# The Special Educational Needs and Disability (General Qualifications Bodies) (Relevant Qualifications, Reasonable Steps and Physical Features) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

S.R. 2008/79 · made 3 March 2008 · revised to 25 February 2009

These Regulations prescribe the relevant qualifications in respect of which it is unlawful for a general qualifications body to discriminate against a disabled person, (Regulation 2 and the Schedule).

Made under: The Special Educational Needs and Disability (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 (Article 34, Article 37, Article 38, Article 49)

PDFs: Printed copy https://openlegislation.uk/special-educational-needs-and-disability-general-qualifications-bodies-relevant-qualifications-reasonable-steps-and-physical-features-regulations-northern-ireland-2008/pdf/nisr_20080079_en.pdf

## Introductory text

EDUCATION
Made 3rd March 2008
Coming into operation 1st April 2008
The Department of Education, in exercise of the powers conferred by Articles 34(4), 37(6)(c), (d) and (f), 38(7) and 49(4) of the Special Educational Needs and Disability (Northern Ireland) Order 2005, after consultation with such persons as appear to the Department to be appropriate in accordance with Article 39(2) of that Order, makes the following Regulations:

## 1 Citation, commencement and interpretation

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Special Educational Needs and Disability (General Qualifications Bodies) (Relevant Qualifications, Reasonable Steps and Physical Features) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 and shall come into operation on 1st April 2008.
(2) In these Regulations—
“the 2005 Order” means the Special Educational Needs and Disability (Northern Ireland) Order 2005; and
“component” means a discrete, assessable element of a qualification that is not separately certificated.

## 2 Relevant qualifications

Relevant qualifications are those qualifications which are prescribed in the Schedule.

## 3 Reasonable Steps

(1) Where it is the duty of a general qualifications body to take steps in accordance with Article 37 of the 2005 Order in order to prevent a provision, criterion or practice placing a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with persons who are not disabled, the granting of an exemption from one or more of the components of any examination or assessment, in the circumstances specified in paragraph (2), shall be a step which it is always reasonable for a general qualifications body to have to take.
(2) The circumstances referred to in paragraph (1) are that—
(a) the provision, criterion or practice is the requirement for candidates to undertake one or more components of an examination or assessment for the purposes of determining on whom a relevant qualification is to be conferred, and
(b) the granting of an exemption from the component is the only reasonable step that could be taken to prevent the disabled person from being placed at a substantial disadvantage.
(3) Where a general qualifications body grants an exemption in accordance with paragraph (1), it is always a reasonable step for the general qualifications body to have to take to assess the candidate only in relation to those components of the examination or assessment for which the candidate has not been granted an exemption as if those components comprised the entire examination or assessment.

## 4 Physical features

In relation to any premises, any of the following things (whether permanent or temporary) are to be treated as a physical feature—
(a) any feature arising from the design or construction of a building on the premises;
(b) any feature on the premises of any approach to, exit from or access to such a building;
(c) any fixtures, fittings, furnishings, furniture, equipment or material in or on the premises;
(d) any other physical element or quality of any land comprised in the premises.

## 5 Meaning of “Lease”

For the purposes of Article 38 of the 2005 Order—
“lease” includes a tenancy, sub-lease or sub-tenancy and an agreement for a lease, tenancy, sub-lease or sub-tenancy;
“sub-lease” means any sub-term created out of, or deriving from, a leasehold interest; and
“sub-tenancy” means any tenancy created out of, or deriving from, a superior tenancy.

## Signature

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Education on 3rd March 2008.
L.S.
Robson Davison
A senior officer of the Department of Education

## Relevant Qualifications

Advanced Extension Awards
Entry Level Qualifications
Free Standing Maths Qualifications
General Certificate of Education Advanced level (A and AS levels)
General Certificate of Secondary Education
the International Baccalaureate
Key Skills
Essential Skills

## Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations prescribe the relevant qualifications in respect of which it is unlawful for a general qualifications body to discriminate against a disabled person, (Regulation 2 and the Schedule).
Regulation 3 states that the granting of an exemption from one or more components of an assessment or examination leading to the award of a relevant qualification, in the circumstances specified, is always a reasonable step for a general qualifications body to take.
Regulation 4 describes what is to be treated as a physical feature for the purposes of the duties imposed on general qualifications bodies by the Special Educational Needs and Disability (Northern Ireland) Order 2005.
Regulation 5 defines the meaning of “lease”.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2008/79 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/special-educational-needs-and-disability-general-qualifications-bodies-relevant-qualifications-reasonable-steps-and-physical-features-regulations-northern-ireland-2008
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.