Accessibility Plan 24 - 27
Accessibility Plan
Policy details
Date created - 05/2018
Date reviewed - September 24
Next review date - September 2027
Date approved - November 2021
This policy was approved by the LGB
Contents
Appendix 1: Accessibility audit
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1. Aims
Schools are required under the Equality Act 2010 to have an accessibility plan. The purpose of the plan is to:
- Increase the extent to which disabled pupils can participate in the curriculum
- Improve the physical environment of the school to enable disabled pupils to take better advantage of education, benefits, facilities and services provided
- Improve the availability of accessible information to disabled pupils
Our school aims to treat all its pupils fairly and with respect. This involves providing access and opportunities for all pupils without discrimination of any kind.
We are committed to providing an environment that enables full curriculum access that values and includes all pupils, staff, parents and visitors regardless of their education and individual needs. We are committed to taking positive action in the spirit of the Equality Act 2010 with regard to disability and to developing a culture of inclusion, support and awareness within the school.
The plan will be made available online on the school website, and paper copies are available upon request.
Our school is also committed to ensuring staff are trained in equality issues with reference to the Equality Act 2010, including understanding disability issues.
The school supports any available partnerships to develop and implement the plan.
Our school’s complaints procedure covers the accessibility plan. If you have any concerns relating to accessibility in school, this procedure sets out the process for raising these concerns.
We have included a range of stakeholders in the development of this accessibility plan, including governors.
2. Legislation and guidance
This document meets the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010 and the Department for Education (DfE) guidance for schools on the Equality Act 2010.
The Equality Act 2010 defines an individual as disabled if he or she has a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ adverse effect on his or her ability to undertake normal day to day activities.
Under the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice, ‘long-term’ is defined as ‘a year or more’ and ‘substantial’ is defined as ‘more than minor or trivial’. The definition includes sensory impairments such as those affecting sight or hearing, and long-term health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and cancer.
Schools are required to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for pupils with disabilities under the Equality Act 2010, to alleviate any substantial disadvantage that a disabled pupil faces in comparison with non-disabled pupils. This can include, for example, the provision of an auxiliary aid or adjustments to premises.
3. Action plan
This action plan sets out the aims of our accessibility plan in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.
Increase access to the curriculum for pupils with a disability
Short Term 2024 - 2025 | |||
Objective | Action | Person responsible | Outcome |
To further develop an accessible curriculum for pupils with SEND | All curriculum leaders develop subject areas with a focus on accessibility for pupils with SEND. | SENCo Curriculum Lead | Pupils with SEND are well supported to make good progress in a broad and balanced curriculum. |
To develop additional capacity for learning mentors and social and emotional support for pupils with SEND. | Recruit and develop a specific non-classroom based role for blended support for pupils with SEND. | SENCo Pastoral Team | Pupils with SEND have timely access to a mentor additional to classroom support. |
Medium Term 2024 - 2026 | |||
Objective | Action | Person responsible | Outcome |
To develop areas of curriculum expertise to support sustainable skilled curriculum provision for pupils with SEND | Create resources and resource areas to support purposely planned curriculum adaptations. Share good practice and CPD across the curriculum and teaching phases. | SENCo Curriculum Lead Subject Leads | Teaching staff are highly skilled and well supported to deliver a highly inclusive and adaptive curriculum for pupils with SEND. |
To develop an additional teaching and learning resource centre for personalised small group support. | Extend classroom core offer of technology. Repurpose the ICT suite as a learning resource area. | Business Manager Head of School SENCo | Pupils access personalised support to support sensory regulation and flexible learning schedules. |
Long Term 2024 - 2027 | |||
Objective | Action | Person responsible | Outcome |
To develop assistive technology in line with best practice available. | Annual audit of classroom technology. Budget for sustainable and equitable resourcing of assistive technology. Ongoing review of needs to inform deployment of resources. | SENCo Computing lead | Pupils with SEND have enhanced learning and assessment opportunities through relevant assistive technology. |
To have well equipped resources bases for a range of SEND needs. | Develop in school and outdoor sensory resource centres for purposeful and flexible learning. | Business Manager Head of School SENCo | Pupils with SEND have a range of highly purposeful and accessible learning pathways. |
Improve and maintain access to the physical environment
Short Term 2024 - 2025 | |||
Objective | Action | Person responsible | Outcome |
The school environment is fully accessible to disabled pupils and visitors. | Annual audit of the environment. Maintenance of disabled toilets and ramps and servicing of the lift. | Business Manager | All equipment is operational and well maintained. |
