Reasonable Adjustments in Secondary School
Under the Equality Act 2010, schools have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure students are not placed at a substantial disadvantage. A formal diagnosis is not required in order to provide reasonable adjustments. Support should be based on identified need, observed barriers, and the impact on access to learning, rather than waiting for medical or external confirmation.
Core Principle: A Fresh Start
- Each day is treated as a new opportunity.
- Past behaviour is not used to define or label a student.
- Repair, reflection, and learning are prioritised over holding grudges.
- Staff support reintegration rather than ongoing consequence.
Communication & Relationships
- Clear, consistent, and literal communication.
- Key information repeated and supported visually where helpful.
- Discreet check-ins and private conversations rather than public correction.
- Consistent language, signals, and expectations across staff where possible.
- Named trusted adults for continuity of support.
Routines, Transitions & Organisation
- Transition warnings before the end of lessons (e.g. 5-minute and 2-minute cues).
- Flexible expectations for punctuality where dysregulation is evident.
- Agreed transition support plans for identified students.
- Awareness that not all students can process information quickly or think on the spot.
Teaching, Learning & Cognitive Load
- Clear expectations with examples of what success looks like.
- Reduced cognitive load during dysregulation.
- Flexible approaches to classwork when students are overwhelmed.
- Support with organisation, planning, and task initiation where needed.
Assessment & Academic Pressure
- Flexible assessment arrangements where appropriate.
- Consideration of cumulative assessment load during periods of high stress or burnout.
- Opportunities to demonstrate learning in different ways where appropriate.
Environment & Sensory Regulation
- Consideration of sensory impact.
- Access to calm or low-stimulus spaces when needed.
- Flexibility with uniform and equipment where appropriate.
- Access to regulation supports such as air defenders, weighted items, or movement breaks.
Emotional Regulation & Self-Advocacy
- Explicit teaching and modelling of emotional language.
- Support for students to identify triggers and effective strategies.
- Opportunities for students to request support discreetly.
- Agreed signals to support re-regulation or de-escalation.
Removal & Support Spaces
- Removal spaces used to support regulation and reflection, not punishment.
- Focus on reintegration, repair, and learning rather than compliance.
Emotionally Based School Avoidance (ESBA)
Some students experience significant anxiety or emotional distress that impacts their ability to attend or remain in school. This is known as Emotionally Based School Avoidance (ESBA).
A trauma-informed, adjustments-led approach includes:
- Understanding that absence or lateness may be rooted in anxiety, not defiance
- Prioritising emotional safety and regulation before academic or attendance demands
- Flexible, phased approaches to attendance where appropriate
- Adjustments to routines, transitions, environment, and expectations
- Consistent relationships with trusted adults
- Clear communication between school, family, and support services
Key principle:
Attendance improves when students feel safe, understood, and supported.
