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Ask us first
The learner, or someone on their behalf, fills in the form on this page. This service is free of charge.
The same standard, without the barrier
A learner can know how to keep food safe and still be kept from showing it by long sentences, unfamiliar wording or reading on screen. That is a barrier in the exam, not a gap in what the learner knows, and it is not what the exam is meant to test. It can affect many learners, including dyslexic and autistic learners, learners with a learning disability and learners with English as an additional language.
For Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene (catering, retail and manufacturing) and Level 2 Allergy Awareness for catering we offer a language-modified exam, free of charge as a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010. Learners take in a question in different ways, so it comes in two versions, and our team agrees the right one with the learner, or with whoever asks on their behalf.
Clear language: each question is reworded in short, direct wording that gets straight to the point. For example, “You have made sandwiches for lunch. Where should you keep them until they are eaten?”
Everyday scenarios: each question is set in a short kitchen situation, with people and a place, so the learner can picture what is happening before they answer. For example, “Amira makes sandwiches at 10am for a staff lunch at 1pm. The kitchen is warm and busy. Where should she keep the sandwiches until lunch?”
Both versions have the same answers, the same right answer and the same pass mark as the course’s own exam. The examples here are not exam questions.
Fair assessment for every learner
What never changes: the standard, what the course teaches, and the pass mark. The learner chooses every answer themselves, and we keep a record of each language-modified exam and its result. If a learner needs a different kind of support, tell us and we will talk it through.
Planning training for a colleague or a learner you support? Read our guide, reasonable adjustments in food hygiene training.
Here to help you
Real support, from real people
As well as online support, we have a dedicated customer service team ready to help you with any enquiries - from simple log-in questions to advice on courses and certificates
How the language-modified exam works
Set up the way each learner works best
6 colour palettes to choose from
White, cream, yellow and blue (softer backgrounds that many readers, including some dyslexic readers, find more comfortable), dark (less glare) and black and yellow (strong contrast, which some people with sight loss prefer).
Multiple word sizes
Small, medium, big or biggest. The whole page grows, not just the words. And a little at a time, or everything for a page together.
Read to me
Every screen can be read out in a recorded voice, by itself or at the press of a button. There are three speeds to choose from.
Meeting the needs of the NHS
We developed the language-modified exam with the partners who work alongside learners with SEND and the NHS, and with other partners who support learners every day. It meets what the NHS needs from a fair, robust assessment, and it works for the learners who take it.
We can develop it further for your organisation’s needs:
- More courses: language-modified exams for the courses your learners need.
- The right version: clear language or everyday scenarios, matched to your learners.
- Your way of working: ways to ask for and track adjustments that fit how you work.
Free of charge
Ask for a language-modified exam
Learners can ask for themselves, or a parent or carer, support worker, teacher, social worker, advocate or employer can ask on their behalf. Our team reviews every request and agrees the right version.
What stays the same
The same number of questions
20 questions
The language-modified exam has 20 multiple-choice questions, taken from each chapter of the course. The pass mark is 16 out of 20, as in the standard exam.
The same topics
Every topic
From keeping food clean and the law to germs, allergies, cleaning, personal hygiene, storage and temperature.
Checked
Every question matched
Each question, in either version, matches a question in the course’s own exam. Every version of every question is checked and signed off as equivalent by our team before it can be used.
Frequently asked questions
Is the language-modified exam easier to pass?
No. Both versions test the same knowledge to the same standard, with the same number of questions and the same pass mark (16 out of 20). Only the way each question is asked changes.
What is the difference between the two versions?
The clear-language version asks each question in short, direct wording. The scenario version sets each question in an everyday kitchen situation, so the learner can picture what is happening before they answer. Some learners find one easier, some the other. Our team agrees the right version with you.
Does the language-modified exam cost extra?
No. It is a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010, so there is no charge.
How do we ask for it?
The learner fills in the form on this page, or a parent or carer, support worker, teacher, social worker, advocate or employer fills it in on their behalf. We need the learner’s name and Learner Reference, the code from their account on our training platform. Whoever asks chooses who we send the link to: themselves, the learner, both, or someone else who will help. Our team reviews the request and, once it is agreed, emails the link.
Which courses have a language-modified exam?
At present, Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene (catering, retail and manufacturing) and Level 2 Allergy Awareness for catering, each in a clear-language version and a scenario version. More courses will follow. Ask us about any other course and we will tell you what we can do.
Does the learner need a login?
No. The learner gets a private link for their own exam. It opens that exam and nothing else.
Can someone read the questions out?
Yes. Every screen has a ‘Read to me’ button that reads it out in a recorded voice. The learner chooses every answer themselves.
Can the learner change the colours or the size of the words?
Yes. Before the test they choose colours, word size, reading aloud and how much shows at once, by tapping pictures. The ‘My choices’ button, at the top of every question, takes them back to change any of these.
Can you make a language-modified exam for our organisation?
Yes. We developed the language-modified exam with partners who work alongside learners with SEND and the NHS, and with other partners. We can develop it further with you, for example another course, another way of asking the questions, or the support your learners need. Get in touch to talk it through.
Can the learner answer by talking?
Yes, on a phone or computer that can listen. The learner says the number of their answer, then ‘yes’ to keep it. Their phone or computer sends their voice to Google or Apple to understand it, so it is their choice, and tapping always works.
What if the learner does not pass?
They can try again on the same link, with a new set of questions, until they pass.
What happens when the learner passes?
We are told straight away. We then add their certificate to the account where you usually see your learners’ certificates. It can take up to 2 working days to appear, and it shows the date the learner passed the exam.
Courses with a language-modified exam
Level 2
Food hygiene certificate
A language-modified exam is available free of charge, in clear language or everyday scenarios, with read-aloud on every screen.
Level 2
Allergy awareness
A language-modified exam is available free of charge, in clear language or everyday scenarios, with read-aloud on every screen.
Level 2 Food Hygiene for catering, retail and manufacturing, and Level 2 Allergy Awareness for catering, have a language-modified exam, free of charge, in a clear-language version and an everyday-scenario version, with read-aloud on every screen.
More courses will follow and will appear here as they are ready.
Learners can ask for it themselves, or someone can ask on their behalf: a parent or carer, support worker, teacher or college, social worker, advocate or employer.
Ask for a language-modified exam
Free, for Level 2 Food Hygiene (catering, retail and manufacturing) and Level 2 Allergy Awareness (catering). Rather talk it through first? Call us free on 0800 612 6784.