Reasonable Adjustment / Special Consideration Policy

A reasonable adjustment is any action that helps to reduce the effect of a disability or difficulty that places the candidate at a substantial disadvantage in the assessment situation.

Vinspire Wine and Spirit Academy seeks to conduct the assessment of all candidates in a way that puts them at no disadvantage, or advantage, over other candidates. However, whilst reasonable adjustments must not affect the integrity of what needs to be assessed, but may involve:

• Changing standard assessment arrangements, for example allowing candidates extra time to complete the assessment activity

• Adapting assessment materials, such as providing materials in large text format

• Providing access facilitators during assessment, such as an interpreter or reader

• Re-organising the assessment room, such as removal of visual stimuli for an autistic candidate.

Reasonable adjustments are approved or set in place before the assessment activity takes place; they constitute an arrangement to give the candidate access to the qualification. The use of reasonable adjustment will not be taken into consideration during the assessment of a candidate’s work. Evidence of the individual circumstances giving rise to the request from the candidate for reasonable adjustment(s) will be made available to the awarding body upon request.

Vinspire will:

• Identify any special assessment needs at the time of candidate registration.

• Inform the Learning and Development team at the earliest opportunity so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

• Agree the specific arrangements for the examination, or for marking with the awarding body, which will vary according to individual circumstances.

Any reasonable adjustments will be advised to WSET at least 4 weeks before the date of any assessment or examination. Vinspire will forward any Requests for Reasonable Adjustments to the awarding body within 2 working days of receipt and the awarding body will respond after 4 working weeks after giving the request due consideration.

Candidates and their advisors should also be aware:

• Reasonable adjustments will not give unfair advantage over candidates for whom reasonable adjustments are not being made or alter the assessment demands of the qualification specifications prepared by the awarding body.

Policy for Candidates Requiring Special Consideration

Special consideration is any adjustment given to a student who has temporarily experienced an illness or injury, or other event outside of their control at the time of the exam that significantly affects their ability to take the exam or their ability to show their knowledge and understanding in the exam. Special consideration is only for things that happen immediately before or during an exam that has a material impact on the student’s ability to take the exam, or on their performance. To be eligible for special consideration, a student must have covered the whole course and would have been fully prepared if not for the temporary illness, injury, or other uncontrollable event. A special consideration may be for an individual (e.g., a candidate becomes ill the day of the exam) or a group of candidates (e.g., an exam is interrupted by a natural disaster). 

A candidate may be eligible for special considerations if:

• Performance in an examination is affected by circumstances beyond the control of the candidate. This may include recent personal illness, accident, bereavement or examination room conditions;

• Alternative assessment arrangements which were agreed in advance of the assessment proved inappropriate or inadequate;

• The application of special consideration would not mislead the end-user of the certificate.

Vinspire Academy will notify the awarding body WSET within seven days of the examination date where special consideration is being requested by the candidate (eg. notified by the candidate of absence due to the above). Eligibility will only be considered if accompanied by supporting independent documentation.

Where a candidate is unable to attend an examination due to recent personal illness, accident or bereavement and the above special adjustment criteria is applicable, Vinspire Academy may transfer the candidate pending approval from WSET to an alternative examination date provided proof of absence is provided within 5 days.

In cases of serious disruption during or leading to the examination, the Vinspire Examination Officer will submit a detailed report of the circumstances and the candidates affected to the Examinations Administrator at the awarding body.

It is also our policy that special considerations will not give unfair advantage over candidates for whom special considerations are not being applied or alter the assessment demands of the qualification.