Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure (a) primary and (b) secondary schools are able to support pupils with hearing difficulties.

The majority of children and young with hearing impairments are already taught in mainstream schools and we aim to improve inclusivity and expertise in these schools further. In addition to requiring those teaching children with sensory impairment to hold the relevant Mandatory Qualification in Sensory Impairment, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education has launched a Sensory Impairment apprenticeship route into the school workforce.

Early years settings, schools and colleges have clear legal duties under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled children and young people, including those with hearing impairments, are not placed at a substantial disadvantage. Making these adjustments is central to ensuring full participation in school life and delivering high-quality, inclusive education.

To help schools meet these duties, we are improving the clarity and practicality of guidance on reasonable adjustments. This includes developing more accessible tools and examples with partners such as the Equality and Human Rights Commission.