Wolsingham School

Accessibility Plan Agreed with Governing Body on: Summer 2018 SLT Lead: Business Manager Review Cycle: 3 year Date for Review: Summer 2021

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 students can participate in the curriculum

Improve the physical environment of the school to enable disabled students to take better

advantage of education, benefits, facilities and services provided

Improve the availability of accessible information to disabled students

Our school aims to treat all students fairly and with respect. This involves providing access and

opportunities for all students without discrimination of any kind.

Compliance with the above-mentioned legislation is consistent with the school’s aims,

Equality Policy and the operation of the school’s Special Educational Needs (SEN) Policy;

As an admissions authority our admissions policy applies which does not discriminate

against a disabled child;

We recognise that it is unlawful to discriminate against a disabled student by excluding him

or her from the school for a reason related to the student’s impairment;

When recruiting staff disabled people will not be discriminated against;

We recognise and value parents’ and carers’ knowledge of their child’s disability and seek

partnership and consultation;

We provide all students with a broad and balanced curriculum, differentiated and adjusted

to meet the needs of individual pupils. Our curriculum endorses the key principles in the

National Curriculum, underpinning the development of a more inclusive curriculum:

- setting suitable learning challenges;

- responding to students’ diverse learning needs;

- overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of

students;

- by ensuring that all staff are aware of the procedures for identifying and monitoring teaching

and supporting students, young people and adults with disabilities.

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.

To ensure Wolsingham School is a welcoming environment for everybody, we believe it is important

to consult all stakeholders. Where adjustments need to be made, we have consulted those who

have an understanding of different disabilities and the barriers they present. Those consulted in the

development of the Plan include:

Students with and without a disability;

Parents of students who have a disability;

Staff;

Governors;

Members of our community with relevant experience;

Local Special School’s and Outreach Teams.

Our consultation included questions about barriers to learning and full involvement in school life.

We discussed:

Movement around the building and grounds easily and confidently;

Having equal opportunity to access lessons and other activities;

How we could improve communication between home and the school;

How we could raise awareness of the scheme and the issues addressed so that all members

of the school community could be more proactive in including disabled people in every aspect

of school life.

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 students with disabilities under the

Equality Act 2010, to alleviate any substantial disadvantage that a disabled student faces in

comparison with non-disabled students. This can include, for example, the provision of an auxiliary

aid or adjustments to premises.

Accessibility Audit

Feature Description Actions to be taken Person responsible Date to complete actions by

Number of storeys The school is built upon a range of levels and has varying corridor widths and several access points from outside.

The School is currently fully compliant with relevant legislation and is subject to external audit to review these features on a regular basis.

SBM On-going

Corridor access All corridors are suitable in size to accommodate wheelchair access.

All areas to be cleared of obstruction at all times.

All staff On-going

Lifts The School has two passenger lifts. One is located in the former Grammar School building and the other is sited in the newer section of the school. Two classrooms located half way on staircases in the old Grammar School building are difficult to access and would require assistance from others if it is necessary to use those rooms.

Currently maintained by the local authority through our SLA. Consideration of student timetables to accommodate access to suitable classrooms.

SBM KMO

On-going

Parking bays On-site car parking for staff and visitors includes three dedicated disabled parking bays next to the old boys’ entrance. Access can then be gained via a dedicated entrance that has no steps for access. The Sports Hall and Swimming Pool also have two dedicated parking bays and entrances are designed to facilitate access.

Fully compliant with current legislation. SBM On-going

Entrances Entrances to the school are either flat or ramped and all have wide doors fitted. Main entrance has steps as a design feature but access is available via alternative route.

Fully compliant with current legislation. SBM

Ongoing

Ramps The disabled entrance has a disabled ramp leading into the main body of the School.

Toilets The School has accessible toilets sited at various points throughout the School and Sports Facilities.

Internal signage The School has internal directional signage identifying key areas as well as the flow of movement.

Ongoing monitoring of all access in and around School, further strategies to be implemented as and when required.

SBM Ongoing

External signage The School has external signage that clearly indicates routes for disabled access and for car parking.

Fully compliant with current legislation SBM Ongoing

Emergency escape routes

The School has internal emergency signage and escape routes are clearly marked. Refuge Zones are available and clearly signed on each floor with Personal Evacuation Plans in place for students / staff considered at risk.

All emergency signage is being monitored and reviewed as necessary by site staff.

SBM On-going

Lighting The School has adequate lighting in place – including for those people with visual impairment or affected by sensory overload - as advised by the Chartered Institute of Building Services

Fully compliant with current legislation SBM

Access to IT Equipment SENDCo liaises with DCC specialists and School Network Manager with regard to visually impaired and hearing impaired students with appropriate equipment, aids and adaptations purchased as needed.

