Reasonable Adjustments Policy

Company: Tyrogen Limited (16884876)
Owner: Quality Assurance
Approved by: Governing Body (or delegated authority per MD/GOVERNANCE/DELEGATION_OF_AUTHORITY.md)
Status: Draft (controlled policy)
Version: 0.1
Last updated: 2026-03-10
Next review: 2026-03-31

1) Purpose

To ensure Tyrogen provides reasonable adjustments for learners with disabilities and/or specific support needs in line with the Equality Act 2010 and relevant regulatory expectations, while maintaining the validity, reliability, and integrity of assessment.

Tyrogen aims to facilitate open access to fair assessment by:

• reducing or removing disadvantage caused by disability or difficulty
• ensuring adjustments do not give an unfair advantage over other learners
• ensuring assessment decisions remain rigorous, defensible, and auditable.

1.1 Ofqual alignment

This policy supports compliance with:

• D2 (accessibility; equalities)
• G6 (arrangements for Reasonable Adjustments)
• PR1 (fairness)

2) Scope

This policy applies to all Tyrogen assessments and qualification services, including:

• assessments taken under controlled / exam conditions (where applicable)
• assessments not taken under controlled conditions (e.g., portfolio evidence, assignments, workplace evidence)
• associated administrative processes (registration, identity checks, communications).

This policy covers reasonable adjustments planned in advance. Temporary, post‑assessment allowances are handled under MD/POLICIES/SPECIAL_CONSIDERATION.md.

3) Principles

Tyrogen will manage reasonable adjustments in a way that is:

• Accessible by design: barriers are minimised through inclusive assessment design and platform design where possible
• Learner‑centred: adjustments are considered case‑by‑case
• Fair and consistent: comparable standards are applied across learners
• Evidence‑based and proportionate: evidence requirements reflect the adjustment requested and assessment risk
• Confidential: information handled on a need‑to‑know basis
• Maintains standards: adjustments must not compromise assessment validity or the meaning of results.

4) Definitions

• Reasonable adjustment: an agreed change to assessment arrangements that reduces disadvantage for a learner with a disability or difficulty.
• Special consideration: a post‑assessment allowance for temporary adverse circumstances (see MD/POLICIES/SPECIAL_CONSIDERATION.md).
• Access arrangements: a term sometimes used to describe adjustments applied to support access to assessment.

5) Roles and responsibilities

5.1 Learners

Learners should:

• inform their centre/provider (or Tyrogen where direct entry applies) about support needs as early as possible
• provide relevant information/evidence where requested
• use approved adjustments only as agreed.

5.2 Centres / providers / employers (where applicable)

Centres/providers should:

• identify support needs at enrolment and during assessment planning
• implement adjustments consistently and in accordance with Tyrogen approval conditions
• ensure staff understand permitted support and assessment rules
• keep clear records of decisions and implementation.

5.3 Tyrogen

Tyrogen will:

• provide guidance on reasonable adjustments
• decide on requests that require Tyrogen approval
• ensure approved adjustments are communicated to relevant assessors/proctors
• monitor centre implementation through QA activity where applicable.

6) Request process

6.1 Who can request

Requests may be made by:

• the learner (directly, where permitted)
• the centre/provider on behalf of the learner (recommended route)
• an employer/provider representative (where applicable).

6.2 When to request

Reasonable adjustments should be considered as early as possible, ideally:

• at enrolment/registration, and
• at the assessment planning stage, before assessment begins.

6.3 Evidence requirements

Evidence requirements will be proportionate to the request. Tyrogen may ask for:

• relevant professional evidence (e.g., diagnostic report) where appropriate
• confirmation of normal ways of working
• centre/provider statement describing how the adjustment will be implemented.

Tyrogen may refuse or request changes to a proposed adjustment if it would compromise assessment integrity or create an unfair advantage.

6.4 Decision outcomes

Possible outcomes include:

• approved as requested
• approved with conditions (e.g., limits, supervision requirements)
• alternative adjustment recommended
• refused (with rationale).

7) Centre discretion vs Tyrogen approval

Some adjustments may be permitted at the discretion of the centre/provider for non‑controlled assessments, provided they:

• are agreed and documented
• do not compromise validity
• are included within internal quality assurance sampling where applicable.

