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Every student deserves the opportunity to showcase their true ability in an examination setting, regardless of their disability or learning differences. The role of the SENCO (or Access Arrangements Assessor if this is not the same person) is to make exams as equitable as possible by determining what arrangements a student is entitled to and ensuring they become part of a normal way of working for that individual.
You’ve likely heard of CPT3A as it is the most popular access arrangements assessor course and will qualify you to practice in the UK and in British international schools following the IB or British curriculum exams. However, it can be hard to know what to expect from the course if you don’t have a colleague you can ask who qualified using this pathway.
This guide breaks down what exactly the training involves, how it prepares you for the role, and how it compares to alternative courses.
The Certificate in Psychometric Testing, Assessment and Access Arrangements (CPT3A) is a highly respected course, designed and delivered by Educational Psychologists and Exam Access Arrangement Assessors. It is run entirely online. It is split into two parts:
Learn how to develop a hypothesis, select appropriate psychometric tests and interpret the results. You will explore how tests are created, understand the statistical principles upon which they are built and how we measure their validity. Our CCET course is based on the same foundational training that EPs receive, but designed for school staff who might be completely new to statistics, making it a fantastic way to build your assessment skills beyond access arrangements.
Shows you how to put theory into practice and apply for exam access arrangements. It focuses on the key principles and legislation that underpin exam access arrangements, specifically the Equality Act 2010 and SEND Code of Practice and JCQ Exam Access Regulations.
“I have genuinely learnt so much through this experience, not only about access arrangements but also about approaching assessments more thoughtfully and confidently. Thank you as well for sharing your insights regarding YARC and recommending CTOPP2 — I will certainly explore this further to strengthen my practice in this role. It has been a privilege learning from you.” – Anisha, Inclusion Teacher
Assessors must not only understand how to calculate scores, but become confident justifying whether testing is appropriate in the first place, selecting tests and knowing what their limitations are. CPT3A gives assessors the confidence to deepen their expertise and exercise professional judgement.
In the UK, the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) sets the stringent rules governing access arrangement provisions.
A Form 8, issued by the JCQ must be submitted to apply for arrangements. Understanding how this is put together will help you Completing part two of this document, in particular, requires inputting the precise psychometric scores that would qualify a student for a particular access arrangement. This is where you will apply your knowledge and skills gained through CCET and AAC.
| Part 1: Pen Portrait | Part 2: Assessment Results | Part 3: Agreed Arrangements | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Show how accommodations that relate to access arrangements are regularly used in the pupil’s day-to-day school life. | Evidence where a pupil’s scores meet the threshold for a particular arrangement. | Summarise requested exam access arrangements. |
| What is recorded? | A short summary of a student’s needs, based on information from Individual Learning Plans, and agreements put in place based on specific teacher observations, screening data, and/or earlier individualised assessment. Evidence of regular use and positive impact of the accommodation (pupil and teacher feedback) e.g. using a laptop or having rest breaks. | The individual’s standardised psychometric test scores matched against the thresholds for the following exam access arrangement(s): – 25% extra time – 26 – 50% extra time – Use of a scribe – Assistive technology such as speech to text or text to speech – Supervised rest breaks – Reader – Language modifiers | A checklist of the access arrangements that will be applied for. Declarations from SENCO and Exam Access Arrangements Assessor. |
| Who completes? | SENCOs / Access Arrangement Coordinators | Qualified L7 Exam Access Arrangements Assessor | SENCO & Qualified L7 Exam Access Arrangements Assessor |
You can find the JCQ’s example Form 8 template on their website.
As part of the Form 8, a SENCO must provide evidence that the access arrangements applied for are part of the student’s “normal way of working”, for example, they must already be in use when they sit mock exams. The assessment must take place no earlier than Year 9, and some access arrangements, such as more than 25% extra time/language modifier, must have an assessment no earlier than 26 months prior to the public exams.
