Special requirements

1. General qualifications (GCSE, GCE, Edexcel Certificate)

• For written timetabled examinations, a centre can request special consideration on behalf of a candidate using our special consideration online tool at Edexcel Online.
  
  
• For group requests, coursework/controlled assessment, and oral and practical examinations, please complete and sign JCQ form 10 (below) and send it to uk.special.requirements@pearson.com.

2. International qualifications (International GCSE, International Advanced Level (IAL), Edexcel Award)

• For written timetabled examinations, a centre can request special consideration on behalf of a candidate using our special consideration online tool at Edexcel Online.
  
  
• For group requests, coursework/controlled assessment, and oral and practical examinations, please complete and sign JCQ form 10 (below) and email it to uk.special.requirements@pearson.com.  

3. NQF/ RQF BTEC qualifications (external assessments incl. paper-based and onscreen tests)

• Please use the Special Consideration Application Service via Edexcel Online for BTEC External Assessments applications.
  
• For further support please see Special Considerations: Application Service General and Vocational (including BTEC Qualifications).

4. NQF/ RQF BTEC qualifications (internally assessed units)

• Please complete this form with supporting evidence and send to uk.special.requirements@pearson.com  

5. Functional Skills    

• For Functional Skills paper-based and onscreen tests, you will need to complete and sign JCQ form 10 (below) and send it to uk.special.requirements@pearson.com.  

6. T-Levels 

• Please use the Special Consideration Application Service via Edexcel Online for BTEC External Assessments applications.
• For further support please see Special Considerations: Application Service General and Vocational (including BTEC Qualifications).

No, centres should be advised to make an application once the candidate has completed all timetabled examinations within the series.

For example: If a candidate has completed a total of four examinations and was affected in all of them, then you should be advised to wait until the last examinations to submit one application for all affected units.  

You can tell if special consideration has been applied from a number of sources:

1. If you have applied online (for timetabled examinations), you can check the status of the online application, which will state whether it's accepted, rejected, pending or withdrawn.
   
   
2. The ‘component mark list’ will also show if an application for special consideration has been applied, this applies to timetabled and non-timetabled examinations or group requests. The component mark list can be downloaded from Edexcel Online, but some centres have requested hard copies to be sent out to them.
   
   
3. For NQF BTEC you can download the ‘Pass List’ from Edexcel Online to see if special consideration has been applied. The Pass List can be located within the External Assessment section and by selecting 'View results by assessment booking'.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
4. If you have requested a special consideration for an internally assessed unit, you will receive communication as to the outcome via the original request. Pearson will not enter any unit grades on EOL, this will be the responsibility of the centre.

1. There are general guidelines for special consideration in the JCQ booklet 'A guide to the special consideration process' (below). It covers the process that is applied consistently by all awarding bodies. Awarding bodies will not enter into discussion with candidates or their parents as to how much special consideration should be applied.
   
   
2. Special consideration cannot be applied in a cumulative fashion, i.e. on the basis of a domestic crisis at the time of the exam and the candidate suffering from a viral illness.
   
   
3. Private candidates should liaise with the school or college where entries have been made, so that they can apply for special consideration on the private candidate's behalf.
   
   
4. From September 2022 the minimum requirements for enhanced grading for GCSE and GCE has been amended to one whole component, which is a minimum of 15% of the total assessment. Candidates must have covered the whole course.

Yes, only in exceptional circumstances, provided the following articles are supplied:

• a signed and dated JCQ form 10 (below)
• cover letter on headed paper
• medical/ supporting evidence.

An application for Special consideration cannot be submitted after the completion of a Review of Marking for the respective examination series.  

All applications for special consideration must be made within seven days of the last examination of the series.

After the publication of results, late applications must be submitted before the deadline for reviews of results for the respective examination series. 

For timetabled examinations you'll need to submit your applications via the special considerations online tool via Edexcel Online. 

You'll need to complete JCQ form 10 for any oral practical or group requests (below), which must be signed and dated, and send it along with any supporting evidence to the Special Requirements Team by emailing via the customer portal or directly to uk.special.requirements@pearson.com.

NQF/RQF BTEC internally assessed units

All applications for special consideration on internally assessed units should be made at the time of the incident/issue occurring.

Any request should be made using form SC1 and supporting evidence, leaving these requests until certification claims are made, may result in late/delayed certification.
 

If you have submitted a request for an examination in error, or you want to withdraw or amend a submitted request for a candidate or an examination, please email uk.special.requirements@pearson.com.  

Yes, a centre can appeal against a decision for special consideration on either a tariff or on a calculated Aegrotat (these are generally candidates who have missed a subject component).

Appeals must be put in writing, along with the reasons, and submitted in the following form:

Application for an appeal form

If you've made an application online for a timetabled examination, you will see that the application has been accepted. We can't show what mark or percentage has been applied. Please see the Joint Council guidance document 'A guide to the special consideration process' in the list of documents on this page for further information.

All applications for timetabled exams must be made by either the examinations officer or the head of centre.  

There could be several reasons why the application was rejected:

1.     We often receive applications from centres making a request for a disadvantaged candidate when the candidate was, in fact, absent. In such cases, applications are ‘withdrawn’ and processed using other component marks to calculate the overall grade.

2.     We will reject applications for special consideration if the reasons given by the centre are not valid or do not meet the JCQ criteria. In these cases, the centre will receive a letter explaining the reason(s) for the rejection. If you disagree with this decision you have the right to appeal.

3.     We will reject any applications for absent special consideration if the candidate has not met the criteria for an aegrotat to be awarded. 15% of the overall qualification needs to be sat before an aegrotat will be awarded – this includes qualifications such as GCSE, GCE, Edexcel Award, International AS/A Level, International GCSE. For BTEC absents learners must have units claimed against their registration in Edexcel Online.

We will not send any special consideration information in UCAS files or updates. Only overall grades are provided to UCAS.