Health and Physical Capacity to Teach Declaration

Please read the below information and complete the form at the end

Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers have a responsibility to ensure that trainees have the health and physical capacity to teach and will not put children and young people at risk of harm. The activities that a teacher must be able to perform are set out in the Education (Health Standards) (England) Regulations 2003.

To fulfil the conditions of your offer, you will need to submit an Occupational Health Assessment Form and be assessed as 'fit to teach' or 'fit to teach with adjustments'. Any medical and/or personal information (including any disability) you disclose on your Occupational Health Assessment form will be held “in confidence” by the Occupational Health Department. Specific information about underlying causes will not be disclosed to the Centre for Teacher Education without your permission. With your permission, the Centre for Teacher Education will be advised of any relevant condition, its effect on function and recommended adjustments to allow you as a trainee to fulfil the required competencies for graduation and professional practice in the UK

PLEASE NOTE: iQTS candidates are not required to complete an Occupational Health Assessment Form, but must complete the form at the end of this page

Health and physical capacity to teach

The activities that a teacher must be able to perform are set out in the Fitness to Teach – Occupational health guidance for the training and employment of teachers (DfEE 2000) and Education (Health Standards) (England) Regulations 2003. These activities include:

The ability to communicate effectively with pupils, colleagues and pupils’ relatives
Possession of sound judgement and insight
The ability to remain alert at all times
The ability to respond to pupils’ needs rapidly and effectively
The ability to manage classes
The trainee must not constitute a risk to the health, safety or wellbeing of pupils
Planning and preparing lessons and courses for children and young people
Delivering lessons
Assessing development, progress and attainment, and
Reporting on development, progress and attainment.

There is no legal requirement for a teacher to be able to lift heavy objects, drive, swim, deal with a child’s everyday physical need or participate in physically demanding activities. Further information on training to teach with a disability is available from the DfE website.

Examples of impairment needing careful assessment to ensure safe teaching practice:

Mobility – must be compatible with outcomes set by the DfE, including responding to pupils’ needs rapidly and effectively
Upper Limb function – all trainees must have manual dexterity sufficient to achieve mandatory outcomes set by the DfE
Vision, Hearing and Speech – must be compatible with the ability to communicate effectively with pupils, colleagues and pupils’ relatives
Freedom of infection – Trainees have a responsibility to protect pupils and colleagues from an increased risk of infection. If trainee teacher is aware that they have a condition which could be transmitted to a pupil, they must take and follow advice from a consultant in occupational health or from another suitably qualified doctor
Interruption of consciousness – The risk must be low enough to represent minimal risk to pupils and must be compatible with responding to pupils’ needs rapidly and effectively
Concentration, awareness, memory, ability to learn and understand, literacy and numeracy – trainees must be able to meet the competence standards set by the DfE in relation to spoken, written and electronic communication with pupils, colleagues and pupils’ relatives, as well as sound judgement and insight. Trainees must have full awareness of their own mental health, when to seek help and from whom.

Please complete and submit this form to agree and confirm your understanding of the following statements:

Warwick ID Number - 7 Digit Number on all correspondence from University of Warwick. PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAILS FROM PGTEAM2

Forename

Middle Name(s)

Surname

Email address (this needs to be the same address used on your application form - if for whatever reason this is not possible please contact us to advise).

Course Route and Phase

1) I confirm that I am physically and mentally fit to carry out activities that a teacher must be able to perform on my main placement (as set out in Education (Health Standards) (England) Regulations 2003) and summarised above.

2) If I am currently accessing support for a physical or mental health disability, I am happy to discuss this with a University Tutor and Course Leader to ensure that, with any reasonable adjustments (as defined in Equality Act 2010), I will be able to undertake the roles and responsibilities expected of me on my placement.

3) I am aware that I must keep any medication in a safe place, out of reach of children.

4) I do not know of any reason why I could be deemed as unsuitable to teach.

5) I will immediately inform the Course Leader and my Personal Tutor of any changes to my physical or mental health that might impact my ability to carry out the required duties.

I agree to the five points above

Trainees with Disabilities or conditions that may require support or adjustment to their course (including school-based placement)

We are keen to support all trainees to successfully complete their course and this question aims to encourage a positive climate of disclosure and a holistic approach to support: Please confirm whether you would like a meeting with the Departmental Senior tutor to discuss your disability or condition, in order to enable us to agree any reasonable adjustments which should be made to support you whilst on placement or as part of your academic studies with the University. Please ensure you disclose any and all conditions on this form, to allow us time to put into place any required reasonable adjustments where appropriate. Failure to disclose any conditions may have implications on your placement if the need for adjustment becomes apparent after the admissions process.

Privacy notice

The University of Warwick will process the personal data provided on this form for the purposes of administrating and confirming your capacity to teach.

The legal basis for processing this personal data is necessary for the performance of your student contract.

Your personal data will not be shared or disclosed to any third parties external to the University of Warwick except your placement school(s). To enable Centre for Teacher Education to fulfil its contract and ensure that the appropriate support, including reasonable adjustments, is implemented throughout your course, we will share all relevant information that is disclosed with key personnel within your placement school(s).

The date and time of your submission, your identity and the information you have submitted will all be stored and used for the purpose of administering and recording your confirmation of your capacity to teach and facilitating a meeting with the Senior Tutor if you have requested one.

The University of Warwick is the Data Controller of any information you have entered on this form and is committed to protecting the rights of individuals in line with Data Protection Legislation. The University's Data Protection webpages provide further information on your rights and how the University processes personal data. If you wish to submit a data subjects rights request, make a complaint or report a suspected personal data breach, please contact the University’s Data Protection Officer by email at infocompliance@warwick.ac.uk.

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