Guidance

Regulatory report: Access arrangements, including 25% extra time

Report on Ofqual’s work to understand the trends in access arrangements for GCSE, AS and A level, and its expectations for exam boards as a result

Applies to England

Documents

Details

Demand for access arrangements in GCSE, AS and A level has been rising in recent years. This has increased the pressure on exam boards – and on schools, colleges and other exam centres – to meet this demand.  

In this context, Ofqual sought to better understand the trends and the factors driving these trends, and to identify any associated risks, to determine whether any improvements are needed to help the system meet regulatory requirements. We gave particular focus to 25% extra time, as this is the most common exam board-approved access arrangement. 

This report summarises Ofqual’s work in this area, and sets out what we now expect from the exam boards to strengthen the current system.

Updates to this page

Published 27 November 2025

Sign up for emails or print this page