School Accessibility Plan

This plan is drawn up in accordance with the planning duty in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 as amended by the SEN and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA) and the Equality Act (2010). It draws on the guidance set out in “Accessible School: Planning to Increase Access to schools for disabled pupils” DfE.

Definition of Disability:

Disability is defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA)

“A person has 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”. This includes sensory impairment and learning difficulties resulting from or consisting of mental illness.

Key Objective:

To reduce and eliminate barriers to access to the curriculum and to full participation in the school community for pupils, and prospective pupils with a disability. We also aim to eliminate barriers for staff, governors, visiting professionals, parents, and the community.

Principles:

Compliance with the DDA is consistent with the school’s aims and equal opportunities policy, and the operation of the school’s SEN policy:

The school recognises its duty under the DDA (as amended by SENDA):

• Not to discriminate against disabled pupils in their admissions and exclusions, and provision of education and associated services.
• Not to treat disabled pupils less favourably
• To take reasonable steps to avoid putting disabled pupils at a substantial disadvantage
• To publish an Accessibility Plan.

In performing their duties Governors and staff will have regard to the Disability Rights Commission DRC Code of Practice (2002)

The school recognises and values parents’ knowledge of their child’s disability and its effect on his/her ability to carry out normal activities, and respects the parents’ and Childs’ right to confidentiality.

The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum, differentiated and adjusted to meet the needs of individual pupils and their preferred learning styles; and endorses the key principles in the National Curriculum , which underpin the development of a more inclusive curriculum. We aim to:

• Set suitable learning challenges
• Respond to pupil’s diverse learning needs
• Overcome potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils.

Education and related Activities:

The school will continue to seek and follow the advise of the LA services, such as specialist teacher advisors and SEN inspectors/advisors, and of appropriate health professionals from the local NHS trusts.

Physical Environment:

The school will take account of the needs of pupils and visitors with physical difficulties and sensory impairments when planning and undertaking future improvements and refurbishments of the site and premises, such as improved access, lighting, acoustic treatment and colour schemes, more accessible fixtures and fittings.

Provision of Information:

The school will make itself aware of local services, including those provided through the LA, for providing information in alternative formats when required or requested

This plan will contribute to the review and revision of related policies:

• School strategic plan
• SEN policy
• Single Equality scheme
• Curriculum Protocols