A reader reads the exam paper aloud; a scribe writes what the candidate dictates. Both are JCQ access arrangements, granted only where they match how the child normally works, not automatically with an EHCP or diagnosis. JCQ is the Joint Council for Qualifications, the body whose rules every GCSE, A level and most vocational exam board follows.
What each one actually does
The two roles are narrow on purpose. A reader reads the questions, and where asked the candidate's own answers, back to them. They must not advise on which questions to do, the order to do them in, or decode symbols and abbreviations. A scribe writes or types down accurately, at a reasonable speed, exactly what the candidate dictates, including punctuation if the candidate calls it out. Neither adult is there to help with the thinking. They give the child access to the paper, not an advantage over other candidates.
They are access arrangements, not an entitlement
Access arrangements are the main way exam boards meet their duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments, so a disabled candidate is not put at a substantial disadvantage. This is the point most parent guides miss: a scribe or reader is not an automatic right that comes with an EHCP, SEN Support or any diagnosis. It is approved only where two things are true:
- It reflects your child's normal way of working. There has to be an established, evidenced history of need, your child already using this kind of support in class and assessments, not a one-off arranged for the exam.
- The school assessor confirms the evidence. A specialist assessor at the school or college gathers the evidence and the SENCo (the special educational needs coordinator) applies through JCQ's Access Arrangements Online system, by the spring-term deadline, well before the exams.
The boundary, and the digital alternatives
An arrangement cannot change what the exam genuinely tests. So a scribe cannot be used in a paper, or part of a paper, that assesses spelling, punctuation and grammar, or that tests a candidate's ability to produce written text in a foreign language, unless the candidate dictates it letter by letter. There are increasingly common digital versions of both roles too: a computer reader or text-to-speech in place of a human reader, and speech recognition (speech-to-text) in place of a human scribe. Schools often prefer these because they can become a pupil's everyday tool, which makes the "normal way of working" case easier to evidence.
Where the law comes from
Related
This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.