We have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for the increasing number of students with disabilities or other conditions that impact their learning and assessment so that they are not disadvantaged by our practices.
More information can be found in the Disabled Students Policy and the Procedure for Making Adjustments to Learning, Teaching and Assessment for Students with Disabilities, Long-term Health Conditions and Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs).
What is the Reasonable Adjustment Framework?
This framework outlines the University approach to providing reasonable adjustments to teaching, learning and assessment for students with a disability, long-term health condition or SpLD.
The three-level framework promotes proactive, inclusive practice for all students, with or without a declared disability, through anticipatory adjustments to teaching and assessment, alongside individual reasonable adjustments where needed.
- Level 1: Anticipatory Adjustments
- Level 2: Individual Adjustments
- Level 3: Exceptional Individual Adjustments
At each successive level, adjustments become more targeted and individualised, with clear expectations for students and defined responsibilities for academic staff and support services.
Aims of the Reasonable Adjustment Framework
The Reasonable Adjustments Framework aims to:
- encourage proactive and inclusive educational design that embraces the needs of all learners consistently and prioritises accessibility for all
- deliver a practical, scalable and structured response to the growing volume of students with disabilities, long-term health conditions and SpLDs who require adjustments to support their learning needs
- provide a clear institutional framework that anticipates and addresses known barriers to pre-empt issues, benefit students more quickly, and enable structured and individualised focus where most needed
- provide clarity for staff and students on expectations, responsibilities, processes and sources of support
Student-facing staff have an anticipatory duty to make adjustments proactively, ensuring that course design and delivery is inclusive and accessible, whilst ensuring that essential competence and accreditation standards remain consistent for all students. Staff are not expected to diagnose disabilities, but to be aware of their responsibilities, and should signpost students to the Disability Service if they need support.
Level 1 - Anticipatory Adjustments
The University has agreed a standard set of anticipatory adjustments for all teaching, learning and assessment, including doctoral and online programmes. These adjustments benefit all students, whilst supporting students with disabilities, long-term health conditions and specific learning differences without the need for them to disclose these.
Level 1 anticipatory adjustments include:
- providing key teaching, learning and assessment materials in advance
- providing asynchronous versions of live sessions
- ensuring that learning and assessment materials are accessible
- providing timely, clear and structured communication/information on teaching, assessment and feedback
- using inclusive approaches for group work and oral assessment
All staff involved in teaching, learning and assessment are expected to embed Level 1 anticipatory adjustments in their practice. While implementation approach may vary across contexts, Unit Convenors, Doctoral Supervisors and Directors of Studies are responsible for ensuring adjustments are applied consistently and that staff understand their responsibilities under this procedure.
The Centre for Learning and Teaching (CLT) provides training, guidance and resources to support the implementation of these adjustments.
Level 2 - Individual Adjustments
Level 2 individual adjustments are additional measures recommended for specific students by the Disability Service, usually through a Disability Access Plan (DAP).
In urgent cases, such as an imminent impact on an assessment, staff will be able to refer students to the Interim DAP process from AY26/27. The Disability Service will seek to agree feasible, short-term adjustments with the Director of Studies or Doctoral Supervisor, while a full DAP is created or updated.
Staff are expected to implement all Level 2 individual adjustments for specified students where possible, in addition to Level 1 anticipatory adjustments for all students.
Level 2 individual adjustments may include:
- flexibility in managing deadlines, submissions and attendance
- opportunities for rest breaks
- individualised support
- specific adjustments to learning environment/materials
- some individual group work or oral assessment adjustments (within assessment type)
- exam adjustments, such as extra time, use of assistive technology or alternative venue
In rare cases where Level 2 adjustments are not feasible within a specific context, the Director of Studies must discuss, agree and document an alternative approach with the student.
Level 3 - Exceptional individual adjustments
Level 3 is only for eligible students who require substantial bespoke individual adjustments, which cannot be anticipated and are reasonable only in exceptional circumstances. These may require an Individual Scheme of Study and Assessment, specialist input, or further escalated decision-making at the appropriate governance level, alongside the DAP process.
Feasible Level 3 adjustments will be developed by the Disability Service, in collaboration with the relevant Director of Studies/Doctoral Supervisor and Unit Convenor.
Alternative assessment methods may only be used in specific cases and require formal approval. On accredited courses, some adjustments may need agreement from professional or regulatory bodies (PSRBs). Where an adjustment is not possible, the Director of Studies must explain why, discuss alternatives with the student, and record the agreed approach.
In rare cases, essential competence or accreditation standards may limit what adjustments can be made. If adjustments cannot be arranged in time, students should be directed to the Individual Mitigating Circumstances process.
Advice, training and support for staff
There are several services that can support you in making reasonable adjustments.
The Disability Service:
- provides advice and information on all aspects of supporting students with disabilities and other conditions that may affect their learning and assessment
- recommends reasonable adjustments, develops DAPs and provides detailed guidance on accessing and using DAP reports
- owns the Disabled Students Policy
The Centre for Learning and Teaching (CLT):
- offers guidance on Level 1 reasonable adjustments for teaching, learning and assessment
- provides guidance on anticipatory support and reasonable adjustments for group work and oral assessments
- provides training and resources on inclusive education and assessment, including how to implement Level 1 anticipatory adjustments, such as Five steps towards creating accessible content
- provides support for inclusive assessment design to reduce potential barriers
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (Human Resources:
- offer staff training resources such as Disability Awareness training e-module for universities and 'Diversity in Learning and Teaching' available from the EDI staff training webpage
Pastoral Support training
- covers responding to complex disclosures from students. If you have not completed this training, we recommend you book via iTrent. For more information, please visit Student Support staff training