11+ Access Arrangements & Extra Time: What's Changing
Nationally, the share of exam candidates approved for extra time has climbed from roughly 15–21% two years ago to roughly 17–26% now. That's a real, documented shift in how exams are being sat — and it means understanding the 11+ access arrangements process properly matters more than ever, whether or not your own child needs one.
Quick summary
Quick tips:
- Start the evidence-gathering process early — established need takes time to document properly.
- Talk to your school's SENCo first; they're usually the starting point for the process.
- A child sitting with approved arrangements is scored on exactly the same scale as everyone else.
What access arrangements actually are
Access arrangements are adjustments to how a child sits an exam, designed to reflect their genuine, established way of working — not to give any child an advantage over another. The most common by far is extra time, typically 25% of the standard duration, but arrangements can also include rest breaks, sitting in a separate room, a reader, a scribe, or non-verbal prompts, depending on what a specific child actually needs.
The national trend: approvals are rising
This isn't a 11+-specific claim, but it's the clearest available signal of direction of travel: nationally, arrangements for 25% extra time were approved for between 16.6% and 25.5% of all exam candidates in 2024–25, up from between 14.7% and 20.6% in 2023–24. That's a real, meaningful year-on-year increase in the proportion of candidates sitting exams with this adjustment.
Reasons for this national rise are debated — better identification of need, increased awareness among parents and schools, and rising demand for formal assessment all likely play a role. Whatever the cause, the direction is consistent: a meaningfully larger share of candidates are sitting exams with approved arrangements than two years ago, and there's no reason to think 11+ testing is exempt from that broader trend.
How the application process actually works
Deadlines and exact requirements vary by exam board and local authority, so treat the following as an illustrative example rather than a universal timeline. The Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE), for instance, opened registration for SEND access arrangements for 2027 entry in May 2026 — well over a year before the actual test. This kind of long lead time is typical across most areas precisely because proper evidence-gathering takes real time.
What evidence is actually required
Exam boards and consortiums generally want to see that a child's need is established and ongoing in their normal school life, not newly identified in order to secure an advantage for the test. Typical evidence includes:
- Documentation from the school's SENCo showing existing, ongoing support already in place
- An educational psychologist's report, where relevant to the specific need
- Evidence that the arrangement being requested (e.g. extra time) reflects the child's genuine "usual way of working" in normal classroom conditions, not just exam conditions
This is why starting early matters so much — a school's SENCo needs time to compile a genuine record, and a formal assessment, if required, often has its own waiting list.
Does it affect how the score is used?
No. A child sitting with approved access arrangements is scored on exactly the same scale as every other candidate. The arrangement changes how the test is taken — more time, a different room, a reader — not how the resulting score is interpreted, weighted, or compared against the required standard for a place. This is a genuinely common misconception worth correcting directly with families who are uncertain about it.
Parent advice
Start the conversation with your school's SENCo as early as possible if you think your child may need arrangements — they're usually the first point of contact and the person best placed to help build the evidence case.
Don't wait until close to the registration deadline to begin gathering evidence — with registration windows sometimes opening over a year ahead of the test, "early" means much earlier than most families expect.
Check your specific test provider's process directly — this article uses CSSE as a worked example, but requirements, forms and deadlines differ meaningfully between exam boards and local authorities.
Student tips
If you have approved access arrangements, use them exactly as intended — the extra time or other adjustment is there because it reflects how you actually work best, not as a favour. Practising under your actual arrangement conditions (with the extra time you'll have, for instance) during preparation is more useful than practising under standard conditions and hoping it transfers.
Tutor notes
- Raise this early with families who may be eligible but haven't considered it — awareness is often the biggest barrier, not eligibility itself.
- Encourage practice under the child's actual approved conditions once arrangements are confirmed, not generic standard-time practice.
- Point families toward their school's SENCo as the starting point rather than trying to navigate the evidence requirements independently — the SENCo has done this before and knows the local process.
So what should you actually do?
If there's any chance your child may need access arrangements, start the conversation with school now rather than waiting for a registration deadline to force the issue. The national trend shows more candidates than ever are sitting exams with approved arrangements — there's no reason to assume the process doesn't apply to your situation, and starting early is the single biggest factor in whether the evidence case comes together in time.
Frequently asked questions
What are access arrangements for the 11+?
Access arrangements are adjustments made to how a child sits the 11+ to reflect their established, usual way of working — the most common is extra time, typically 25%, but arrangements can also include rest breaks, a separate room, a reader, a scribe, or non-verbal prompts, depending on the child's specific needs.
Have extra time approvals for exams been rising?
Yes, nationally. Arrangements for 25% extra time were approved for between 16.6% and 25.5% of candidates across public exams in 2024–25, up from between 14.7% and 20.6% in 2023–24 — a clear year-on-year increase in the proportion of candidates receiving this adjustment.
When do you need to apply for 11+ access arrangements?
Deadlines vary by exam board and local authority, but registration windows typically open several months before the test itself — for example, one major consortium's SEND access arrangements registration for 2027 entry opened in May 2026. Always check your specific test provider's deadline directly, as late applications are frequently not accepted.
What evidence is needed to get extra time for the 11+?
Exam boards typically require evidence of the child's established, usual way of working in school — not just a one-off assessment. This can include an educational psychologist's report, evidence from the school's SENCo of ongoing support already in place, and documentation showing the need is longstanding rather than newly identified for the test.
Does getting extra time affect how a child's 11+ score is used?
No. A child sitting with approved access arrangements receives a score on the same scale as every other candidate — extra time and other arrangements adjust how the test is taken, not how the resulting score is interpreted or compared against the required standard.
Related SharpY Mind resources
Where to go from here
Whatever arrangements your child sits with, consistent practice in the real question formats is what builds genuine confidence. SharpY Mind offers short, structured daily sessions, free to start.
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