Partnership with Brightsparkz
Applying for Special Need Concessions
The IIE’s Varsity College has an agreement with Brightsparkz Tutors to ensure readers, writers,
prompters and personal assistants are available to students who have been granted a Special
Need Concession by The IIE.
School approved
concession application
Step 1: If you think you may have a Special Need
Concession, speak to your Vice Principal Academic.
Your Vice Principal Academic will advise you
on this process and will provide a referral to an
Educational Psychologist in your area if necessary.
Step 2: Speak to a professional. This will either
be a private practitioner or a public service
provider (clinic or hospital). He/she will assess your
condition and, if confirmed, provide a document
that describes the condition and recommends the
accommodations and/or concessions that can be
done to assist you.
Step 3: Take the letter back to the Vice Principal
Academic. The letter will be used as part of the
application for a Special Need Concession with
The IIE.
Step 4: You will receive notification by your Vice
Principal Academic that a Special Need Concession
has been granted to you (or not). Step 1: To apply at The IIE for a Special Need
Concession, you will be required to submit
an application form, together with evidence.
Evidence referred to is the letter you received
from the Department of Education approving your
concession for your NSC or IEB examinations
and/or a recent report from a relevant health care
professional (note: no older than 18 months).
Step 2: You will receive notification by your Vice
Principal Academic that a Special Need Concession
has been granted to you (or not).
BrightSparkz Tutors have been providing tutors of the highest calibre to satisfied learners and
students for over 10 years and have been providing assessment concession services for over 5
years, at both school and university level.
Remember: you will have to book and pay for the services provided by Brightsparkz and the
contract that you enter into is with them and not with The IIE’s Varsity College.
Brightsparkz contact details
Previously undiagnosed
concession application
In order to qualify for a Special Need Concession for tests and examinations, The IIE needs to provide you
with written approval of an assessment concession. A Special Need Concession should be applied for
well in advance to ensure that you receive the concession prior to booking an individual to assist with the
required services.
Q: What do I do if I have a chronic medical/psychological condition that will affect my studies?
A: A chronic condition can either be persistent (occurs continuously or without change) or periodic
(occurs repeatedly from time to time). In the case of a persistent condition, a Special Need
Concession will be granted; however, if it is a periodic condition, a Special Need Concession might
not be considered. A detailed medical certificate is critical when evaluating your application.
Readers, writers, prompters and personal assistants are utilised at various secondary and tertiary
institutions to facilitate the assessment process for students who experience and have been diagnosed
with specific barriers to learning, in order to complete an assessment in the allotted time frame. Some
students may require one form of assistance, while others may require more than one.
Q: What do I do if I was granted a Special Need Concession at school?
A: A school concession letter can be submitted with your application for a Special Need
Concession. However, in the absence of such a letter, you have to submit a completed health
professional’s report with a clear indication of the concessions that are being recommended with
your application.
Cape Town, Durban, Pietermaritzburg & Port Elizabeth:
Tel: 084 404 4006
Email: [email protected]
•
Academic Support: The campus will, as far as possible, accommodate concessions for learning
disabilities in your lecture venues and with the materials used in lectures. Some of the concessions
will also apply to your assessments. These concessions are granted depending on your learning
difficulty, medical condition, or physical impairment in question.
Library and IT support: Librarians and IT Technicians are able to assist you with any technical concerns
e.g. adjusting the font size and display functions in the library computers.
Q: Is there any concession for anxiety?
A: Feeling anxious before and after a significant event (such as a speech, a class presentation,
an assignment, a test or exam) is normal. However, if the anxiety affects your ability to function
then it is advisable that you consult a Psychologist/ Psychiatrist so that they can make a relevant
diagnosis.
At The IIE’s Varsity College students with learning and/or physical disabilities are offered holistic support
which is classified into the following categories:
•
Frequently Asked Questions
Holistic Support
Johannesburg & Pretoria:
Tel: 011 025 7572
Email: [email protected]
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