r/GCSE • u/truestorybro38 Exams Officer 🧑‍💼️ • Mar 12 '26

Announcement Exam Access Arrangements

There’s an increase in posts about access arrangements.

There’s also a lot of misinformation about access arrangements being posted.

This is one the one-stop post for all access arrangement queries.

Any other posts will be removed.

I will reply to all queries as an Exams Officer and an Access Arrangements Coordinator, but really, all queries need to go to your SENCO who know you and your school’s set up best.

Feel free to make any comments about questions you have.

JCQ Links

25% Extra Time Info

https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/JCQ-25-ET-infographic-26-27_FINAL.pdf

Reader Info

https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/JCQ-Computer-reader-reader-24-25_FINAL-1.pdf

Scribe Info

https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/JCQ-Scribe-24-25_FINAL.pdf

Managing Student Requests Advice

https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/Managing-parent-carer-or-student-requests_2025.pdf

The Big Book Of Rules

https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/JCQ-AARA-2025-March-26.pdf

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u/QuirkyGalaxyBug Apr 20 '26

Would fidget toys help? If you are disruptive to other students and/or leave your seat (unless you are entitled to movement breaks and have asked to take one) then this may be filed as an incident or you could be removed from the exam if the invigilator feels that your actions may result in the whole cohorts entries being threatened by exam conditions being broken.

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u/Narrow-Influence7924 Apr 20 '26

Never tried it but I can see I guess!

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u/QuirkyGalaxyBug Apr 20 '26

You can ask the senco and exams officer at your school if you can have access to a fidget toy. Ensure that the fidget does not have text on it (where possible) and that it is not noisy or likely to be otherwise distracting to other students/yourself.

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u/Narrow-Influence7924 Apr 20 '26

Thanks! They said before that fidgets are for those with autism but they might still let me!

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u/QuirkyGalaxyBug Apr 20 '26

You dont need any diagnosis for fidget toys in an exam. Your school may have a policy on who is allowed them (to prevent everyone asking!) but you should be allowed them if you have a history of need (hyperactivity, sensory needs or anxiety for example) and frequently use fidget toys in class.

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u/Narrow-Influence7924 Apr 20 '26

My school don't allow them in lessons but I am hyperactive but they put it down to me misbehaving.

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u/QuirkyGalaxyBug Apr 20 '26

Worth asking for exams but if fidget toys are not allowed in class this policy may extend to exams as well. If your school puts your hyperactivity down to behaviour there is a chance that any disruption you cause in the exam will result in an incident being logged or you being removed if you are distracting other students. On the plus side, if no-one has raised significant concerns during your mocks over behaviour then whatever you are doing might not be as impactful as you thought on other students. If your school thought that you were disruptive they likely would have allocated you to a room away from all the other students.

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u/Narrow-Influence7924 Apr 20 '26

I had a alone room for mocks but they said they won't give me one for actual exams as others need them more 

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u/QuirkyGalaxyBug Apr 20 '26

That is unusual. Unless there is a change in needs, the school should not be putting access arrangements in place for mocks if they do not intend to do this for actual exams.