Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the medical conditions policies of schools are checked by Ofsted as part of their regular system of inspections.

The government knows how important it is that children with medical conditions are supported to enjoy a full education. That is why it has introduced a new duty to require governing boards to make arrangements to support pupils with medical conditions, and have provided statutory guidance outlining schools’ responsibilities in this area. This guidance sets out that 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. We keep the guidance under review, including in the context of school awareness, and the role it plays in securing accessibility of school policies

Ofsted’s Common Inspection Framework requires inspectors, in making judgements, 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 department works with organisations such as the Health Conditions in Schools Alliance to help raise awareness of the duty on schools, and recently promoted the duty through the department’s social media channels.