Reasonable Adjustments Checklist
What a school can put in place now, without waiting for a diagnosis — which many families are never told, and which is the point of this page.
Schools in most countries owe reasonable adjustments based on need rather than on a diagnosis, and all sixteen here — a named adult, advance notice of change, a written plan, a break-time plan — can be in place while a family is still waiting.
Reasonable Adjustments Checklist
Frequently asked
Does my child need a diagnosis to get support at school?
No. In Great Britain the duty under the Equality Act applies to a disabled pupil whether or not anything has been diagnosed, and SEND support in England is explicitly not conditional on a diagnosis. Similar principles apply in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and Canada. Being told to come back with a diagnosis is common and is generally wrong.
What is the most useful single adjustment?
Families and SENCOs both tend to name the same one: a named adult the child can go to without having to explain themselves first. It costs nothing and it is the one that most reliably prevents an incident becoming a crisis.
Why does writing them down matter so much?
Because staff change, cover teachers arrive, and an informal arrangement lasts exactly as long as the teacher who agreed it. A written plan that cover staff can see is what makes an adjustment survive a Tuesday.
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