UCU: Impact of JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications) access arrangement evidence requirements

Motion

Motion title: Impact of JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications) access arrangement evidence requirements

Motion text: FESC notes:
1. JCQ introduced new evidence requirements for exam access arrangements from September 2025
2. these require detailed evidence of a student's “normal way of working”, including teacher observations, evidence from timed classwork and mock exams, and subject-teacher comments across multiple subjects
3. teaching staff are increasingly required to produce written evidence and documentation to support applications
4. these changes were implemented amid rising numbers of students requiring exam access arrangements.
FESC believes:
a. these requirements significantly increase administrative workload for teaching staff, who have not been specially trained
b. additional responsibilities are being introduced without additional time, staffing or resources.
FESC resolves:
i. to raise the workload impact of the new JCQ evidence requirements with the JCQ and awarding bodies
ii. to gather evidence from branches on workload related to access arrangements
iii. to campaign for additional staffing, time and resources to support this work.