Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments - (AARA)
In senior school there are students undertaking senior school studies who have a disability, impairment, medical condition or who experience other circumstances that may be a barrier to their performance in assessment. AARA are designed to assist these students.
AARA addresses the functional impact on assessment for students who qualify. This is to place them on the same basis as other students. The intent and rigour of assessment must be maintained under the AARA process.
Eligibility falls within the following categories:
long-term and chronic conditions (e.g. intellectual disability, hearing or vision impairment,
physical impairment, specific learning disorders, attention deficit disorder, autism spectrum disorder, diabetes)
mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression
short-term conditions, which may improve or deteriorate over time depending on a range of factors, and temporary injuries (e.g. broken limb)
illness (e.g. measles, flu-like symptoms) and misadventure (e.g. flooding, death of a close family member).
More information and forms are available at:
Students are not eligible for AARA on the following grounds:
- unfamiliarity with the English language
- teacher absence or other teacher-related difficulties
- matters that the student could have avoided, e.g. misreading an examination timetable,
- misreading instructions in examinations
- timetable clashes
- matters of the student's or parents'/carers' own choosing, e.g. family holidays or sporting events
- matters that the school could have avoided, e.g. incorrect enrolment in a subject.
Guidelines stipulate that schools make decisions about AARA for
Units 1 and 2(Year 11).
QCAA determines AARA for summative assessment
Units 3 and 4 (Year 12) where applicable. Principal approved AARA for
Units 3 and 4 are reported in the AARA portal.
AARA in Units 1 and 2 (Year 11) for Applied, Applied (Essential) and General subjects, are aligned to those that are available for summative assessment in Year 12.
The provision of AARA for assessment in Units 1 and 2 by the school is not a guarantee that students will be provided or approved for the same accommodations or adjustments in Units 3 and 4. -
AARA are approved under
principal approved AARA and/or
QCAA approved AARA depending on the arrangement/s and year level.
Steps to apply for an AARA
- Refer to the school web page to access information and documentation
- If parents require clarification, contact the AARA committee for more information. (See AARA committee contact details below)
- Student / family complete AARA application
Year 11
- Submit
application and evidence to Guidance Officer
- AARA committee determine eligibility
- Student / family notified of application outcome
- Exam organiser advised of exam provisions
Year 12
- Student / family have all supporting documents completed
- Student lodges AARA application and supporting documentation with the Guidance Officer
- Guidance Officer receives
application and supporting documents within submission dates
- Guidance Officer contacts parents if further information required
- Guidance Officer completes school statement and uploads application and supporting documentation
- Guidance Officer notifies student/family of AARA outcome
- AARA and supporting documentation scanned and attached to the students One School support provisions
- Original documentation filed in students school file.
AARA committee contact details