Accessible Assessments: ensuring every child can show progress

Do some of your pupils struggle to show what they can do in traditional assessments?‍

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Many children, especially those with specific educational needs, show their understanding through summative assessments. What if we could improve these assessments so every child can show their best?

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Why accessibility in assessments matters‍

In today’s classrooms, diversity is the norm, and assessments need to reflect that. In England alone, 20% of primary pupils speak English as an additional language, and 13% are identified as having special educational needs. These pupils bring a wide range of strengths and potential, but without accessible assessments, their abilities can be easily overlooked.

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At Quest Progress, we believe every child deserves a fair opportunity to demonstrate what they know and can do. That’s why accessibility isn’t just an add-on; it’s central to how we design our assessments.‍

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Accessible assessments help you:‍

✔ Give every pupil an equal opportunity to succeed
By removing unnecessary barriers, whether linguistic, cognitive or sensory, we enable all pupils to access the same high standards and demonstrate their true potential.

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✔ Gather accurate and meaningful data
If an assessment isn’t accessible, the results won’t reflect what a pupil really knows. Fair, inclusive design ensures you get data that’s reliable, representative, and genuinely useful.

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✔ Boost pupil confidence
When children feel the assessment is fair and achievable, they’re more likely to engage positively. That builds motivation and helps create a culture of success for every learner.

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✔ Inform teaching with clarity
Accessible assessments give you a clearer picture of pupil progress, helping you pinpoint learning gaps and adapt teaching with precision.

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True educational impact starts with inclusion. By making accessibility a priority, we uphold fairness and unlock potential.

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Key features of accessible assessments

Accessibility should be at the heart of any assessment design. This means prioritising making assessments inclusive, fair, and fun for every learner.

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There are two main methods to ensure every pupil engages with their assessments in a meaningful way.

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1. Designing valid assessments

‍Ofqual’s guidance forms the backbone of creating accessible assessments. This ensures that each question tests its intended purpose without adding unnecessary barriers. It includes:

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• A single assessment focus for each question to avoid confusion.
• Clear, simple, and unambiguous language.
• Illustrations and images to support understanding rather than distract.
• Structuring assessments progressively.

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2. Adaptable features to support every learner

Assessments need to offer a wide range of accessibility features. These ensure that teachers can tailor assessments to suit the needs of each pupil. For example: 

For teachers:

✔ Assign extra time for specific pupils.

✔ Enable text-to-speech to read aloud questions.

✔ Pause, stop, or restart the assessment.

✔ Print paper-based versions for all assessments.

For pupils:

✔ Use keyboard navigation to submit answers.

✔ Skip and return to questions.

✔ Adjust font sizes for improved readability.

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The proven impact of accessible assessments

By prioritising accessible assessment design, schools using Quest Progress’ accessibility features are seeing better pupil outcomes.

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"Quest Progress offers useful tools to help all learners engage effectively with assessments. Text-to-speech, dyslexia-friendly fonts, and adjustable font sizes enhance the experience for pupils. In classrooms without extra adults, these changes are even more useful. The accessibility options let pupils work on their own and build confidence."

– Miss Jill Cooke, Headteacher, Shield Row Primary School

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See how Quest Progress can support your school. ‍‍Book your free trial today!

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