Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments

Access arrangements include reasonable adjustments and access to fair assessment.

Reasonable adjustments are adjustments made to an assessment process or method. The adjustments are agreed before an assessment. They allow candidates with specific needs, such as special educational needs, a disability or temporary injury to access the assessment and show what they know and can do without changing the demands of the assessment.

Access to fair assessment is where a candidate does not require any adjustments to assessment because their disability, condition or injury does not require it. However, it may be useful for the assessor or others to understand the situation prior to assessment.

Access arrangements are put in place to support candidates as required. However, it is important to note that adjustments cannot be made to the assessment criteria. Occupational competence is required to be demonstrated.

BHS assessments are all about practical, hands-on skills and talking things through with an assessor. The majority of assessments are carried out at a BHS Assessment Centre, showing what you know and what you can do.

We believe in making our assessments welcoming for everyone. Our assessors are already trained to help by rephrasing questions, giving you time to think, and generally being patient and understanding. If this standard support suits your needs then you don’t need to contact us. If you feel you have a very specific need that goes beyond this standard support, then applying for an access arrangement might be right for you.

If you’re wondering whether you might need extra support, the best person to speak to is your trainer. They are best placed to discuss your individual needs, as any access arrangements should genuinely reflect how you train towards the qualification and perform in your regular practice.

It's important to understand that access arrangements from other exams (like GCSEs or academic qualifications) may not directly transfer to BHS assessments. For example, arrangements like extra time, a reader, or a scribe are common for written school exams, but they usually don't apply to our practical assessments. That's because our assessments focus more on doing and discussing, rather than lots of reading or writing.

To get a clear idea of what your assessment involves, we really encourage you to go through the syllabus with your trainer. This will help you both understand the assessment methods and see if anything might be a barrier for you. You can also watch our videos for Stage 1-3 assessments and read further guidance about what to expect on your assessment day. Just click on the relevant Stage qualification page to find these helpful resources.

For temporary conditions, like a short-term injury or illness, it's often a good idea to wait until you’ve fully recovered before taking your assessment. This usually means you'll be able to perform at your best without needing any specific temporary adjustments.

You can find more details about what adjustments can or can't be made in our Access to Fair Assessment, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration Policy for BHS Assessments. This can be viewed by clicking the useful links section at the bottom of this page.

To help us understand your needs and make sure you get the right support, we ask for some supporting evidence when you apply for a reasonable adjustment.

Why do we ask for evidence for reasonable adjustment applications?

A reasonable adjustment is a specific change to how we run our assessments. Supporting evidence helps us:

• Understand your individual needs: It shows us how your condition or difficulty affects you undertaking the assessment.
  
  
• Ensure fairness: It helps us make sure the adjustment is appropriate and gives you the support you need without giving an unfair advantage.

What kind of evidence is helpful?

Your evidence needs to be clear, up-to-date, and relevant to the assessment you're taking. This could include, but isn't limited to:

• A letter or report from a doctor, medical specialist, or learning support professional.
  
  
• A psychological assessment report.
  
  
• A formal letter from a relevant disability or support group.

What should the evidence explain?

Your supporting evidence and application should clearly explain:

• How your disability or difficulty affects you in the context of taking the assessment.
  
  
• The specific adjustment you're requesting and why it's needed. For example, if you're asking for extra time, please indicate how much time you feel you need, based on your usual way of working and any informal assessments you've had during your learning or training. We rely on this professional advice to determine the right amount of time – we don't decide this ourselves.
  
  
• That you have experience using the requested adjustment. This shows it's a familiar and effective way for you to work.

What about access to fair assessment applications?

You don't need to provide supporting evidence if you're applying for an access to fair assessment. However, you're welcome to submit evidence if you feel it would help your application.

Further information regarding your application is in our Access to Fair Assessment, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration Policy for BHS Assessments.

Once you submit your application, we'll review everything carefully. Sometimes, if we need a bit more information or clarification to make a decision, we might ask for additional details.

To make sure we have plenty of time to fully consider your application and avoid any potential delays or the need to postpone your assessment, it's really important to apply for a reasonable adjustment at least six weeks before your assessment date. This gives us the best chance to process everything smoothly for you.

Please note: The BHS Education Team cannot accept requests for access arrangements within 15 working days of an assessment.

1. You must submit your access arrangement application as soon as possible after your assessment booking, and no later than 15 working days before the assessment date. If you have booked more than one assessment you will need to submit an Access Arrangement application for each assessment you have booked.
2. Apply for your Access Arrangement via our online form. A member of your support network can apply on your behalf. Provide as much information as possible regarding your circumstances and what arrangements you are applying for. If applying for a reasonable adjustment you will need to include supporting evidence with your application at this point. You will also need to tell us:
   1. Your BHS membership number
   2. Your date of birth
   3. Contact details for us to update you on your application
   4. Trainer or training centre details
   5. The type of assessment, date and assessment venue you are applying access arrangements for (you must have a confirmed assessment booking in place before applying for access arrangements).

Once an online application form is submitted, the applicant will receive an email receipt. If this is not received within 24 hours, it is the applicant’s responsibility to contact the BHS Education Team. We will consider your application within a reasonable timeframe. During this time, yourself, a member of your support network or your trainer may be contacted to provide further information.

We will inform you on the outcome of your application by email.

BHS Education must maintain records of all applications for audit and monitoring purposes. Records will be maintained securely.

For access arrangements granted, the information supplied by you, and our response, will be provided to your assessors and, if necessary, the assessment venue for their information.

Supporting evidence including additional information gathered by BHS Education will be kept for up to three months after your assessment date. This is in case of complaint or appeal. If a complaint or appeal is lodged, the application and supporting evidence will be kept until the complaint or appeal is resolved. After this, this evidence will be disposed securely

Please refer to the Access to Fair Assessment, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration Policy for BHS Assessments and BHS Privacy Notice for further information.

Any approved access arrangement request will be applied by your assessor, and your assessment venue (if necessary).

Your assessor will meet you at the specified time (this will be noted on your booking confirmation). They will run through the process of the day and will be able to answer any queries you may have. Your assessor may also confidentially discuss with you your access arrangements prior to starting your assessment.

As each assessment has different requirements, we cannot transfer access arrangements between assessments or resits. You are required to submit a new application for each assessment you will be taking where you wish to request access arrangements. This is to ensure that we have the specific arrangement in place to support you.

A special consideration is where the candidate’s circumstances, for example, a temporary illness, or some other event outside of the candidate’s control, impacts the candidate’s ability to take the assessment. For example, an emotional shock or trauma.

Safety is paramount in equine and as a consequence we are not able to offer special consideration at BHS assessments. However candidates may transfer to another assessment or receive a partial refund in line with our booking terms and conditions (see medical transfer or refund).

Access to Fair Assessment, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration Policy for BHS Assessments.

Online application form for Access Arrangements

BHS Equality and Diversity Policy

BHS Privacy Notice

Assessment booking terms and conditions