Throughout the CPT3A course you will learn how to:
You will evidence and advance your knowledge by:
“The combination of videos, written guidance, and example Forms 8 and 9 made the whole process much more accessible. The materials were well structured, detailed without being overwhelming, and directly linked to real tasks you need to carry out in school. Having high quality examples to refer back to was particularly valuable.” – Catherine, SENCO
“An extremely valuable professional learning experience for me. It has strengthened not only my technical understanding of Access Arrangements but also my confidence, reflective practice, and professional judgement as an educator. The experience has genuinely influenced the way I think about assessment, inclusion, and supporting students fairly and effectively.” – Amita, Special Educator
You have up to a year to complete the course, and can study online through your choice of live or self-paced learning (or a blend). Most delegates take an average of 6-7 months to complete CCET and 3-4 months to complete the shorter Access Arrangements Course.
At the beginning of each unit, you’ll have access to video selfies from former delegates who are sharing their study tips. This includes advice about managing your time, what might take longer than expected and tips for approaching the more challenging tasks.
“The course exceeded my expectations. I really enjoyed the 3-day intensive online option, where I had a chance to meet other people who were just as new to this as me. We were split into smaller groups at times and asked to complete smaller tasks together and then re-joined the whole group to give feedback.” – Sadie Wilkinson, Science Teacher
CPT3A is often viewed as the gold-standard qualification that provides you with deeper knowledge than some other courses. There are other training options available, however, and we’ve outlined how they compare below.
The first part of CPT3A (the CCET qualification) is the same foundational training that educational psychologists receive. This allows eligible school staff to learn the fundamental principles of how to administer and interpret results of any kind of psychometric test (including SEMH assessments) – not just those for exam access arrangements.
How do others compare? Not all courses use CCET as the foundation for their exam access arrangement training. Be on the lookout for this because while they may cover the essentials, they won’t provide the same depth of expertise that you will get from achieving this additional qualification.
CCET also provides eligibility to apply for the British Psychological Society Test User qualification and join their register of professionals who hold this qualification.
How do others compare? Only other courses also using CCET as the first part of their exam access arrangements course will also provide this.
When the JCQ updates its guidelines (typically in the summer of every year), we deliver a free course that walks assessors through all the practical implications, which also counts toward SASC-approved CPD hours. Additionally, all Real Training delegates gain complimentary access to EBSCO – a premier global research platform offering instant access to hundreds of peer-reviewed journals and e-books.
How do others compare? While other providers like Communicate-Ed run webinars to cover annual updates to the regulations, they charge extra to access the full course. We aren’t aware of any other providers who offer exam access arrangement courses who also provide access to a wider SEND library.
CPT3A offers three flexible study options. If you choose to study live, it is one of the very few courses to offer part one (CCET) delivered by Educational Psychologists followed by part two, AAC delivered by experienced exam access arrangement assessors. This means you benefit from the dual expertise from these different professionals, rolled into one course.
How do others compare? Most courses offer some degree of flexible study. Some, however, such as the Patoss AAA qualification, only offer the intensive routes, meaning you will need to attend eight live Zoom sessions at set dates and times. Not all providers can draw on the combined expertise of both EPs and exam access arrangement assessors.
If you go direct to a test publisher you will find that you will not be permitted to purchase certain tests before you are qualified. Our study purchase scheme allows you to buy tests for your school through the Dyslexia Action Shop as soon as you have started your course, on a pre-qualification purchase basis. Delegates studying with us also benefit from 10% discount in the shop.
How do others compare? Other providers, such as Communicate-Ed, offer a small library of tests that you can borrow, but do not necessarily have affiliations with online shops or publishers. The Dyslexia Action Shop also has one of the widest ranges of assessment tests, including the TORE, TOD, WIAT-III Woodcock Johnson V, SPARCS and many others.
By studying CPT3A, delegates can join one of our PGCerts, PGDips or MEds as if you have 30 credits. If you were to also complete the NPQ SENCO with Real Training, you would gain a further 30 credits, meaning you were a third of the way to completing a Masters in SEND and Inclusion. We have five masters programmes, including an MEd focused specifically on assessment.
How do others compare? The PAPAA course from Communicate-Ed awards 30 credits towards a qualification with Herefordshire University or the University of Roehampton. However, in-person attendance on weekday evenings is required to study these masters programmes. Real Training’s programme is delivered flexibly and fully online.
