Access statements
If you have a Specific Learning Difference such as Dyslexia or ADHD, an Autistic Spectrum Condition, Physical, Sensory or Long term Health condition or a diagnosed Mental Health Condition, we can arrange to put an Access Statement in place for you based on your medical evidence.
Even if you don’t have a confirmed diagnosis but have been referred for assessment for a diagnosis of a disability or medical condition, or had a form 8 for exam arrangements previously, we may still be able to put an Access Statement in place for you so it is worth getting in touch.
The Access Statement is an important part of your support at NTU as it details the adjustments that you need to support you to access your studies at NTU. When the content of your Access Statement is agreed with your adviser, it normally takes 10 working days to write up and send across to your School and/or the Exams Office.
These adjustments may include:
- General Support such as
- lecture notes in advance
- recording of lectures
- having a named point of contact in the School
- Support in the Learning and Teaching Environment to be implemented by the School such as
- adjustments with presentations
- course materials in alternative formats
- Exam adjustments (see below for further details on exam arrangements)
- Details of any Non-Medical Helper support you may have in class
- Library Support such as extended library loans
- Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan recommendations
Your Access Statement is shared with your Academic School and the Exams Office to enable them to put this support in place.
If you have disclosed on your UCAS application that you have a disability or medical condition and have accepted your offer of study at NTU, we will email you with information on how to discuss getting an Access Statement in place.
You should also contact us as soon as possible to agree or update an Access Statement in the following circumstances;
- Current students with a new diagnosis or change of circumstances
- You have a diagnosis but have not declared a disability on UCAS or at Enrolment.
- Students returning to NTU to start a new course or postgraduate course
Further details of the institutional support we offer and FAQs relating to your Access Statement are below.
Frequently asked questions
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Why is the Access Statement so important?
The Access Statement enables the Disability and Inclusion Service to provide details of any adjustments you may need in class to your Academic School, and to tell our Exams Team about any exam adjustments you may require. Without this in place you will not be able to have exam adjustments put in place and your tutors will not be aware of how they can support you at NTU.
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How much personal information does my access statement contain?
The statement provides brief details of your disability and where relevant how it may affect you in your studies. This helps our staff understand why certain adjustments have been made.
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Who will read my access statement?
It will only be read by the staff responsible for putting your support in place. Typically, this will include your course tutor and the Academic Registry representative. Details of some adjustments will also where necessary be shared with other staff including your module and year tutors.
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Will other students know about my access statement?
Under no circumstances would we disclose the details of your Access Statement to other students. If you want to talk to your peers about a disability or condition, that's entirely at your own discretion.
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What if I need to make changes to my support?
You can contact us at any time to review the scope and recommendations of your access statement, using the email address of the service that is on your Access Statement.
Examination arrangements
There is an expectation that recommendations in Access Statements should reflect a student's normal way of working. However, the arrangements you will receive will be individual to you and will depend on your normal way of working and the medical evidence you provide. All recommendations must maintain the integrity of the exam.
Examples of standard access statement recommendations for exams include (but are not limited to):
- additional time allowances
- “stop the clock” rest breaks
- food and drink
- use of a PC
- smaller / personal rooms
- a reader and / or scribe
- a bespoke chair with lumbar support
- a reading and / or writing slope
- a foot and / or wrist rest
- an operator chair
- an adjustable-height desk.
All requests or recommendations from third parties – from adjustments to arrangements for exams – need to be supported by appropriate documentary evidence of a disability. If you have a disability, learning difficulty or long-term health condition, please remember that it’s your responsibility to provide this evidence.
If you are dyslexic and your assessment report recommends the use of a PC, scribe or reader in exams, you must confirm your exam arrangements with us before your access statement is agreed. It’s important that you attend a dyslexia advice session to discuss this further, and qualify the kind of support you’ll require.
Please note that we are unable to include recommendations that are not detailed in your evidence regarding a scribe, reader, extra time and rest breaks.
Deadlines for Exam Arrangements:
Please be aware that the NTU Exams team observe deadlines for notification of students requiring additional exam arrangements, such as extra time. In order to have these adjustments in place for the January and end of year exams, you must provide sufficient evidence of a diagnosis, confirm your examination arrangements and have an Access Statement in place prior to exam deadlines.
Please see the exam web pages for important information, such as the deadline dates for the submission of individual exam arrangements and your responsibilities as a student.
Any adjustments recommended after published exam deadlines will not be implemented until the following exam period. Further information is available on our exam pages.
FAQs for Exam Arrangements
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How do I set up my exam adjustments?
If you have an Access Statement in place detailing exam arrangements, the exams team will put these in place for you. These will appear on your personal exam timetable around 2 weeks before a formal exam. They are not visible to anyone other than yourself.