Getting additional support with exams

A child is said to have ‘additional support needs’ if, for any reason, they need more, or different support to what is normally provided in schools to children of the same age. They don’t need to have a diagnosed condition to be entitled to additional support with their learning. 

For example, your teen may need additional support if they:

• have autism, dyslexia, ADHD or another neurodiverse condition
• have a disability
• are struggling with their mental health.

Our page on support for children and young people with additional support needs has more information.

The extra help children can get in exams makes things fairer for them, so they can have the same chance to do well as other young people. The support they get will depend on their needs, and will probably be similar to the support they get day-to-day at school. So, for example, it could be:

• extra time to do their exams
• use of a computer in exams
• supervised breaks during exams, so they can leave and come back again if they feel overwhelmed
• being able to do their exams in a room on their own, or with a smaller group of students
• exam papers in a larger font
• someone to read out what the exam paper says and/or write down what your teen says.

You can find out more about support with exams and assessments on the Enquire website. You can also find further information on SQA’s Assessment Arrangement Guidance for Learners page or from the Assessment Arrangements main page. 

Children have a legal right to get additional support at school if it’s needed, whether or not they have a diagnosed condition. If your teen isn’t getting any support at the moment and you think they should be, it’s important to get in touch with the school as soon as possible. 

You can find out more about identifying additional support needs and getting the support your child needs on the Enquire website.