At least one in six pupils had extra time in their GCSE and A-level exams last year, watchdog figures show.
Revised figures published by exams regulator Ofqual on Thursday show arrangements for 25% extra time were approved last year for between 16.6% to 25.5% of all students taking exams.
This is equivalent to between 237,185 and 363,820 students for 2024/25.
In 2023/24, extra time was approved for between 14.7% to 20.6% of exam candidates – equivalent to 204,480 to 287,760 students.
The proportion of students getting extra time is broadly in line with the proportion of students with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) in the population, Ofqual said.
According to the latest Department for Education (DfE) data, 14.2% of all pupils in England were receiving Sen support in 2025, and a further 5.3% had an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Pupils in private schools are more likely to receive 25% extra time; last year between 22.4% and 32.1% of pupils taking exams in independent schools had this in place.
This is compared with 14.6% to 22% of pupils in state schools.
Access arrangements are measures put in place to make sure students have their needs met to complete their exams.
In total, between 256,790 and 394,785 students taking exams last year had at least one access arrangement in place.
Having 25% extra time is by far the most common access arrangement, followed by a computer reader, a scribe or speech recognition, extra time over 25%, and bilingual dictionaries.
The figures are published in ranges after Ofqual pulled previous statistics on access arrangements, after admitting they significantly overstated the number of pupils granted extra time.
The previous figures, that have now been withdrawn, had suggested nearly a third of pupils (30.1%) were receiving 25% extra time for their exams in 2023/24 – a 12% jump from 2022/23.
The previous figures had also shown a big divide in extra time arrangements for private school pupils (41.8%) and pupils in non-selective state schools (26.5%).
Ofqual chief regulator Sir Ian Bauckham said last year he was concerned about the gap, and that Ofqual were investigating it.
Sir Ian said: “Today’s improved statistics will more accurately inform the legitimate interest the education sector and the public take in access arrangements.
“Access arrangements must meet the needs of students, allowing them to demonstrate fairly what they know, understand and can do. They must also be manageable for schools and colleges to implement.”
