School reasonable adjustments
Reasonable adjustments at school: identify the barrier, then ask for a change that addresses it.
The strongest request does more than name a diagnosis. It explains the disadvantage, shows what happens in practice, proposes a workable adjustment and sets a date to review whether it is helping.
Reasonable adjustments are about disability-related disadvantage
Schools have duties towards disabled pupils under the Equality Act 2010. GOV.UK describes reasonable adjustments as changes that prevent disabled pupils being placed at a disadvantage and gives examples including changes to assessment, extra support and aids or equipment.
The practical starting point is not “what adjustment comes with this diagnosis?” It is: what is the child being prevented from accessing, what disadvantage is occurring, and what reasonable change could reduce it?
Two pupils with the same diagnosis can need completely different support. Equally, the absence of an EHCP does not by itself answer whether a disabled pupil needs an adjustment.
Examples of adjustments parents may discuss with school
These are examples, not automatic entitlements. The right adjustment depends on the pupil and the barrier.
Communication & processing
Written or visual instructions, one instruction at a time, additional processing time, checking understanding privately, advance notice of changes or reducing unnecessary verbal load.
Sensory & environment
A quieter workspace, seating changes, movement or regulation breaks, access to a calm space, sensory aids, or a reasonable uniform/environmental adjustment.
Transitions & arrival
Staggered arrival, a named adult, predictable transition plan, early movement between lessons, a safe arrival route or planned check-in.
Distress & regulation
A known exit/regulation plan, recovery time after overload, agreed ways to communicate when speech becomes difficult, or adapting a rule/sanction where disability creates a particular disadvantage.
Learning & participation
Assistive technology, adapted presentation, chunked tasks, alternative ways to record work, accessible materials or additional adult support where reasonable and appropriate.
Tests & assessments
Access arrangements or other adjustments where the relevant assessment rules allow them and the pupil's disability would otherwise create a substantial disadvantage.
How to ask for an adjustment in writing
1. Situation / barrier
Be specific: lesson transition, assembly, written task, lunch hall, arrival, sanction, exam, communication demand or another part of school life.
2. Functional impact
Describe what actually happens: distress, shutdown, inability to communicate, missed learning, inability to complete the task, absence or another measurable impact.
3. Evidence
Use relevant school observations, attendance information, professional advice, pupil voice and family evidence. Evidence should illuminate the barrier, not bury the school in paperwork.
4. Adjustment requested
State the practical change you are asking the school to try and why it is connected to the disadvantage.
5. Implementation
Ask who will tell staff, when it starts and how the pupil will know what to expect.
6. Review
Set a review date and agree what success will look like. If it does not work, the answer may be to refine the adjustment rather than abandon support altogether.
Reasonable adjustments can matter in attendance and behaviour too
Disability-related barriers do not stop at the classroom door. Current government material tells schools to consider whether SEND contributed to behaviour and whether a reasonable adjustment to a rule or sanction is needed. Current inspection guidance also expects reasonable adjustments or adaptations to attendance and behaviour strategies to be timely and appropriate.
If a pupil is missing significant education, the plan should still explain the barrier, support, education being provided, responsibilities, review and what improvement looks like. See our reduced timetable guide.
Reasonable adjustments, SEN Support and an EHCP are different tools
A pupil can need reasonable adjustments without having an EHCP. A pupil may also receive SEN Support or have an EHCP while still needing Equality Act adjustments. The questions overlap — what needs to change so the child can access education? — but the legal routes and responsibilities are not identical.
- Reasonable adjustment: addresses disability-related disadvantage.
- SEN Support: school-based special educational provision for identified SEN.
- EHCP: a statutory plan where the legal test is met and specified provision is required.
If the difficulty is broader than one adjustment — for example substantial unmet special educational provision, worsening attendance or a plan that is no longer sufficient — the next step may also involve SEN Support review, an annual review or considering an EHC needs assessment.
If the school says no
A refusal is easier to understand and challenge when the reasoning is clear. Ask for the response in writing.
- What adjustment was considered?
- What disadvantage or evidence did the school take into account?
- Why does the school consider the proposed adjustment unreasonable, unsuitable or unnecessary?
- What alternative adjustment is being offered to address the same barrier?
- Who made the decision and when will it be reviewed?
- If the issue remains unresolved, what SEN/disability or school complaints route should be used?
If the concern is disability discrimination rather than simply disagreement about provision, parents can also seek independent advice, including from the Equality Advisory Support Service or a specialist SEND adviser.
Working template
On a narrow screen, scroll the table sideways to see all columns. Keyboard: focus the table area and use the left and right arrow keys.
| Barrier / situation | |
|---|---|
| What happens / functional impact | |
| Evidence | |
| Adjustment requested | |
| Why it addresses the disadvantage | |
| Who needs to act | |
| Start / review date | |
| What success will look like |
Accessibility also applies to safety and relationships, sex and health education (RSHE)
Revised statutory relationships, sex and health education guidance took effect on 1 September 2026. Schools should consider accessibility for pupils with SEND, including how teaching and materials are adapted. Parents can ask how safety messages, lesson content and reporting routes are made accessible to their child and can request teaching materials.
A pending diagnosis does not by itself settle whether the pupil is disabled under the Equality Act or whether an adjustment is reasonable. Consider the impairment, its substantial and long-term effects, the disadvantage and the proposed change. See Equality Act 2010, section 6 and DfE guidance for schools.
Practical parent-advocacy guidance, not legal or clinical advice. Reviewed 23 September 2026 against the official sources linked on this page. See how we write, check and correct guidance.
Official sources / further reading
Disabled children: education and reasonable adjustments (GOV.UK) ↗Disability rights in education (GOV.UK) ↗EHRC technical guidance for schools in England ↗SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years (GOV.UK) ↗Working together to improve school attendance (GOV.UK) ↗Ofqual guide for schools and colleges 2026 — reasonable adjustments ↗Reviewed 23 September 2026. This is general advocacy information, not a legal assessment of whether a particular child meets the Equality Act definition of disability or whether a particular adjustment is legally reasonable.
Questions parents ask
Answers for parents and carers in England. These answers were checked on 27 September 2026; use the linked official source where your next step depends on a legal duty or process.
How do I ask school for reasonable adjustments?
Describe the barrier, its effect on your child and the change you think could help. Ask for a written response and review date. The Equality Act disability test matters; an EHCP is not a prerequisite. Whether an adjustment is reasonable depends on the circumstances, so explain the evidence rather than promising that every requested change must be agreed.
Prepare for the school meeting.
Official source: DfE: Equality Act advice for schools.