Existing play areas and areas to socialise are well resourced to support access and inclusion for pupils with SEND. | Weekly audit of play areas. Clear procedures to ensure the safety and durability of play areas and equipment. Clearly defined areas for team games, use of equipment and calmer play stations with good supervision established. | SENCo Sports leaders Teachers | All pupils have equitable and purposeful play opportunities. |
Develop sensory resource stations to support pupils with SEND | Termy audit of classrooms and communal areas and pupil needs. Order resources. CPD for staff. | SENCo | Pupils are well supported to reduce sensory overload and use sensory adaptations. |
Medium and Long Term 2024 -2025 | |||
Objective | Action | Person responsible | Outcome |
Further develop additional accessible play areas and areas to socialise. | Annual audit of accessibility. Budget for further development and improvements to accessible play areas. | SENCo Business Manager PE/Play leader. | All pupils have access to a range of high quality resources and areas enjoyable times to play and socialise. |
Improve the delivery of information to pupils with a disability
Short Term 2024 - 2025 | |||
Objective | Action | Person responsible | Outcome |
Information for parents is available in different formats. | Pupil induction forms available in different formats. Help guides for accessing Class Dojo and school surveys in different formats. All parents are able to attend meetings via telephone, video conferencing or in person. | SENCO School Office Team Class teachers. | All parents can access information, be part of the school community and give their views. |
Communication friendly classrooms for support pupils with SEND | Trust speech and Language therapist to audit and advise on communication friendly and accessible classrooms and school. Half termly environment monitoring for clearly labelled resources, displays and learning resources with dual coding. | SENCo
| All pupils can make effective use of the learning environment and access information for learning and school systems. |
Medium Term 2024 - 2026 | |||
Objective | Action | Person responsible | Outcome |
Communication Ambassadors support the learning community. | CPD and training programmes for staff and pupils to support accessing information. | SENCo | Pupils, parents and staff are well supported to access information and be fully included in our learning community. |
Long Term 2024 -2025 | |||
Objective | Action | Person responsible | Evaluation |
Further develop neurodiverse friendly information mediums throughout the school. | School to gain ASD accreditation. | SENCo | Our school is a centre of excellence for best neurodiverse practice. |
Review
Increase access to the curriculum for pupils with a disability
Short Term 2024 - 2025 | |
Target | Evaluation |
To further develop an accessible curriculum for pupils with SEND | |
To develop additional capacity for learning mentors and social and emotional support for pupils with SEND. | |
Medium Term 2024 - 2026 | |
Target | Evaluation |
To develop areas of curriculum expertise to support sustainable skilled curriculum provision for pupils with SEND | |
To develop an additional teaching and learning resource centre for personalised small group support. | |
Long Term 2024 - 2027 | |
Target | Evaluation |
To develop assistive technology in line with best practice available. | |
To have well equipped resources bases for a range of SEND needs. | |
Improve and maintain access to the physical environment
Short Term 2024 - 2025 | |
Target | Evaluation |
The school environment is fully accessible to disabled pupils and visitors. | |
Existing play areas and areas to socialise are well resourced to support access and inclusion for pupils with SEND. | |
Develop sensory resource stations to support pupils with SEND | |
Medium Term and Long Term 2024 - 2027 | |
Target | Evaluation |
Further develop additional accessible play areas and areas to socialise. | |
Improve the delivery of information to pupils with a disability
Short Term 2024 - 2025 | |
Target | Evaluation |
Information for parents is available in different formats. | |
Communication friendly classrooms for support pupils with SEND | |
Medium Term 2024 - 2026 | |
Target | Evaluation |
Communication Ambassadors support the learning community. | |
Long Term 2024 - 2027 | |
Target | Evaluation |
Further develop neurodiverse friendly information mediums throughout the school. | |
4. Monitoring arrangements
This document will be reviewed every 3 years but may be reviewed and updated more frequently if necessary.
It will be approved by the governing body.
5. Links with other policies
This accessibility plan is linked to the following policies and documents:
- Risk assessment policy
- Health and Safety Policy
- Equality Information and Objectives (public sector equality duty) Statement for Publication
- Special Educational Needs (SEN) Information Report
- Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions Policy
Appendix 1: Accessibility audit
Feature | Description | Actions to be taken | Person responsible | Date to complete actions by |
Number of storeys | 2 storeys | Lift and evacuation chair for emergencies | Governors SLT | |
Corridor access | Wide enough for wheelchair access | None required | Governors SLT | |
Lifts | 1 lift regularly serviced and maintained | Service and maintain | Governors SLT | |
Parking bays | 2 disabled bays | Used by disabled persons only | Governors SLT | |
Entrances | Wide enough for wheelchair access and level access | None required | Governors SLT | |
Toilets | 2 on ground floor 2 on second floor | Service and maintain | Governors SLT | |
Reception area | Wheelchair bay for signed in | None required | Governors SLT | |
Internal signage | Clearly signed rooms, disabled toilet etc | Review as necessary | Governors SLT | |
Emergency escape routes | Clearly signed fire doors regularly tested | Health and safety audits and site supervisors checks | Governors SLT |