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.

Your trainer should be able to support you with this as any access arrangement for your assessment should reflect your training and working practice.

In some cases, particularly for temporary disabilities or difficulties, (for example an injury), it may be best for you to wait until you are no longer affected by the condition or difficulty before taking your assessment, rather than having a reasonable adjustment applied.

1. You must submit your access arrangement application as soon as possible after your assessment booking, and no later than ten 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 the online form is submitted we will consider your application. 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