School exams are standardised in an attempt to make results fair, comparable and meaningful. However, a number of students require a form of access arrangement to be able to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, without the exam format itself becoming a barrier. The focus of this seminar will be the findings from a Nuffield-funded research project that evaluated provision of exam access arrangements in secondary schools in England. A national survey and interviews were conducted to capture both the practitioner and pupil voice. A number of challenges were raised related to the implementation of - and support for - exam access arrangements. Turning these challenges to opportunities, we will discuss how the research findings were translated into a school audit that can be used by practitioners to ensure that exam support is targeted effectively.

This event will take place on Zoom from 12pm to 1pm on Tuesday 24th March 2026.