Q:
11.01 Does a school’s duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments extend to when the children go on a school trip?
Disability Law in Education No-nonsense Guide
Authors: Mandy Aulak, Sean Kennedy
10 Nov 2022
A: SenseCheck
- 1 Yes
- 0 No
- 0 Other
- 10 Nov 2022
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Yes
Complex
Yes. The duty in s20 EqA2010 would apply to school trips and in some instances a duty to make an adjustment can arise despite some inconvenience to others.
In deciding what adjustments are reasonable it is important that the school weigh the level of inconvenience to others against the substantial disadvantage faced by the disabled pupil.Glossary: EqA2010.
Example: Consider a school that plans a school trip to a local history museum in their town. One of the pupils in the class is deaf and as the museum does not have a hearing loop installed, she will be unable to participate in the trip. The school decides to change the trip and attend a museum in a neighbouring town which has a hearing loop. Although this will cause some inconvenience to the other pupils as the travel time to and from school is longer, the school decides that this is a reasonable adjustment to make given the substantial disadvantage faced by the disabled pupil if she can’t attend the trip.
For more general advice on Transport & SEN law – refer to Section 11: Noddy No-nonsense Guide to SEN law
Disability Law in Education No-nonsense Guide
Authors: Mandy Aulak, Sean Kennedy
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