A Record-Breaking Season of Access Arrangements Support: Candidates with Special Education Needs Scheduled to Write their Exams in Calm, Inclusive Spaces

1 August 2025 written by Michelle Lombard

This season, we witnessed something extraordinary and deeply humbling. Here’s what it means for the candidates who needed it most.

Introduction

Sometimes, the most meaningful milestones don’t show up on graphs or certificates. Sometimes, they quietly take shape in the access arrangements spaces we create for others, in whispered reassurances, calm rooms, extra time on a clock, or a friendly invigilator who simply understands.

This year brought a milestone that mattered deeply.

We welcomed a record-breaking number of applications and enquiries for candidates with special educational needs (SEN). This translated into a multitude of candidates supported through access arrangement information and applications for the upcoming exam seasons. Each one shares a unique story, learning journey, and set of challenges, and we are honoured to provide the kind of environment where they can feel safe.

We are proud to share that 100% of the access arrangement applications submitted to the relevant boards were approved and successfully facilitated by our centres. This was a moment of reflection on inclusion, mental wellness, and what it means to truly see our candidates.

Access Arrangements Are About Dignity, Not Favour

Access arrangements exist to ensure that a candidate’s disability, condition, or barrier does not become a disadvantage during exams. Whether it’s autism, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, physical impairments, or long-term illness, these accommodations are rooted in the principle of fairness, not leniency.

When implemented with care, access arrangements give candidates the ability to demonstrate their knowledge without battling invisible hurdles. They’re not about ‘extra help’. They’re about restoring dignity and equity.

Some of the most common access arrangement applications for the next exam season included:

Extra time.
Use of a computer.
Reader or scribe.
Prompters.
Own rooms and home invigilation.
Supervised rest breaks.

However, beyond these technical details, what matters most are the soft touches: the familiar faces, the warm welcome, the sense of not having to explain yourself. 100% of our approved Access Arrangement candidates received the accommodations needed to complete their exams with the tools required to succeed.

Mental Wellness in the Exam Room: What Calm Really Feels Like

This year, many of the access arrangement applications and enquiries we received were directly related to mental health challenges, including, but not limited to, anxiety, panic disorders, trauma, and stress-related conditions. It reminded us that mental wellness and exam readiness are deeply interconnected.

For a candidate living with anxiety, the simple act of walking into an exam room can feel overwhelming. Add to that: the fear of judgment or the pressure of performance, and the experience can be immobilising.

We have seen what a difference a quiet space can make, the visible relief when a candidate realises they don’t need to explain or defend their needs, and the transformation that follows when those needs are not only met but genuinely respected.

While we are not mental health practitioners, we do understand the importance of creating emotionally safe exam environments, especially during already stressful moments.

The Neurodiversity Hive

“I’ve witnessed firsthand how access arrangements can transform not just academic results, but self-belief.

Tutors and Exams South Africa are celebrating a record number of students writing with accommodations, and this marks something far more meaningful than numbers. It marks a shift in perception: that learners who think, process, and communicate differently are not “less than”, they simply deserve the right support to show what they know.

Access arrangements are not about giving students an advantage; they are about levelling the playing field. When a learner with dyslexia is given a reader, or a child with ADHD is granted rest breaks, we’re not handing out favours. We’re acknowledging that the traditional examination model does not measure intelligence, creativity, or potential; it measures conformity to a narrow norm.

Many of our students have experienced educational trauma. They’ve been told they’re lazy, disruptive, or not trying hard enough. Access arrangements give these children something profound: dignity. It says, We see you. You deserve to succeed.

I hope this record-breaking moment becomes the new normal. That we continue to honour difference, not just with words, but with systems that include. Because inclusion is not just about being in the room, it’s about being equipped to thrive in it.”

— Frances Kaplan, Educational Psychologist, and Director of The Neurodiversity Hive.

The Real Champions: Our Candidates

Behind every access arrangement is a candidate who:

Has battled stigma or misunderstanding.
Has had to explain their needs again and again.
Has often worked twice as hard for the same result.
And has shown up, regardless.

They are not defined by their accommodations, but by their courage. This year, we met candidates sitting their first external exam after years of homeschooling. Candidates who need a supervised rest break. Candidates who have to wear noise-cancelling headphones and carry fidget tools, not because they want to be different, but because they need to focus.

Their presence in our exam rooms is a quiet act of bravery. And we see them.

Gratitude to the Families and Educators

None of this is possible without the parents, support workers, tutors, and online schools who advocate tirelessly for their candidates. The paperwork is long, and the deadlines are strict.

Yet every year, we see families who show up early, ask thoughtful questions, and submit thorough evidence, all in the hope of giving their child one less thing to worry about on exam day.

Thank you for trusting us with your candidates. For speaking up. For believing that inclusion should not be optional.

What This Record Really Means

Processing so many access arrangement applications and enquiries may seem like an operational achievement. To us, it means something more:

It means more families are aware that support is available.
It means more candidates are aware that their special educational needs can be accommodated.
It means more educators are recognising diverse needs.
And it means inclusion is slowly becoming the norm, not the exception.

We are humbled, not by the number itself, but by the trust it represents.