A child with an identified need — dyslexia, a processing-speed difficulty, an EHC plan — can apply for access arrangements such as extra time, rest breaks or a reader for the 11+, the ISEB Pre-Test and Common Entrance. It's a formal, evidenced request tied to a specific exam, lodged well before the test date — not everyday classroom support.
How this differs from ongoing school support
Our guides on SEND support in UK schools and reasonable adjustments in UK schools cover how a child's own school supports them day to day and in GCSE exams. This article is narrower and comes earlier: it's about arrangements for entrance exams set by an outside body — a local authority's 11+, or ISEB's Common Pre-Test and Common Entrance — before a child has even joined the school they're applying to. The organisation running the exam, not the current school alone, decides what's granted, on its own evidence rules and its own deadline, which is usually well ahead of the exam-day arrangements families are more used to at GCSE.
Access arrangements for the 11+
Because there is no single national 11+, access arrangements are handled by whichever body runs the exam in your area — a local authority, or a consortium such as Essex's CSSE. The mechanics are broadly similar wherever you are, though the details and deadlines are set locally. Kent County Council, for example, is explicit that the request must come through the child's current school: parents should first discuss any concern with the school's SENCO (referred to as the "inclusion manager" in Kent's own guidance), and Kent has confirmed it does not accept access arrangement requests after a fixed cut-off date each year — well ahead of the test itself in September. Buckinghamshire runs a comparable process with its own separate deadline for access arrangement requests, distinct from (and typically later than) the general test-registration deadline.
Arrangements schools have secured for children in past cycles include extra time, supervised rest breaks, and papers printed in a larger font — broadly similar in kind to the exam-access adjustments already covered for GCSEs, just requested from a different body, earlier, and specifically for the entrance test.
Access arrangements for the ISEB Common Pre-Test and Common Entrance
ISEB, which runs the Common Pre-Test and Common Entrance at 13 (CE13), publishes its own access arrangements policy directly. Some headline points, confirmed on ISEB's own site:
- A child who holds an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), or is awaiting confirmation of one, should be given 25% extra time automatically, without a separate case having to be argued from scratch.
- For other applications, the school submits an ISEB SEND Report, typically including an educational psychologist's report (normally expected to be reasonably recent — ISEB guidance points to within roughly the last two years) and evidence of the child's normal way of working in class, such as reading speed, processing and handwriting.
- Extra time of 25% is the standard arrangement for both the Common Pre-Test and CE13; in exceptional, evidenced cases, CE13 candidates may be granted more than 25%, and may combine extra time with another aid such as a reader or scribe.
- Arrangements needing a genuinely bespoke paper — larger custom print runs, for instance — need roughly a year's advance notice, so this is not a request to leave until the term before the exam.
Applying for both — a comparison
| 11+ (local authority / consortium) | ISEB Common Pre-Test / Common Entrance | |
|---|---|---|
| Who decides | The local authority or regional consortium running the test | ISEB, based on the school's submitted evidence |
| Who applies | The child's current school, on the family's behalf | The child's current school, via an ISEB SEND Report |
| Automatic cases | None universally guaranteed — check the specific LEA | EHCP holders should get 25% extra time automatically |
| Typical evidence | Varies by area; usually SENCO-led, sometimes a specialist assessment | Educational psychologist's report, usually recent, plus classroom evidence |
| Standard arrangement | Extra time, rest breaks, larger print (varies by LEA) | 25% extra time as standard; more in exceptional CE13 cases |
| Deadline | Well ahead of the test — often months before, and separate from general registration | Well ahead of the sitting; a year's notice for bespoke print formats |
Why timing matters so much here
Every source above points the same way: these applications need to go in far earlier than most families expect, and always through the school rather than directly from a parent. Because the exact deadline, evidence standard and application form differ by local authority (for the 11+) or are set centrally but interpreted per school (for ISEB), the single most useful action a parent can take is to raise the conversation with the SENCO the moment a possible need is identified — ideally a full year before the exam, and certainly no later than the start of the academic year in which the test is sat. Confirm the exact current deadline and evidence requirements directly with your LEA or the specific school, since these details can change year to year and this article cannot substitute for that direct check.
An important limitation worth knowing early
Both systems are explicit that an access arrangement granted for one exam does not automatically carry forward. ISEB states plainly that extra time allowed in the Common Pre-Test does not give automatic rights to extra time in CE13, or later at GCSE — each stage requires its own evidenced request, even where the underlying need is unchanged. Building this into your planning from the start avoids the nasty surprise of assuming an arrangement, once granted, is now permanently on file.
FAQ
Does my child need a formal diagnosis to get extra time for the 11+ or Common Entrance?
Not necessarily a full diagnosis on day one, but you do need solid evidence of need — for ISEB routes, that's typically an educational psychologist's report plus classroom evidence of the child's normal way of working; for the 11+, requirements are set locally, so check with your specific local authority. Start the conversation with your child's school's SENCO as early as possible, since gathering this evidence takes time.
If my child has an EHC plan, do they automatically get extra time?
For ISEB's Common Pre-Test and Common Entrance, ISEB states a child with an EHCP (or one pending confirmation) should be given 25% extra time automatically. For the 11+, this isn't guaranteed uniformly everywhere — an EHC plan is strong supporting evidence, but confirm directly with the local authority or consortium running your area's test, since practice varies.
Does extra time granted for the Pre-Test carry over to Common Entrance or GCSEs later?
No. ISEB is explicit that an access arrangement granted for the Common Pre-Test does not automatically apply to Common Entrance, and access arrangements agreed for CE13 don't automatically transfer to GCSEs either. Each stage needs its own evidenced application, even if the underlying need hasn't changed.
How far in advance should we apply for access arrangements?
As early as possible — a year ahead is a sensible target, and it is close to a hard requirement for some arrangements: ISEB says bespoke print modifications need around a year's notice, and local authorities like Kent set access-arrangement deadlines months before the test itself, separate from ordinary registration. Waiting until the term before the exam risks missing the window entirely — always confirm the current exact deadline with your school or LEA.
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