special arrangements made are to be reported to the Director of Planning and Academic Administration as soon as is practicable. All arrangements referred to in the procedures should be applied in respect to a closed, time constrained examination, test, or other examined assessment as appropriate. Responsibilities of the candidate A candidate who requests special arrangements on the grounds of dyslexia must submit a Chartered Educational Psychologist’s (CEP) assessment in advance of any special arrangement. A candidate who requests special arrangements on the grounds of illness or injury will be required to submit a medical certificate to the Director of Planning and Academic Administration, normally in advance of the examination. The application must be made in writing, and must be supported by appropriate professional evidence. Self-certification is not acceptable, nor are uncorroborated statements from friends, relatives or tutors. For special arrangements, it is recommended that the application should be submitted as early as possible, and preferably at least two months before a candidate’s examinations commence, but not later than two weeks before the commencement of the examination. There will be no retrospective consideration given for evidence submitted later, outside permitted extenuating circumstances. Responsibilities of Planning and Academic Administration All special arrangements shall be reported to the Programme Director, as soon as possible, and well before the date of the examination. Planning and Academic Administration, in consultation with the University Disability Advice Team where appropriate, will make every effort to interpret the procedures to enable any candidate with a disability or injury to attempt an examination. Candidates will be encouraged to outline what support they require to support professional recommendations. If a candidate is unable, through disability or injury, to be examined by the normal arrangements specified in the procedures, Planning and Academic Administration, in consultation with the University Disability Advice Team and the Programme Director, may make alternative arrangements. Such
arrangements require the prior approval of the Director of Planning and Academic Administration. In an emergency, Planning and Academic Administration may make special arrangements in line with standard procedures for the examination. The special arrangements made are to be reported to the Director of Planning and Academic Administration as soon as is practicable. Procedures for implementing special examination arrangements It is especially important that a candidate discloses information about any disability at the earliest stage, so the University can work with the candidate to provide the right kind of support in examinations. Every encouragement will be made for an early submission of a request for special arrangements. It is strongly advised that disclosure be made during the application process. A further opportunity to disclose a disability is provided at registration. Following registration at the University, the candidate will be contacted by the Disability Advice Team to invite the submission of a formal request for special arrangements. It is in the interests of the candidate to submit such a request as soon as possible, to maximise the time available for planning the arrangements for the candidate. The request should be formally addressed to the Director of Planning and Academic Administration, in writing. Where a disability is identified after registration, the candidate should make a request for special arrangements as soon as is practicable following liaison with the Disability Advice Team. The University cannot guarantee to support a candidate if disclosure is made late, particularly if it results, in the view of the Director of Planning and Academic Administration, in unreasonable demands. The candidates’ disability status will be recorded on the Student Database either at the admissions stage or at registration. The Disability Advice Team will add to the database students who declare after registration. Planning and Academic Administration, in consultation with the Disability Advice Team and, where appropriate, the Programme Director, shall determine what special arrangements are appropriate to each candidate. The approval of the Director of Planning and Academic Administration, or nominated deputy, is required on first application and in the case of any variation in the arrangements. In the case of a disability, where a candidate’s programme of study extends over more than one year, the arrangements will apply for the duration of the programme, unless the candidate applies for a variation.
The amanuensis must not use short-hand writing and must record answers in the language in which the assessment has been set. Dictionaries may not be used by the candidate or the amanuensis, except where approved by the Director of Planning and Academic Administration, due to special circumstances. Requests for amanuensis A candidate who is unable to write the answers due to a disability, an injury or other cause may be permitted to dictate the answers to a scribe or into a recording device for later transcription, and may be permitted additional time in which to complete the examination paper. Any candidate with a writing disability whether it is long-term or short-term, or associated with another disability (e.g. visual impairment), can request the assistance of an amanuensis in examinations. In all cases, the candidate is to provide appropriate professional confirmation of their difficulty in writing examination answers. The views of the University's Disability Advice Team will also be sought, where appropriate. Each request for an amanuensis must be submitted to the Director of Planning and Academic Administration, who may approve it on a stand-alone or continuing basis. Persons who may act as an amanuensis The amanuensis shall be a suitable person who is familiar with the examination process. Usually the amanuensis will be a current or former member of the Disability Advice Team’s group of facilitators or a current or former member of staff, but not one responsible for setting or marking the relevant examination. Currently enrolled and suitable research students also may be considered to be amanuenses. In some cases, it may be necessary to engage a professional amanuensis. An amanuensis should normally have no personal connection with the candidate. A person who has a personal connection with the candidate may be suitable, but this depends on the nature of the relationship; relatives and personal friends are not usually acceptable, but a regular amanuensis or carer would be acceptable. Any request for an amanuensis who has a personal connection with the candidate, other than a regular amanuensis or carer, must be submitted to the Director of Planning and Academic Administration for approval.
(viii) within 48 hours of the incident, make a full written report of what happened, and of the action taken, to the Director of Planning and Academic Administration for forwarding to the Board of Examiners. Procedures in the event that a disturbance lasts longer than 30 minutes, the examination will be considered abandoned. In the event of the abandonment of an examination After the proper authorities deem it safe to enter the building, the staff of Planning and Academic Administration will collect the scripts for release to the person authorised to collect the scripts in the standard way. After the scripts have been collected, the candidates will be permitted to enter the examination room to collect their personal effects. Responsibilities of the Director of Planning and Academic Administration in the event of the abandonment of an examination following the evacuation of an examination room The Director of Planning and Academic Administration will make a report on the circumstances leading to the abandonment of the examination to the Programme Director concerned. The Director of Planning and Academic Administration will send a letter to each student making clear that the Board of Examiners will consider the matter. Responsibilities of the Board of Examiners in the event of the abandonment of an examination following the evacuation of an examination room It is the responsibility of the Board of Examiners to decide whether or not to hold an alternative examination at a later date, taking into account the duration of the examination before the disturbance, and the level of the examination will influence the decision relating to such alternative arrangements. The timing of the alternative examination is to be agreed by the Board of Examiners after consultation with the Director of Planning and Academic Administration. Normally, the examination will be held at the next possible opportunity. Any alternative examination will have the status of a first assessment attempt for all the candidates recorded as present at the examination. The Board will consider candidates absent from the examination in the usual manner.