If SEAB approves your Access Arrangements, check the exact accommodation, the papers covered and the exam-day instructions before the first sitting. Private candidates can view the outcome in the Candidates Portal. School candidates receive it through their school. SEAB’s private-candidate guidance asks candidates to bring a copy of the approved arrangement where applicable, alongside the hardcopy Entry Proof and required photo identification.
Make a separate plan for each affected component. Copy the arrangement as approved and check any reporting location, equipment or timing instructions. If the approval and timetable appear unclear together, ask the school or SEAB before the examination.
- Save the official decision.
- Match the approved arrangement to each covered paper.
- Confirm the venue, equipment and reporting instructions.
- Practise under the confirmed conditions where possible.
- Pack the documents and raise discrepancies with staff promptly.
Read the outcome beside the timetable
Open the decision and the current Entry Proof or other official schedule. Make one row per paper with the subject, date, venue and accommodation. Check written, oral, listening and practical components separately if they apply. An approval that names a written paper gives you the scope for that paper. Ask about another component if you expected it to be covered.
Use the exact wording of the decision when making an enquiry. “The approval names [paper], and my timetable also includes [component]. Could you confirm which instructions apply to the second component?” gives the school or SEAB a specific question to answer.
Check how the arrangement will operate
Ask which instructions apply to any separate room, approved technology or extra time. Add confirmed reporting details to your paper-by-paper plan. If you can practise under those conditions, do a short rehearsal. A student with extra time can test how to allocate the additional minutes. A student using approved technology can practise the response format and ask ahead about any unfamiliar setup.
Check changes in the timetable against the decision. If a venue or paper detail differs, use the official enquiry route before assuming the arrangement has moved with it. Keep the updated schedule with the approval.
Prepare the documents and report an issue promptly
Pack the required identification, printed Entry Proof and approval together. On arrival, follow staff directions. If something differs from the confirmed arrangement, tell examination personnel promptly and identify the discrepancy. Show the approval if asked and follow their instructions for the sitting.
Worked example
A private candidate receives approval for an arrangement and checks the schedule for the affected subject. They find that another component uses a different venue and give each sitting a separate row in their plan. They pack the approval with the required documents and know which question to ask if the setup at either venue differs from the official instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I rely on a verbal description of the approval?
Use the written outcome and the exam-day instructions. Bring the copy SEAB asks for where applicable.
What if the setup is unclear when I arrive?
Tell examination personnel, show the approval if requested and follow their directions for the paper.