Access Arrangements: Educating the Whole Child

What does it really mean to educate the whole child?

Education is about more than textbooks, marks and examination results. Behind every candidate is an individual with their own strengths, challenges, experiences and needs. While the destination may be similar, the support each person needs to get there may look very different.

Whether we are parents, candidates or educators, it is important to recognise that no two people learn, work or experience education in exactly the same way. For some candidates, this means that a traditional examination environment may create barriers that do not reflect their knowledge, understanding or academic ability.

This is where Access Arrangements can play an important role.

Access Arrangements are designed to provide eligible candidates with appropriate support during their examinations without changing the skills or knowledge being assessed. Depending on a candidate’s individual needs and the regulations of the relevant awarding body, this may include arrangements such as extra time, supervised rest breaks, a reader, a scribe, the use of a computer or a separate room.

The importance of Access Arrangements, however, extends beyond the adjustments made on exam day.

When we speak about educating the whole child, we recognise that education cannot focus only on marks, textbooks and academic performance. We also need to consider the individual behind those results and recognise that their educational experience may look different from someone else’s.

A candidate may be academically capable while experiencing barriers related to a learning difficulty, disability, medical need, mental health need or another recognised need. Providing appropriate support is not about giving a candidate an advantage. Instead, it is about helping to remove barriers so that they have the opportunity to demonstrate what they know and can do.

This is why conversations around Access Arrangements are so important.

By identifying potential needs early, families, candidates and education providers have more time to understand the available support, the evidence and application requirements, and the arrangements that may be appropriate for the individual candidate.

Ultimately, educating the whole child means recognising that fairness does not always mean everyone receives the same support.

Sometimes, it means taking the time to understand the individual, recognising the barriers they may face and ensuring they have the appropriate support to demonstrate their abilities.

At Tutors & Exams South Africa, we believe that every candidate should enter their examinations feeling supported, understood and prepared. By looking beyond academic performance alone, we can help create an examination experience that recognises the individual behind the candidate number.

For more information about Access Arrangements and the application process, please contact our Access Arrangements team: aa@tutorsandexams.co.za