Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page six of the guidance published by his Department in March 2021 entitled Face coverings in education, what reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils and students means.

The Department’s published guidance for schools to support the return to full attendance, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak.

As our published guidance outlines, schools have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils and students, to support them to access education successfully. Schools must continue to meet equalities duties outlined in the Equality Act 2010.

Guidance to help schools understand how the Equality Act affects them and how to fulfil their duties under the act is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/315587/Equality_Act_Advice_Final.pdf.