In this blog we explore what it means to make reasonable adjustments at school, and how to ask for support if a child’s needs aren’t being met.
Who is entitled to receive reasonable adjustments?
Schools and local authorities have a legal duty under the Equality Act to make reasonable adjustments at school for children with disabilities, to make sure they can access the same opportunities, and that they aren’t disadvantaged or discriminated against.
When we talk about a difference, difficulty or impairment as being a disability, this is to recognise the significant impact that something is having on a child’s life, so that we can make sure that the right support is in place. Children don’t need to have a diagnosis to be considered disabled, and this means that parents can also self-identify that their child has a disability.
Many disabilities are invisible, especially when it comes to mental health and neurodiversity, and so it’s really important not to make assumptions about how a child is feeling, or where they might need additional help.
Asking for reasonable adjustments
Anyone can ask for reasonable adjustments if their child’s needs aren’t being met, whether or not they have a Special Educational Needs Plan (SEN) or an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) in place. Many children with disabilities will not have any special educational needs, but may still need some adjustments to be included in certain activities and environments.
Schools should already be taking proactive steps to make sure that children with disabilities are included in all school activities, but there’s no one size fits all approach. Finding what works for each child can involve a little creativity, and many reasonable adjustments just need the flexibility to try something different and may also be helpful for other children in the school.
A few examples of what reasonable adjustments might look like at school include: providing equipment to aid with learning, making changes to a classroom, letting a child leave early to avoid crowds, adjusting for sensory needs, taking exams in a smaller room, providing alternative transport, taking regular breaks, sharing information in different ways, or letting a child move around during class.
If you feel that a child needs reasonable adjustments which the school isn’t proactively addressing, you can begin by raising this with the school’s SENCo or headteacher, followed by the Governors and the Local Authority. Children are most likely to thrive when teachers and parents can work in partnership together to support a child’s needs both at home and school.
Talking about disability at school
Many people view disability through the social model, which means that people are only considered disabled because of barriers in their environment – barriers which can often be removed by doing things differently. It can help all children to feel safe and accepted at school if they learn about different types of disabilities, and how to make sure that everyone is included without being singled out or stigmatised.
Whilst in some contexts being considered disabled might help to access support and reasonable adjustments, some children might not want to identify with this as a label. It’s helpful and empowering to reflect the language children feel comfortable with when discussing where they may need extra support, because labels can become an integral part of a child’s identity. What we consider to be inclusive language is always evolving, and so it’s important to listen and respond to give children agency in how they identify themselves.
If schools measure academic achievement and attendance as the only markers of success, many children are likely to feel excluded and feel pressured to hide their differences. By instead focusing on creating an environment where children are supportive of each other and accepting of differences, every child will be given their best chance to thrive and be themselves.