If you have exam support entitlements, you need to make sure you confirm these NOW in time for May 2020 exam week.
You can do this quickly and easily on your SOLE page.
For exams in May 2020, you must have selected your entitlements by 4pm on Thursday 26th March 2020.
If you are entitled to disability-related exam support, you will have received an email reminding you to select your entitlements and linking directly to your SOLE page. Once on SOLE, you will be asked to confirm that your entitlements are correct and to select which of your upcoming exams you would like these entitlements to apply.
You must complete this process for each exam period; if you confirmed your entitlements for January exam week, it will not automatically apply to May exam week.
If at any stage you want to discuss your exam entitlements please book an appointment at firstpoint to see a Disability Adviser. For adjustments relating to mental health difficulties you should contact the Counselling and Mental Health Service.
Items to bring to the exam in relation to agreed reasonable adjustments:
- You should print and bring your DDS1 support plan to the exam / in-class test in case you are asked to confirm your entitlements when you arrive.
- If you use coloured overlays to read please bring these.
- If you are entitled to disability informed assessment remember to print off a Disability Informed Assessed Marking form from your SOLE page in advance and bring it with you to attach to your written work.
- Any equipment you are entitled to use will be supplied by the University.
Rest Breaks for students
- Before the exam starts invigilators should make you aware of the procedure for taking rest breaks either verbally or by giving you written guidance to read at your desk before the exam starts.
- The standard procedure to start a rest break is that you raise your arm to get the invigilator’s attention and inform them that you are taking a rest break. You should do the same action to inform the invigilator that the rest break is over.
- If you need to get up and move around the room (eg to stretch) during your rest break you will have been allocated a separate room. In other circumstances you may be in the main exam room and will therefore be required to take your rest breaks at your desk. Exceptionally, if your rest break is purely to facilitate toilet access, you may be in the main cohort and positioned near the door for easy access.
- The invigilator will record the time taken for rest breaks so that you receive the total exam time, unaffected by the rest breaks. You can ask the invigilator to keep you informed of how much rest break time you have used if you are expecting to take breaks at intervals during the exam.
Computer use
- If you are entitled to use a computer you will be allowed time to familiarise yourself with the computer and set it up according to your requirements in advance of the exam starting. For example visually impaired students may wish to adjust the font size.
- Logging on to the University network is not permitted.
- You should save your work to the desktop. Instructions on how to do this can be provided if needed. The invigilator will be supplied with memory sticks to download the work.
- It is recommended to save your work approximately every ten minutes. This should ensure that if for any reason, there is a computer failure, the amount of work lost will be minimised. You may request to see a printed version of your exam script.
Assistive software in exams
- If you have DSA funded assistive software you may be entitled to use it in exams. You will have the option of choosing it when selecting your exam entitlements on SOLE prior to each exam.
- Important: you should ensure you have received proper training on the software and practised using it in advance of your exam or in-class test so you feel confident and properly supported.
- If you are not confident you should talk to a disability adviser as soon as possible and in advance of the SOLE selection deadline.
Other exams and tests
For in-class tests, exams outside of exam weeks and any non-traditional exams:- Your module tutor organises your provisions. It is therefore essential that you give your module leader your up-to-date DDS1 Support Plan well in advance of your test (and at least 4 weeks prior to the test date).
Please ensure you respond to any requests for information concerning your exam / in-class test provisions otherwise you will not have support in place.
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