Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 8 November 2017 to Question 110581, on pupils: health, what discussions she has had with representatives from Health Conditions in Schools Alliance on compliance by schools in England with the statutory guidance.

We worked with a range of stakeholders in the development of the statutory guidance, including the Health Conditions in Schools Alliance, school leaders, academy organisations, unions, young people and their parents, and Department of Health officials. We then consulted publicly on the draft guidance, receiving 265 responses. Respondents included headteachers, teachers, school governors and local councils, in addition to many voluntary and community sector organisations who support children and young people with various medical conditions. 89% of respondents said that, overall, the statutory guidance would be helpful in supporting pupils with medical conditions effectively. Neither the consultation nor our discussions with stakeholders identified concerns about schools not being prepared or able to comply with the guidance.

The department recently promoted the guidance through the department’s social media channels and reached over 32,000 people. We do not hold data on whether this reached all schools in England. 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.

My officials are in regular communication with the Health Conditions in School Alliance. My department will be inviting representatives to a roundtable in the near future to discuss the issue of keeping children with medical conditions safe in school.