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Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations

 

The Fire Industry Association (FIA) is committed to making its training courses and qualifications accessible to all learners.

Many of the qualifications delivered by the FIA are awarded by our awarding organisation, FireQual. FireQual sets the rules and requirements relating to reasonable adjustments and special considerations to ensure fair and equal access to qualifications and assessments. The FIA is responsible for implementing these requirements and supporting learners through the application process where additional assistance may be required.

If you have a disability, learning difficulty, medical condition or other circumstance that may affect your ability to undertake training or complete an assessment, support may be available. The purpose of this support is to ensure that all learners have fair and equal access to qualifications whilst maintaining the integrity and standards of the qualification.

Reasonable Adjustments

A reasonable adjustment is support provided before an assessment takes place to remove or reduce barriers that may place a learner at a disadvantage.

Reasonable adjustments are designed to provide fair access to an assessment. They do not give a learner an unfair advantage and must not compromise the validity of the qualification.

Examples of reasonable adjustments may include:

  • Additional time during a timed assessment

  • Alternative assessment arrangements where appropriate

  • The use of a reader or scribe

  • Large-print, coloured or audio assessment materials

  • Assistive technology, such as screen-reading or voice-activated software

  • An alternative assessment location where this is appropriate

All requests are considered individually and are subject to approval by FireQual where required.

Applying for a Reasonable Adjustment

If you believe you may require a reasonable adjustment, please inform the FIA as early as possible when booking your course or qualification.

Requests should normally be submitted at least 15 working days before the assessment date to allow sufficient time for review and approval.

To support your application, we may ask for evidence relating to your circumstances. Depending on the nature of the request, this may include:

  • Medical evidence from a healthcare professional

  • An Educational Psychologist's report

  • An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

  • A Statement of Special Educational Needs

  • Supporting documentation from an appropriate specialist

The FIA will treat all information confidentially and only use it for the purpose of considering the support required.

Special Considerations

A special consideration is a process that may be applied after an assessment has taken place.

It is intended for situations where a learner has experienced an unexpected and exceptional event outside their control which has had a significant impact on their ability to complete or perform in an assessment.

Examples may include:

  • Serious illness or injury

  • Bereavement

  • A significant personal or traumatic event

  • Major disruption during an assessment

  • Exceptional circumstances affecting a learner immediately before or during an assessment

Supporting evidence will normally be required to demonstrate both the circumstances and the impact they had on the assessment.

Circumstances That Would Not Normally Qualify

Special consideration is intended for exceptional circumstances and would not normally be granted for:

  • Work-related pressures

  • Holidays or planned absences

  • Poor time management

  • Missed deadlines that could reasonably have been avoided

  • Lack of preparation for an assessment

  • Circumstances that were foreseeable and preventable

How to Request Support

If you think you may require a reasonable adjustment, or if you believe a special consideration should be considered following an assessment, please contact the FIA Training Team as soon as possible.

Reasonable adjustment requests should normally be submitted at least 15 working days before an assessment.

Special consideration requests should be submitted as soon as possible after the assessment has taken place and will usually require supporting evidence.

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 020 3166 5002

Our Commitment

The FIA is committed to providing fair access to learning and assessment for all learners. We work closely with our awarding organisation, FireQual, to ensure that reasonable adjustments and special considerations are applied consistently, fairly and in accordance with awarding organisation requirements.

Each request is considered on its individual merits, with the aim of removing barriers wherever possible while maintaining the standards, integrity and credibility of the qualification.