Does dyslexia automatically qualify a pupil for 25% extra time?

No. A diagnosis alone does not automatically secure extra time. The school must establish the pupil’s needs, normal way of working and the required evidence under JCQ rules.

Can anxiety lead to a GCSE access arrangement?

Potentially, if it creates a significant barrier in assessments and the evidence supports an appropriate arrangement. Extra time is not always the best response; supervised rest breaks or another adjustment may be more suitable.

Can a parent apply directly to the exam board?

Normally, no. The school or college assesses the need, gathers the evidence and processes any required application on the pupil’s behalf.

What happens if my child is injured shortly before an exam?

Tell the school immediately. Temporary illness or injury can be handled differently from a long-term need, and the exams officer or SENCo should contact the relevant awarding organisation where necessary.

Will my child use the same arrangement in every subject?

Not necessarily. The arrangement must be appropriate to the assessment and must not change what is being tested, so support can differ between subjects or components.

If your Year 11 child may need extra time, rest breaks, a word processor or another GCSE access arrangement, use this guide to start a constructive conversation with the school and understand the evidence and deadlines involved.

My Year 11 child may need extra time or another GCSE access arrangement — what should I ask the school now?

The short answer

Contact the school’s SENCo or access arrangements coordinator promptly. Describe the difficulty your child experiences, ask what evidence the school already has, and request a clear plan for assessment, trialling support and reviewing whether it works.

Access arrangements change how a pupil takes an assessment without changing what the assessment tests. Examples include extra time, supervised rest breaks, a word processor, assistive software, a reader, a scribe or a modified paper. The appropriate arrangement must be considered individually; two pupils with the same diagnosis may need different support. [Ofqual’s guidance for schools preparing for 2027 exams explains the available arrangements and the case-by-case approach](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-people-working-in-schools-and-colleges-need-to-know-before-exams-and-assessments/what-people-working-in-schools-and-colleges-need-to-know-before-exams-and-assessments).

Do not focus only on extra time

Begin with the barrier rather than a preferred solution. For example:

- Does slow reading prevent your child from finishing?
- Does pain or poor handwriting stamina make extended writing difficult?
- Do concentration, anxiety or fatigue problems mean short rest breaks might help?
- Does your child normally type substantial pieces of work?
- Is there a visual, hearing, communication or sensory need?

Some arrangements require an online application, while others can be authorised by the school when the evidence and rules support them. [Current Ofqual guidance gives supervised rest breaks and non-electronic ear defenders as examples that do not require an online application](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-people-working-in-schools-and-colleges-need-to-know-before-exams-and-assessments/what-people-working-in-schools-and-colleges-need-to-know-before-exams-and-assessments).

What the school should consider

The decision is not based simply on a diagnosis, parental request or pupil preference. The school needs a picture of the pupil’s need and evidence showing how the difficulty affects their work.

[JCQ’s evidence overview, effective from 1 September 2026, says that an arrangement should normally reflect the pupil’s usual way of working within the centre](https://www.jcq.org.uk/knowledge-hub/overview-of-evidence-requirements-for-access-arrangements-effective-from-1-september-2025/). Depending on the arrangement and need, evidence might include:

- teachers’ observations;
- classwork and timed tasks;
- internal assessment papers;
- evidence that an arrangement has been used and is effective;
- an assessment by the school’s appointed assessor;
- relevant specialist medical evidence.

This is why a last-minute request for extra time can be difficult to support. Your child should have opportunities to use any proposed arrangement under realistic timed conditions so the school can see whether it removes the barrier.

Seven questions to ask the school

1. Who is leading my child’s access-arrangements review?
Ask for the name of the SENCo, access arrangements coordinator or other responsible member of staff. [JCQ regulations effective from 1 September 2026 require centres to appoint a SENCo or equivalent person to coordinate the process](https://www.jcq.org.uk/knowledge-hub/general-regulations-for-approved-centres/).

2. What difficulties have teachers observed?
Ask whether problems appear across several subjects or only in particular types of assessment.

