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.
Staff can watch a briefing about the framework and procedure.
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 SpLDs 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.
Alongside Level 1 adjustments being embedded in an anticipatory way, from AY26-27, students who indicate that they have a disability will be able to generate a DAP via self-service containing the Level 1 adjustments most relevant to them. Students can then engage with the Disability Service should they require further support, including individual adjustments at Level 2.
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).
Whilst adjustments may vary by individual, an indicative list of Level 2 individual adjustments can be found on the Reasonable adjustments procedure page. This is supported by guidance for students on accessing adjustments as a disabled student, and further guidance to support staff in implementing them.
From AY26/27,in urgent cases, such as an imminent impact on an assessment, staff will be able to refer students to the Interim DAP process. 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 Level 2 individual adjustments recommended in a DAP for a specified student, in addition to providing the 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, seeking support from the Disability Service as needed.
On accredited courses, some Level 2 and 3 adjustments may need agreement from professional or regulatory bodies (PSRBs). In rare cases, essential competence or accreditation standards may limit what adjustments can be made.
Level 3 - Exceptional individual adjustments
Level 3 is only for eligible students who require bespoke individual adjustments beyond the those possible to agree within an individual DAP at Level 2. Such adjustments are reasonable only in exceptional circumstances.
Exceptional individual adjustments may require an Individual Scheme of Study and Assessment (ISSA) and specialist input.
Exceptional individual decision-making can also be taken at Level 3 where the adjustments would need consideration and approval beyond the Faculty / School Board of studies remit for agreeing ISSAs, or require further escalated consideration of risk and reasonableness decision-making at the appropriate governance level.
Level 3 considerations take place in the context of the discussions about individual adjustments at Level 2. Directors of Studies/Doctoral Supervisors must therefore seek support from the Disability Service (disabilityadvice@bath.ac.uk), Academic Registry (academic-standards@bath.ac.uk), and, in the case of doctoral candidates, the Doctoral College (doctoralcollege@bath.ac.uk) in navigating the consideration of what is appropriate and the associated approval processes.
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
- maintains the Indicative Level 2 Individual Adjustments List, student guidance and staff implementation guidance
- recommends individual adjustments, develops DAPs and provides detailed guidance on accessing and using DAP reports
- owns the Disabled Students Policy
- are the initial point of contact for considering whether adjustments are needed beyond those possible at Level 2
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 resources on creating accessible content
Academic Registry (academic-standards@bath.ac.uk):
- provides guidance on Individual Schemes of Study and Assessments
- offers guidance on considering Level 3 exceptional individual adjustments
- provides guidance on governance for approvals and escalating consideration of risk
- offers complex student casework support (such as where Level 3 discussion emerges through academic appeal)
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