ACCESSIBILITY PLAN
Last Reviewed: | October 2022 | Next Review: | October 2024 |
Responsibility: | Finance & Strategic | Approved on: | October 2022 |
Approved By: | Trustees and Governing Body |
Background
This Accessibility Plan is compliant with current legislation and requirements as specified in Schedule 10, relating to Disability, of the Equality Act 2010. School Governors are accountable for ensuring the implementation, review and reporting on progress of the Accessibility Plan over a prescribed period. This accessibility plan ensures that we continue to improve all aspects of the physical environment of the school site, the curriculum and written information so that all students with a disability can take full advantage of the education and associated opportunities provided by Barnby Road Academy.
In order to compile our original disability equality scheme and accessibility plan the first time round we consulted with a group of people drawn from pupils on the school council, parents through a questionnaire, community and governors within a working party and staff within a staff meeting. Since the PSED (Public Sector Equality Duty) came into place this document has been updated to include only the accessibility plan.
This scheme incorporates the school’s plans to increase access to education for disabled pupils, staff, parents and visitors.
“A person has a disability 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 carry out normal day to day activities” Physical or mental impairment includes sensory impairments and also hidden impairments. In the DDA ‘substantial’ means ‘more than minor or trivial’. ‘Long-term’ means has lasted or is likely to last more than 12 months.
The definition is broad and includes children with a wide range of impairments, including learning disabilities, dyslexia, autism, speech and language impairments, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), diabetes or epilepsy, where the effect of the impairment on the pupil’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities is adverse, substantial and long-term. All those with cancer or surviving cancer; HIV or Multiple Sclerosis are now included from the point of diagnosis. A significant number of pupils are therefore included in the definition.
Normal day-to-day activity
The test of whether the impairment affects normal day-to-day activity is whether it affects one or more of the following:
• mobility;
• manual dexterity;
• physical co-ordination;
• continence;
• ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects;
• speech, hearing or eyesight;
• memory or ability to concentrate, learn or understand;
• perception of risk of physical danger.
Statement
The school recognises and accepts the need to make all reasonable provisions for the admission of any prospective pupils who are disabled, any staff who are appointed, parents or any visitors to school. The school has or has had pupils who have Asperger’s Syndrome, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia, Down’s Syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder, Oppositional Defiance disorder and food allergies as well as those who have impairments in hearing, speech, sight and physical movement. Provision for these pupils has been made in terms of medication, resources, specialist support, teaching support, the physical environment, policy development, risk assessment, the allowance of extra time in examinations, and, where required, by the use of such aids as laptop computers and specific software and resources. We have had children, parents and staff using crutches and staff with temporary disabilities. Adjustments have been made to the school environment to include these people. The school cooperates with parents in the administration of medication to those children with permanent medical conditions, such as asthma, whose education would be severely disrupted if it was not available at school. We have specialist trained staff in the use of the epi-pen for anaphylaxis, furthermore, the school is willing to discuss the administration of medication to pupils who may require it from time to time e.g. after illness (please see separate policy).
Provision
The extent to which disabled pupils can participate in the school curriculum we consider:
In improving the physical environment of the school we consider:
Strategy
As part of the school’s disability equality scheme, the school has adopted the following approach:
In order to consider all the implications of an open access policy with regard to disabled policies, the curriculum committee will review the disability, inclusion, health and safety, SEN, and any other relevant policies as appropriate.
This scheme will be reviewed regularly by Governors.
The important content of school documentation complies with dyslexia friendly fonts and formats. We have notified parents that accessibility of text based resources can be provided, in different ways i.e. coloured paper etc. if we are notified.
This scheme will be published on our website and all parents and community will be notified of its existence and have the opportunity to access a copy online or a paper version through school.
Disability is primarily associated with; P Physical impairment, S Sensory impairment, LD Learning difficulty. MC Medical condition, MI Mental illness, Spld Dyslexia, ADHD, Dyspraxia, ASD, Tourette’s, SEBD Social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, Sp&L Speech and Language Difficulties.
General targets
Target | Strategies | Outcome | Timescale | Achievement |
The use of a disability panel for future consultation purposes |
| Children are informing ‘best practice’ and accessibility directly. They feel their needs are being fully considered and appropriately met. | Panel reviewed annually and needs considered on a termly basis. | Input into improved disability access is informed. |
Assessment of site facilities by disabled access group |
| The site is modified to meet identified needs. Ease of movement around the building allows the full potential/experience of the site. | Reviewed as need arises. | Physical accessibility to all improved. |
Increase knowledge of disability and disability legislation of lead person in order to facilitate the raising of the awareness of whole school regarding duties. |
| Lead person raises awareness of disability legislation in place and our responsibilities as a school. | Annual review of pupils in school and staff understanding of their disabilities | All staff fully understand the school responsibilities and duty of care. |
Improving Curriculum access
Target | Strategy | Outcome | Timescale | Achievement |
Training for teachers on differentiating the curriculum. |
| All teachers are able to more fully meet the requirements of disabled children's needs with regards to accessing the curriculum. | Ongoing review | Increase in access to the School Curriculum. |
All out-of-school activities are planned to ensure the participation of the whole range of pupils. |
| All out-of-school activities will be conducted in an inclusive environment with providers that comply with all current and future legislative requirements. | Currently not a difficulty. Review where necessary. | Increase in access to all school activities for all disabled pupils. |
Classrooms are optimally organised to promote the participation and independence of all pupils. |
| Lessons start on time without the need to make adjustments to accommodate the needs of individual pupils. | Audit undertaken. Meets needs of current cohorts. | Increase in access to the National Curriculum. |
Training for Awareness Raising of Disability Issues. |
| Whole school community aware of issues relating to Access. | Ongoing. | Society will benefit by a more inclusive school and social environment. |
Address the needs of Eastern European pupils accessing the curriculum with English as an additional language |
| Staff have enhanced strategies for inclusion. Resources are enhanced and collated. Translation materials and sites are available. | Ongoing review of provision. | A more inclusive school that celebrates and communicates well with families in which English is an additional language. |
Improving the Delivery of Written Information
Target | Strategy | Outcome | Timeframe | Achievement |
Availability of written material in alternative formats. |
| The school will be able to provide written information in different formats when required for individual purposes. | Ongoing. | Delivery of information to disabled pupils improved. |
Make available school brochures, school newsletters and other information for parents in alternative formats – when deemed necessary. |
| All school information available for all. | Ongoing. | Delivery of school information to parents and the local community improved. |
Review documentation with a view of ensuring accessibility for pupils with visual impairment – when deemed necessary. |
| All school information available for all. | When necessary appropriate steps are taken. | Delivery of school information to pupils & parents with visual difficulties improved. |
Raise the awareness of staff of the disabilities we have in school both among staff and pupils and the strategies needed to support their learning or working. |
| Awareness of target group raised | Induction. Annual review of pupils in school and staff understanding of their disabilities. | School is more effective in meeting the needs of pupils. |
Improving the Physical Access
Item | Activity | Timescale |
Accessible car parking | Disabled bay marked out | Ongoing |
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The Accessibility Plan will be reported upon annually in respect of progress and outcomes, and provide a projected plan for the four year period ahead of the next review date. This plan reflects new statutory requirements for the setting of Equality Objectives.