Reasonable Adjustments for Disabled Pupils

What does the Equality Act 2010 mean for schools and other education providers?

Is my child classed a disabled under this Act?

The definition of disability under this Act is ‘a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.’

This definition means that the majority of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) will also be considered to be disabled for the purposes of the Act.

Which schools does this apply to?

All schools and education institutions (maintained schools, maintained special schools, free schools, academies, further education colleges, independent schools, non-maintained special schools and so on) must comply with the Equality Act 2010. To find out more about the requirements of this Act, please see the links on this page

What is a reasonable adjustment and what does it mean for an education provider?

One of the obligations in the Equality Act 2010 is referred to as the duty to provide ‘reasonable adjustments’ for protected groups. This includes disabled pupils in schools and colleges. It means that schools and colleges must we prepared to make changes and adaptations so that disabled pupils are not disadvantaged directly as a result of their disability.

The links on this page explain exactly what kinds of adjustments are reasonable and they include a number of useful case studies.

If you believe that your child has been the subject of discrimination in an education setting, then you have the right to appeal to the First Tier (SEND) Tribunal (see below)

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Page last reviewed: 13/07/2017

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