Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration Policy

1Two different things, for two different situations

A Reasonable Adjustment is a change agreed and put in place before an assessment, to remove or reduce a disadvantage arising from a disability or a long-term condition — without altering the knowledge or skill being assessed.

Special Consideration is an adjustment made after the fact, in response to a short-term illness, injury, bereavement or other event at or near the time of assessment that you could not reasonably have prevented.

In short: an adjustment changes how you access the assessment beforehand; special consideration responds to something that went wrong at the time.

2The principles GHCA applies

An adjustment must never compromise the validity of the qualification. What is being assessed cannot change — only how you access the assessment.

Every request is judged on your individual circumstances. No blanket rule attaches to a diagnosis or a condition label.

You are treated with dignity and in confidence throughout. Where an adjustment cannot be granted, GHCA explains why and discusses what else can be done.

3Who a reasonable adjustment is for

A diagnosed disability — physical, sensory or neurological, including specific learning differences. A long-term medical condition affecting stamina, concentration or mobility. Pregnancy-related circumstances. English or French as an additional language, where a permitted adjustment such as extra time is relevant — this does not extend to translating technical content.

4How to apply for a reasonable adjustment

You, or your training provider on your behalf, submit a request no less than 15 working days before the scheduled assessment.

Provide supporting evidence: a diagnostic report, a medical letter, or evidence of an adjustment you were given in prior formal education or employment.

The Head of Assessment reviews the request and confirms, modifies or declines it in writing within 10 working days.

An approved adjustment is recorded on your file and applied automatically to every future booking within that qualification. You do not reapply for each sitting.

5What an adjustment can look like

Extra time, typically 25% or 50% depending on the evidence. Supervised rest breaks with the clock paused. Assistive technology such as a screen reader or speech-to-text. A separate room or reduced-distraction environment. Modified format materials, such as large print or high contrast. A reader or scribe, where that does not assess the very skill the reader or scribe would be performing.

6Special consideration, when something happens at the time

This covers sudden illness or injury at the time of assessment; bereavement of a close family member shortly before or during the assessment period; a traumatic personal event that materially affected your performance; and a significant, unforeseen technical failure during an online examination, verified by the session logs.

Notify GHCA in writing within 5 working days of the assessment, with supporting evidence where you have it. The Head of Assessment determines the outcome — a mark adjustment, a free re-sit, an extended results deadline, or no adjustment where the threshold is not met — and you are told in writing within 10 working days.

Special consideration is never used to award a pass that your underlying performance did not support. It exists to make the process fair, not to guarantee an outcome.

7Confidentiality, and your right to appeal

What you submit in support of a request is sensitive personal information, handled as described in the Privacy Notice and shared only with the GHCA and provider staff who need it to put the adjustment in place.

Neither your certificate nor the Global Registry ever discloses that an adjustment was applied. That is nobody else's business.

If you disagree with a decision on either route, you may appeal within 10 working days of being notified.