Eligible students to receive extra 10 minutes in written State exams

The State Examinations Commission is reviewing its Reasonable Accommodations at the Certificate Examinations scheme. File picture: Leon Farrell/RollingNews.ie

About 30,000 students with special educational needs will receive additional time in the upcoming State exams as part of the first "milestone" change to time arrangements in more than 20 years. 

Minister for education Hildegarde Naughton confirmed an extra 10 minutes per written paper will be granted for eligible students in this year's Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle exams. 

It comes as the State Examinations Commission (SEC), which is responsible for the delivery of the State examinations, continues to review its Reasonable Accommodations at the Certificate Examinations (Race) scheme.

Under an interim measure for 2026, 10 minutes per written exam paper will be granted for certain candidates already eligible for Race accommodations. 

The extra time will be extended to students already eligible for reasonable accommodations in the written examinations featuring a direct intervention. 

This includes students who use a word processor, reading assistance, or who have a spelling and grammar waiver. 

According to the SEC, the majority of accommodations will now confer eligibility for the 10 minutes of additional time. 

However, there are some exceptions, including students granted accommodations arranged by the school such as rest breaks or those whose only need is for a special examination centre. 

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Research, commissioned by the SEC as part of the wider Race review, is ongoing, and is expected to help inform the arrangements for 2027. 

Ms Naughton said the interim scheme represents an important step forward in "ensuring that students with specific needs are supported in a fair, consistent, and effective way". 

"I welcome the SEC’s detailed work and its commitment to building an approach grounded in research and best practice." 

Meanwhile, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has welcomed the agreement of the SEC to prepare and implement an Equality Action Plan aimed at strengthening equality of access to State examinations for students with visual impairments.

An Equality Action Plan is a programme of actions designed to help address barriers experienced by individuals and groups protected under equality legislation.