3. What evidence does the school already hold?
This might include timed work, teacher comments, assessment information or examples showing how your child uses support.

4. Does my child need an assessment, and who will arrange it?
For some learning difficulties and arrangements, the school’s appointed assessor must complete the required assessment and paperwork. Do not assume that buying a private report will automatically secure extra time.

5. Which arrangement will be trialled?
Ask how it matches the actual difficulty and when your child will practise using it. A pupil may find, for example, that supervised rest breaks are more useful than extra time.

6. What is the school’s internal deadline?
For the June 2027 GCSE series, the published national deadline for ordering modified papers is 31 January 2027, while the deadline for processing relevant online access-arrangement applications is 21 March 2027. [These are centre administration deadlines in JCQ’s June 2027 key-dates document](https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Key_Dates_June2027_FINAL.pdf). The school may need assessment and evidence well before these dates, so parents should not treat them as dates by which to begin asking.

7. How and when will we hear the outcome?
Ask for confirmation of the agreed arrangement, whether approval is still pending and how your child will practise using it.

A useful email template

> Subject: Request to discuss GCSE access arrangements for [child’s name]
>
> Dear [SENCo/access arrangements coordinator],
>
> I would like to discuss whether [name] experiences a barrier in timed assessments that may require an access arrangement.
>
> We have noticed that [brief factual examples: reading speed, handwriting pain, concentration, anxiety, fatigue or another difficulty]. Please could you tell me:
>
> - what teachers have observed;
> - what evidence the school currently holds;
> - whether an assessment or trial is needed;
> - which arrangement might appropriately address the difficulty;
> - the school’s internal timetable for reaching a decision?
>
> I would also be grateful if [name] could be involved in the discussion, as they can explain what happens during timed work.
>
> Kind regards,
> [Parent or carer]

Keep the email factual. Describe what happens rather than insisting on a particular arrangement.

Should I arrange a private dyslexia or educational psychology assessment?

Speak to the school first. A diagnosis can be helpful for understanding your child’s needs, but it does not automatically create an entitlement to 25% extra time or any other particular arrangement.

For access-arrangement purposes, the evidence and assessment must meet JCQ requirements and connect with how the pupil works in school. [JCQ guidance states that arrangements cannot be granted on preference or diagnosis alone and must be supported by the centre’s evidence](https://www.jcq.org.uk/knowledge-hub/guidance-regarding-parental-candidate-requests-for-access-arrangements-when-the-centre-has-no-evidence-of-need/). Before paying privately, ask whether the proposed assessor can provide evidence the school is able to use and whether liaison with the school is required.

What if the school says there is no evidence of need?

Ask for a meeting rather than immediately arguing for a particular concession. Request that the school explains:

- which teachers were consulted;
- which examples of work were reviewed;
- whether your child was asked about their experience;
- whether an appropriate arrangement could be trialled and monitored;
- when the decision will be reviewed.

[JCQ guidance says that, where a parent requests an arrangement and the school has no existing evidence, the SENCo should investigate by consulting the pupil and staff and reviewing work such as timed tasks](https://www.jcq.org.uk/knowledge-hub/guidance-regarding-parental-candidate-requests-for-access-arrangements-when-the-centre-has-no-evidence-of-need/). If the school concludes that an arrangement is not justified, ask for a clear explanation. If concerns remain, follow the school’s SEND or complaints procedure and request involvement from an appropriate senior leader.

Reassurance for your child

Explain that an access arrangement is not an easier exam and does not give somebody an unfair advantage. Its purpose is to remove a genuine barrier so the pupil can demonstrate their knowledge and skills. [Awarding organisations have a legal duty to provide reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils where appropriate](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-people-working-in-schools-and-colleges-need-to-know-before-exams-and-assessments/what-people-working-in-schools-and-colleges-need-to-know-before-exams-and-assessments).

The most helpful parental role is to start a calm conversation, provide concrete examples and help your child practise using whatever support is agreed.

GCSE access arrangements in Year 11: what parents should ask the school