Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will issue guidance to schools on reasonable adjustments to school timetables for children with Type 1 diabetes.

School governing boards should ensure that all schools develop a policy for supporting pupils with medical conditions that is reviewed regularly and is readily accessible to parents and school staff. The department does not hold information on individual diabetes episodes within schools, nor on the extent to which governing boards are making arrangements within their school policies for the support of pupils with medical conditions to give specific consideration to the needs of pupils with Type 1 Diabetes.

Statutory guidance on supporting pupils at school with medical conditions includes information for schools on developing school policies. We have also provided a collection of links to useful resources to help schools support their pupils with medical conditions. This includes links to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation / East of England Children and Young People Diabetes Network; and to Diabetes UK website, which includes a sample medical conditions policy.

Ofsted’s Common Inspection Framework requires inspectors, in making judgements upon schools, to pay particular attention to the outcomes of a range of groups of pupils, including those with medical needs. Ofsted included guidance to inspectors on this matter in their March 2017 school inspection update, reminding inspectors that they should consider how schools are meeting the needs of pupils with medical conditions. The content of inspection frameworks and training of inspectors are matters for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector.

Governing boards must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled children and young people are not at a substantial disadvantage compared with their peers. This duty is anticipatory: adjustments must be planned and put in place in advance, to prevent that disadvantage.