Accessibility Plan 2022-2025
Accessibility Plan 2022 to 2025
Approving Body: AGC
Ratified: Autumn 2022
Review: Autumn 2025
Contents
1. Aims
2. Legislation and guidance
3. Monitoring arrangements
4. Links with other policies
5. The Action plan
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.
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.
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 pupils, parents, staff and governors of the school.
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. 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.
4. 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
5. Action Plan
This action plan sets out the aims of our accessibility plan in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.
Aim | Current good practice | Actions to be taken | Person responsible | Date to complete actions by | Success criteria |
Increase access to the curriculum for pupils with a disability | Our school offers a differentiated curriculum for all pupils. We use resources tailored to the needs of pupils who require support to access the curriculum. Curriculum resources include examples of people with disabilities. Curriculum progress is tracked for all pupils, including those with a disability. Targets are set effectively and are appropriate for pupils with additional needs. The curriculum is reviewed to ensure it meets the needs of all pupils. | Order specific resources Ensure staff CPD is up-to-date and relevant Use ICT Liaise with outside agencies – Visual Support team, EP, Occupational Therapist | SENCO along with Subject Leaders | Within the first half term of identifying modifications need to be made. | All our pupils will have equal access to the curriculum in a personalized, bespoke form. |
Improve the delivery of information to pupils with a disability | Our school uses a range of communication methods to ensure information is accessible. This includes:
| SENDco to work with office staff to ensure accessibility. Close contact with parents to ensure full inclusion of the whole family. | SENDCo and Office Staff | Within the first half term of identifying modifications need to be made. | All our pupils and their families have equal access to information. |
Ensure the school is able to provide for any specific SEND needs that arise in the future. | Our school has
| Ensure a full and accurate picture of any specific pupils needs is received, from parents and (if appropriate) previous setting. Evaluate these needs with the support of relevant outside agencies and parents. Cross reference these needs with current provision – within the school itself (building/classroom) and the curriculum (resources – both human resources and academic resources) Develop an action plan to include a timeline of possible changes to the building, ordering specific resources and providing bespoke training as required. Evaluate effectiveness and adapt plan as necessary on a termly basis. | SENDCo Class teacher SBM Outside agencies HT Parents | As required | Pupils with specific needs enjoy school, contributing fully, and make good progress. Their parents have confidence in what and how the school is doing to support their child. |
Appendix 1: Accessibility audit | ||||
Feature | Description | Actions to be taken | Person responsible | Date to complete actions by |
Number of storeys | Two - corridors are clear for any wheelchair access | Termly monitoring as part of the H&S walkabout | Site Manager SBM | Termly |
Corridor access | Via lift | Termly monitoring as part of the H&S walkabout | Site Manager SBM | Termly |
Lifts | Yes | Termly monitoring as part of the H&S walkabout | Site Manager SBM | Termly |
Parking bays | Yes | Termly monitoring as part of the H&S walkabout | Site Manager SBM | Termly |
Entrances | All without the need for a ramp | Termly monitoring as part of the H&S walkabout | Site Manager SBM | Termly |
Ramps | Not needed | N/A | ||
Toilets | Disabled toilets x3 | Termly monitoring as part of the H&S walkabout | Site Manager SBM | Termly |
Reception area | Full access | Termly monitoring as part of the H&S walkabout | Site Manager SBM | Termly |
Internal signage | Clear signage for evacuation | Could be improved for VI pupils | Site manager SBM | As required |
Emergency escape routes | Clear plan in Fire File | Complete PEEP for specific pupils. Ensure the File Plan and Fire File is up-to-date and reviewed in the annual external fire safety check. | Site Manager SBM | As required |