Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments
Access arrangements and reasonable adjustments (AARA) support eligible students who have a disability, impairment, medical condition, or other circumstances that may create a barrier to accessing or completing assessment. AARA are designed so that students can demonstrate what they know and can do on the same basis as their peers, without changing the assessment standards being assessed.
At Highfields State Secondary College, AARA applications for students in Years 10–12 are managed in line with QCAA requirements, published timelines and the College Assessment Policy. Students and parents/carers are encouraged to contact the school as early as possible where assessment access may be affected.
What AARA can support
AARA may be considered where a student’s access to assessment is affected by circumstances that are permanent, temporary or intermittent. The QCAA recognises broad eligibility categories including cognitive, physical, sensory and social/emotional impacts, as well as illness and misadventure in relevant circumstances.
| Permanent | A long-term disability, impairment or medical condition that regularly affects assessment access. |
| Temporary | A short-term injury, illness or circumstance that affects a specific assessment period. |
| Intermittent | A condition or circumstance that may vary in impact over time or from assessment to assessment. |
How decisions are made
AARA decisions are based on the individual student’s circumstances and the functional impact on their ability to read, respond to or participate in assessment. Students with the same diagnosis or condition may require different adjustments, depending on how the condition affects them and the type of assessment being completed.
Adjustments must be reasonable, supported by appropriate evidence where required, and must not compromise the integrity of the assessment. This means an adjustment can support access to the assessment, but it cannot change what the assessment is designed to measure or prevent the student from meeting the required achievement standard.
Examples of possible adjustments
The type of AARA available depends on the student’s circumstances, the evidence provided, and the assessment task. Examples may include:
- extra time
- rest breaks
- a separate supervised room
- use of a computer or approved assistive technology
- reader or scribe arrangements, where eligible
- alternative format papers
- rescheduling of eligible internal assessment
- variation to venue for eligible external assessment circumstances.
Applying for AARA in Years 10–12
- Read the Highfields State Secondary College Assessment Policy before submitting an application.
- Contact the school as early as possible to discuss the student’s circumstances and the assessment/s affected.
- Complete the relevant AARA documentation. The Subject and Assessment section may need to be completed in consultation with the classroom teacher and/or Head of Department.
- Provide supporting documentation, such as a student statement and/or medical report where required.
- The school will review the information and determine whether the matter is school-approved, principal-reported or requires QCAA approval.
- Applications that require QCAA approval must be prepared and submitted according to QCAA published timelines.
Required documentation
The following templates may be used to support an AARA application:
Medical reports should explain the diagnosis or condition, the timing and duration of the impact, and how the student’s ability to complete assessment is affected. A medical certificate alone may not provide enough detail for some applications, particularly illness and misadventure or QCAA-approved AARA applications.
Important information
- AARA is considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Granting of AARA is at the discretion of the Principal or delegate and/or the QCAA, depending on the type of adjustment required.
- Applications must be submitted or prepared according to QCAA timelines.
- Family holidays, timetable clashes, misreading exam instructions or assessment timetables, and circumstances that could reasonably have been avoided are generally not eligible grounds for AARA.
- Students should speak with the school as early as possible if they believe their assessment access may be affected.
Further information