for any writing test.
Communicators
A Communicator is required to communicate questions to the learner upon request. A Communicator should use a means of communication which is appropriate to the needs of the learner and may include saying a word or phrase; rephrasing orally; use of the appropriate signing mode; writing. The Communicator should give the essence of the learner’s signed response in the assessment without inferring any meaning that was not clear in the signed response. Learners who are signing their responses must not be in a position to see other learners’ signed responses. The Communicator should work at the learner’s pace. In English, Welsh, and Irish Speaking and Listening Tests and Other Languages Speaking Tests, the Communicator must not be used.
Practical Assistants
A Practical Assistant is required to help a learner in Practical Assessments, to carry out tasks at the learner’s instruction and ensure the safety of the learner. This support must not give the learner an unfair advantage. The Practical Assistant must work strictly in accordance with the learner’s instructions and should not perform tasks independently of the learner.
Arrangements which require permission from Titan Development Centre
Arrangements, other than those listed above will require permission from Titan Development Centre and the Awarding Organisation and applications for these must be submitted in writing.
Internal Assessment
Arrangements that require Titan Development Centre and the Awarding Organisation permission include alteration to given assessment methods and/or arrangements and/or significant deviations from the Benchmark Assessments where they exist, see individual qualification guide for units. The Centre must put in writing the particular requirements of the learner and the proposed arrangements to the Quality Reviewer, who will have authority to give approval to the proposed alterations to the assessment methods.
External Assessment
Arrangements could include requesting external assessment tasks in Braille or large print or sans serif font (for registered dyslexics). Titan Development Centre will provide, on request, special versions of external assessment. Requests for these on a JCQ/SC Form 10 must be included at the time learners are registered for external assessment, at least fifteen working days prior to the external assessment being taken.
Special Considerations
The overall principles of the policy are that the Special Considerations claimed:
- Do not give learners an unfair advantage over other learners.
- Do not mislead users about the level and extent of attainment
- Do not compromise the integrity or credibility of the qualification, for the learner concerned, or other learners.
- Are clearly tracked for audit, with supporting documentation where appropriate.
Conditions for eligibility
Learners, who are fully aware of the requirements for assessments and have been affected at or near the time of assessment by circumstances beyond their control, will be eligible for Special Considerations post testing.
Circumstances may include:
- Temporary illness or indisposition at the time of assessment, for example, severe asthma attack, severe migraine or broken limb.
- Emotional distress, for example, recent bereavement of close family member or severe domestic crisis at time of assessment.
- Severe disturbance during the assessment, for example, fire or accidental event.
Learners should not apply for Special Consideration for minor illness or minor disturbance.
Where they exist, see individual qualification guide.
Learners should not be entered for the assessment if they are not in a fit state to take the assessment or if they cannot meet the minimum requirements for assessment.
Applying for Special considerations
The centre should apply the criteria for Special Consideration and make any appropriate arrangements, including informing Titan Development Centre and the Awarding Organisation at the first opportunity.
The centre should complete a ‘Request for Special Consideration’ form for each learner requesting special consideration. This should specify the circumstances and the arrangements made to support the learner (for example, extra time). The form should be returned with the learner’s work and copies of any original supporting evidence/certification to Titan Development Centre and the Awarding Organisation, within seven days of the end of the assessment period. Centres should retain a copy of each form and the original documentation for three years.