For controlled/exam conditions assessments and higher‑risk adjustments, Tyrogen approval is normally required.

7.1 Assessments not under controlled conditions

Centres/providers may have greater flexibility to:

• vary assessment method/evidence format (e.g., audio, video, assistive technology)
• present materials in the learner’s normal working format
• allow commercially available aids that reflect normal ways of working.

The outcome must still be assessable, verifiable, and meet the specification requirements.

7.2 Assessments under controlled / exam conditions

Where an assessment is time‑bound, externally set, proctored, or taken under controlled conditions, adjustments must be tightly defined so that assessment standards are preserved.

Examples where Tyrogen approval is likely required include:

• extra time beyond a defined threshold (default: more than 25% additional time)
• use of a scribe/reader/interpreter
• alternative venue arrangements for controlled assessments
• modified assessment materials (e.g., large print, Braille, audio).

8) Common adjustments (examples)

Common adjustments may include (non‑exhaustive):

• extra time
• supervised rest breaks
• separate accommodation / reduced distraction setting
• assistive technology (screen reader, speech-to-text, text-to-speech)
• alternative formats (large print, coloured paper, audio)
• reader, scribe (amanuensis), interpreter
• practical assistant (where permitted and does not affect competence requirements).

If a requested adjustment is unusual or high risk, contact Tyrogen for advice.

9) Timescales (placeholders)

• Tyrogen will acknowledge receipt of a request within 2 working days.
• Tyrogen will normally communicate a decision within 10 working days of acknowledgement.

Centres/providers should allow sufficient time prior to assessment to implement any approved arrangements.

10) Controls and malpractice boundary

If a centre/provider exceeds the permitted level of assistance or applies unapproved adjustments where approval is required, this may be considered maladministration or malpractice.

See MD/POLICIES/MALPRACTICE_AND_MALADMINISTRATION.md.

11) Monitoring, misuse detection, and review

Tyrogen will monitor the operation and impact of its Reasonable Adjustments arrangements to ensure they:

• remain compatible with Equalities Law,
• are applied fairly and consistently,
• do not undermine the validity of the qualification/assessment outcomes, and
• are not misused (including by Centres).

Monitoring activities (proportionate to volume and risk) include:

• tracking the number and type of RA requests and approvals by qualification, assessment, and (where applicable) Centre;
• monitoring RA-related complaints, appeals and enquiries;
• targeted checks through Centre monitoring/audit activity (where Centres are used), including review of supporting evidence and “normal ways of working” records;
• review of any incidents indicating RA delivery failures (e.g., approved RA not implemented) and corrective/preventive actions.

Where Tyrogen identifies potential misuse of Reasonable Adjustments or inappropriate application (e.g., extra time granted without evidence), Tyrogen will:

• require corrective action,
• increase monitoring and sampling,
• consider whether the matter constitutes maladministration/malpractice and escalate accordingly,
• take proportionate sanctions (for Centres) where required.

Tyrogen will review the effectiveness of its Reasonable Adjustments arrangements at least annually (and more frequently where risk indicates), taking account of:

• monitoring data and trend analysis,
• feedback from Learners, Centres and Users of qualifications,
• relevant Ofqual requirements/guidance (including any restrictions under the Equality Act 2010 such as those arising under section 96 where applicable), and
• relevant external guidance (e.g. Equality and Human Rights Commission) and case law.

12) Records

Tyrogen and/or centres/providers must keep records sufficient for audit, including:

• the request and any supporting evidence
• the decision, rationale, conditions, and decision maker
• how the adjustment was implemented (including any system configuration)
• dates and assessment(s) covered
• review date where ongoing arrangements apply.

Retention follows MD/POLICIES/DATA_RETENTION.md.

13) Appeals

If a learner or centre/provider believes a reasonable adjustments decision is unfair, they may appeal in line with MD/POLICIES/APPEALS.md.

14) Associated policies

• MD/POLICIES/SPECIAL_CONSIDERATION.md
• MD/POLICIES/APPEALS.md
• MD/POLICIES/MALPRACTICE_AND_MALADMINISTRATION.md
• MD/POLICIES/COMPLAINTS.md
• MD/POLICIES/DATA_RETENTION.md

15) Change log