Support for children with a disability, chronic illness or impairment
Support for children with a disability, chronic illness or impairment
There are 2 ways we can support children with a diagnosed condition that may affect their test performance within the Gifted and Talented application process:
- Academic Selective Entrance Test (ASET) exemption (for arts applicants only)
- Adjusted testing conditions (available for the ASET and, where possible, arts testing).
- ASET exemptions
- Adjusted testing conditions
- Possible adjustments for the ASET
- How to apply for an ASET exemption or adjusted testing conditions
Children who are only applying for arts programs and have a diagnosed disability, chronic illness or impairment can request an exemption from sitting the ASET. Where an ASET exemption is granted, children will not be required to sit the ASET and will be selected for arts programs based solely on their scores in the arts workshops and interviews. Without an exemption, all children must complete the ASET, even if they are only applying for arts programs.
Families granted an ASET exemption are also able to request adjusted testing conditions in the arts workshops and auditions to support their child.
Appropriate, fair and reasonable adjusted testing conditions can be requested for both the ASET and, where possible, arts testing. You will be required to provide evidence from a relevant medical specialist and your child’s current school to support your request.
When submitting your request, you will need to refer to the following table 'Possible adjustments for the Gifted and Talented Academic Selective Entrance Test' and determine the adjustments possible based on a child’s individual diagnosis/es.
Decisions for adjusted testing conditions will be made by a panel and based on the nature of the condition/s, the type of assessment and the demonstrated functional impact of the condition both in the context of the assessment to be undertaken and at the current school level.
Refer to the following table to establish the ASET testing adjustments your child may be eligible for. The adjustments are guided by the principles set out in the School Curriculum and Standards Authority’s Equitable Access to Assessment policy to establish fair and reasonable adjustments within the unique context of the ASET. The adjustments listed have been designed to facilitate access for affected children, while not undermining the rigour or intent of the ASET. Permitted adjustments balance the needs of the affected child while not conferring unfair advantage or disadvantage on any other applicant/s. The below adjustments can also, where applicable, be requested for Gifted and Talented arts assessments.
Possible adjustments for the Gifted and Talented Academic Selective Entrance Test | |
| Allergies | Permission to take medication |
| Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder | Smaller, quieter test centre with increased ratio supervision, permission to take medication, non-working rest breaks, noise cancelling headphones during non-instruction time (parent supplied) |
| Anorexia nervosa | Smaller, quieter test centre with increased ratio supervision, non-working rest breaks |
| Arthritis | Non-working rest breaks, permission to take medication, alternate furniture or equipment (parent supplied), permission to mark answers direct on test booklet, |
| Autism spectrum disorder | Smaller, quieter test centre with increased ratio supervision, permission for parent to remain onsite, permission to take medication, non-working rest breaks, specified seating, comfort/fidget item, extra working time (where justified by functional impact only), noise cancelling headphones during non-instruction time (parent supplied) |
| Back injury | Alternate furniture or equipment (parent supplied), specified seating, non-working rest breaks, permission to take medication |
| Bowel problems / Crohn’s disease / Irritable Bowel Syndrome | Non-working rest breaks, specialised seating, permission to take medication and food |
| Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD or Dyspraxia) | Non-working rest breaks, device for the writing test (parent supplied), scribe (where justified), extra working time |
| Diabetes | Non-working rest breaks, permission to take medication and food, glucose monitoring, parent to remain onsite, extra working time (where justified by recent CGM transcripts only) |
| Dysgraphia (motor-based) | Non-working rest breaks, extra working time in the writing assessment, device for the writing test (parent supplied), permission to mark answers direct on test booklet, |
| Epilepsy | Specified seating, permission to take medication |
| Fine motor disabilities | Non-working rest breaks, permission to mark answers direct on test booklet, use of a device for the writing test, use of a scribe (where justified), extra working time in the writing test only |
| Gynaecological conditions | Permission to take medication |
| Hand / arm injury | Non-working rest breaks, extra working time in the writing test only, permission to mark answers direct on test booklet, use of a device in the writing test (parent supplied), use of a scribe (where justified) |
| Head injury – severe (sustained within two years of ASET) | Non-working rest breaks, permission to take medication, extra working time |
