School reasonable adjustments
Describe the barrier first. Then ask for an adjustment that actually addresses it.
Schools have duties towards disabled pupils under the Equality Act 2010. A strong request explains the disadvantage clearly, links it to evidence and proposes something practical enough to implement and review.
Reasonable adjustments are about disadvantage
The legal duty applies to disabled pupils. The practical question is what feature, rule or way of doing things places the child at a substantial disadvantage and what reasonable change could reduce that disadvantage.
Build the request
1. Barrier
What part of the school day, environment, rule or process is difficult to access?
2. Functional impact
What actually happens because of that barrier — for example distress, inability to participate, missed learning or inability to complete a task?
3. Evidence
What school observation, professional advice, attendance information or family evidence supports the point?
4. Adjustment
What specific change could remove or reduce the disadvantage?
5. Review
Who will implement it, when will it start, and how will everyone know whether it is working?
Accessibility also applies to safety and relationships, sex and health education (RSHE)
Revised statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) guidance took effect on 1 September 2026. Schools use the formal term relationships and sex education (RSE) policy for part of this framework; those policies should explain how content will be made accessible to pupils with SEND, with teaching and materials adapted where needed. Parents can ask how safety messages, lesson content and reporting routes are being made accessible to their child and can request teaching materials.
Revised safeguarding guidance also expects schools to consider reasonable adjustments and proactive planning where restraint is relevant, rather than waiting for the same difficulty to repeat.
Working template
| Barrier / situation | |
|---|---|
| What happens / functional impact | |
| Evidence | |
| Adjustment requested | |
| Who needs to act | |
| Start / review date | |
| What success will look like |
Two children with the same diagnosis may need completely different adjustments. Describe the actual barrier and impact rather than assuming a label automatically proves a particular solution.
Practical parent-advocacy guidance, not legal or clinical advice. Reviewed 7 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) ↗SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years (GOV.UK) ↗Relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance (GOV.UK) ↗Keeping children safe in education (GOV.UK) ↗Reviewed 7 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.