Completing CPT3A means you are eligible to apply to become a Practitioner of The Dyslexia Guild – Assessor of Access Arrangements. Membership fees cost an additional £62, but get you access to the National Dyslexia Resource centre as well as access to a library of tests that you are able to borrow. You also get access to an online forum for access arrangements assessors, and discounted rates for The Dyslexia Guild annual conference and can continue your 10% discount on purchases from the Dyslexia Action Shop.
How do others compare? Some courses do not have the benefit of links to a membership body – look out for this because it can give you access to a wider assessor community, ongoing CPD opportunities and additional benefits. The British Dyslexia Association and Patoss do offer membership with their courses, but structure their benefits and membership tiers slightly differently.
“Having an empathetic mentor makes an enormous difference to the learning journey. I genuinely do not think I would have completed this journey with the same confidence and understanding without her guidance…The detailed tutor feedback was one of the strongest aspects of the course, as it encouraged deeper reflection and learning from mistakes rather than simply completing tasks ” – Amita, Special Educator
“I feel very lucky to have had such an excellent tutor. She clearly knows her stuff and has given me some excellent support and guidance – I have already recommended Real Training to those who have time to put in the work.”” – Victoria, SEND Lead
“Sophia exudes positivity and during the online day of learning delivered the material in a succinct and confident way. I literally was able to use everything she taught us that day and she had warmth and empathy given how experienced we all were. She gave real world examples and could answer the questions candidates fired at her.” – Jack, Teaching Support Assistant
“As a new SENCo, I found the support and patience in explaining everything incredibly helpful. The tutoring and support I have received has been absolutely outstanding.“ – Donna, SENCO
“I feel very lucky to have had such an excellent tutor. She clearly knows her stuff and has given me some excellent support and guidance – I have already recommended Real Training to those who have time to put in the work.” – Victoria, SEND Lead
“My tutor pushed for the highest levels which has been the best thing about the course for me. Even having experienced JCQ inspections, this is another level and something that she has made me raise my game for, which I really appreciate. I have already recommended this course to my Deputy SENDCo!” – Ryan, SENCO
Data from Ofqual suggests that the number of pupils requiring exam access arrangements is rising in line with identified special educational needs in the student population. Enabling a team around the SENCO to support the administrative aspect of access arrangements is one way of managing the increasing number of children requiring assessment.
| Assistant Test User | Access Arrangements Coordinator | CCET | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligibility | Open to all (NB with oversight from a colleague who has completed CCET or CPT3A) | Open to all | Open to all |
| What you will be able to do | Administer and score psychometric tests. | Complete with Part 1 and Part 3 of a Form 8, a Form 9, and a Form 8RF | Select, administer and score tests. Analyse the results. |
| Duration | Up to 5 months | Up to 3 months | Up to 8 months |
CPT3A is a highly practical way to qualify as an exam access arrangement assessor that is excellent value for money. It helps you become a well-rounded professional who has the skills to exercise professional judgement and grow in the role.
Whichever exam access arrangements course you choose, you can expect to be occasionally challenged by the material. However, selecting CPT3A with Real Training means you will not be navigating it alone. Courses are designed and delivered by both educational psychologists and exam access arrangement assessors, and you will be assigned a highly supportive and experienced personal tutor. You can also benefit from online peer-discussion groups and study tips from previous delegates captured on video.
Studying CPT3A can also open other avenues for professional development and continued learning. If you wanted to evaluate your whole-school approach to psychometric testing and how interventions are measured and tracked over time, the Auditing and Leading Improvement course, for example, is a perfect follow-on, or there are alternative modules you can pick as part of our online MEd programme. CCET can also be used as part of ongoing study towards becoming a dyslexia assessor.
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This week, Manor Fields Primary School in Bishop’s Stortford welcomed a special guest; the Minister for School Standards in the Department for Education, Catherine McKinnell MP. The visit showcased the positive impact of the Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship, delivered by Educational and Sporting Futures (ESF), on school staff and pupils.
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We are pleased to share with you the news that our recently released product the Test of Retrieval Efficiency (TORE) has been approved by SASC, and is now included on the approved list of tests on their website! Becoming SASC-approved marks a significant milestone in the launch of this new product. If you have been thinking about taking the plunge and ordering TORE, then there has never been a better time to enhance your assessment battery with this new innovation!
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