Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the national approach to behaviour and attendance will include specific guidance on reasonable adjustments for pupils with speech and language challenges.

Some pupils, including pupils who have speech and language needs, may face additional challenges that can impact their behaviour and attendance.

Specialist support, such as from speech and language therapists, can play an important role in breaking down communication barriers so that those pupils can engage fully in education.

Our ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance requires schools, trusts and local authorities to take a support first approach to absence and work with families to remove individual barriers to attendance.

All schools are legally required to have a behaviour policy that is lawful, proportionate and reasonable, and comply with the school’s duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the Education and Inspections Act 2006. Any special educational needs or disability a pupil may have, including speech and language needs, must be considered when applying their behaviour policy.

Schools are expected to consider reasonable adjustments on a case-by-case basis, informed by the pupil’s individual needs, to ensure they can access education on an equal basis to their peers.