| Hearing loss | Specified seating, smaller, quieter test centre with increased ratio supervision, supervisor to wear FM device (supplied by parent) |
| Immune system disorders | Non-working rest breaks, smaller, quieter test centre with increased ratio supervision, permission to take medication |
| Irlen Syndrome (scotopic sensitivity) | Specified seating, non-working rest breaks, coloured overlay (parent supplied), coloured test paper (where possible) |
| Language disorder (does not include EAL/D) | Smaller, quieter test centre with increased ratio supervision, extra working time |
| Medical conditions (for example, cancer, recent organ transplant) | Non-working rest breaks, permission to take medication and food, permission for parent to remain onsite, smaller, quieter test centre with increased ratio supervision OR one-on-one testing (where justified), extra working time (where justified) |
| Muscular dystrophy | Non-working rest breaks, use of a device in the writing test (parent supplied) OR scribe (where justified), alternate furniture or equipment (parent supplied), extra working time (where justified) |
| Muscular problems (including Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) | Non-working rest breaks, alternate furniture or equipment (parent supplied), permission to take medication, use of a device in the writing section (parent supplied), extra time in the writing section only (where justified) |
| Neurological disorder not separately listed (for example, stroke, nerve damage) | Non-working rest breaks, extra working time (where justified), alternate furniture or equipment (parent supplied), permission to take medication, smaller, quieter test centre with increased ratio supervision, noise cancelling headphones during non-instruction time (parent supplied) |
| Obsessive-compulsive disorder and/or severe depression | Non-working rest breaks, extra working time (where justified), smaller, quieter test centre with increased ratio supervision, permission to take medication, alternate furniture or equipment (parent supplied), specified seating, noise cancelling headphones during non-instruction time (parent supplied) |
| Panic attacks | Smaller, quieter test centre with increased ratio supervision, specified seating, non-working rest breaks, comfort item |
| Paraplegia / Quadriplegia | Non-working rest breaks, extra working time (where justified), alternate furniture or equipment (parent supplied), use of a device for the writing test (parent supplied) OR scribe (where justified) |
| Psychological / clinical anxiety | Smaller, quieter test centre with increased ratio supervision, specified seating, non-working rest breaks, permission to take medication, comfort item, permission for parent to remain onsite OR one-on-one testing (where justified) |
| Rheumatism | Non-working rest breaks, use of a device in the writing test with extra time in the writing test only, alternate furniture or equipment (parent supplied) |
| Scoliosis | Non-working rest breaks, alternate furniture (supplied by parent), permission to take medication |
| Specific learning disorder in reading and / or mathematics | Extra working time, use of a C-Pen Exam Reader (or similar, parent supplied), smaller, quieter test centre with increased ratio supervision |
| Specific learning disorder in written expression | Extra working time in the writing test only, use of a device for the writing test OR scribe (where justified) |
| Stutter | Extra time for oral arts auditions only |
| Sweaty palms (Hyperhidrosis) | Alternate equipment (parent supplied), non-working rest breaks |
| Tendinitis | Non-working rest breaks, alternate furniture or equipment (parent supplied), use of a device for the writing test (parent supplied) OR scribe (where justified) |
| Tourette syndrome | One-on-one supervision (where justified), smaller, quieter test centre with increased ratio supervision, non-working rest breaks, extra working time (where justified) |
| Tremor | Non-working rest breaks, specified seating, use of a device in the writing test (parent supplied) OR scribe (where justified), extra time in the writing test only (where justified) |
| Urinary disorders | Non-working rest breaks, specified seating, smaller, quieter test centre, permission to take medication and food |
| Vision impairment | Non-working rest breaks, extra working time in the Reading Comprehension and Quantitative Reasoning tests only (where justified), modified test papers, permission to answer directly onto test book, alternate equipment (parent supplied) |
For advice on any conditions not listed above, contact gtsu@education.wa.edu.au or 9264 4307. For more information, refer to the Applicant guidelines.
You will need to complete the Adjusted testing conditions and exemptions request form in addition to the formal online application for Gifted and Talented programs. Forms must be completed in full and supported by evidence.
Requests for exemptions and adjusted conditions must be emailed to gtsu@education.wa.edu.au no later than 12 pm Monday 17 February 2025. If you are unsure of your child’s particular needs or need assistance submitting a request, you can call us before this date on 9264 4307.
Note:
Requests received after 12 pm Monday 17 February 2025 will only be considered under exceptional circumstances and may be limited due to the tight testing timeframe.