Ongoing and as Required SENDCo

Support for hearing impaired

Hearing Loop installed and maintained in key areas. Seek support from LA hearing impairment team on appropriate equipment.

When needed SENDCo

General Principles

Target Strategies Timescale Desired Outcomes

Accessibility Plan and Equality Statement to become an agenda item at a Full Governing Body meeting.

Head Teacher to ensure that this is added to a FGB meeting once a year.

Annually Adhere to current legislation

Training to raise awareness of equality disability issues.

Discuss perception of issues with staff / governors to determine the current status of the School. Provide training for governors, staff, students and parents as appropriate.

Use of CPD sessions including drop in CPD, inset days and staff weekly bulletins.

The whole school community will be aware of issues relating to access.

SEND policy to be updated and revised to reflect any new Code of Practice or updates.

Policy to be re-written by the SENDCo in consultation with staff and governors as required.

Staff INSET September Governor training – SEND Code of Practice.

Staff and Governors are aware of current legislation.

Continue to improve the experience and access of students with Mental Health Conditions.

Discuss perception of young people’s mental health related issues with staff / governors to determine the current status of the school. Provide training for governors, staff, students and parents. Continued implementation of School self-harm policy and procedures.

Ongoing The whole school community will be aware of issues relating to access for students with mental health conditions.

Reduce risk of Islamophobia / bullying based upon religious preference.

Implement processes for the collection of robust data in relation to student religious preference. Monitor data in relation to provision of required facilities such as prayer space / incidents of bullying in school. The School will continue to make available dedicated, quiet and comfortable facilities for the purpose of prayer.

September 2018

The School will have a robust data set relating to the diversity of religious preference among students and will have considered any association between bullying and religious preference in school. The school will have considered and ensured provision of required facilities and made these available to students.

Ensure pregnant students / staff or students / staff who are mothers receive their entitlement to a full curriculum.

School pastoral staff to provide sensitive and appropriate support to any student who is pregnant or who has recently had a baby, including respecting confidentiality when appropriate. School to provide information to pregnant students, and their parents / carers where appropriate, about health and other services in the local area and how to access them.

Ongoing

Ensure that our staff and students do not experience any unfair disadvantage as a result of pregnancy or having recently given birth.

Pastoral staff take into account the wishes of pregnant students to return to learning when they have had their babies. We will provide suitable education to meet students’ needs, while the student is not attending school and work with other agencies to enable pregnant students and young mothers to reintegrate into school, including through provision of a reintegration plan. We ensure that a student / student who becomes pregnant is entitled to authorised absence to cover the time immediately before and after the birth of her child. How we foster good relations and community cohesion:

- We would ensure we respond to any bullying of a pregnant student.

- Our PSHE curriculum encourages students to develop understanding of the experiences of young parents and challenge negative stereotypes.

To continue improving communication for any hearing-impaired member of our school community.

Sign language interpreter to be arranged for any hearing-impaired member of our school community or school visitor as required.

As required Ensuring accessibility for all.

Review documentation with a view to ensuring accessibility for students with visual impairment.

Advice from DCC specialists on alternative formats and use of ICT software to produce customised materials.

As required Delivery of school information to student and parents / carers with visual impairments.

Make available the School brochures and newsletter and other information / materials for parents / carers in alternative formats.

Review all current School publications and promote the availability in different formats for those that require it. The School will make itself aware of the services available through the LA for converting written information into alternative formats.

When needed Ensuring accessibility for all.

Written material will be made available in alternative languages.

The School will seek to translate key information when requested with support from DCC specialists.

When needed School information will be available for all.

To ensure admissions are dealt with appropriately.

HT in liaison with LA admissions team to ensure admission policy is updated as required.

Ongoing Admissions policy ensures disabled children are included.

To put in place individual arrangements for disabled students if needed e.g. breaks / lunchtimes.

System well embedded and ongoing as required.

As required Ensuring accessibility for all.

To provide additional coaching or training for disabled students, staff, parents, carers.

System well embedded and ongoing as required

As required Ensuring accessibility for all.

Ensure the curriculum is used to promote understanding of disability.

Leader of PSHE ensures broad use of PSHE / published resources to ensure curriculum covers the understanding of disability. Festival of Culture inclusive to all and includes events specifically catering to SEND issues and including identified opportunities for SEND students.

Ongoing / Annual Ensuring accessibility for all / positive promotion of SEND opportunities, issues and images of disabled people.

To monitor and prevent any disability related bullying.

The School records all reports of bullying and identifies any that may be disability related. Any disability related bullying is monitored and action taken where appropriate. The School seeks to ensure that all adults / students have understanding of disabilities and the extra provision they may require Disabled students, staff, parents and carers encouraged to report on related harassment. All staff are trained on whistleblowing and reporting procedures.

Ongoing as required.

Any disability related bullying is monitored and appropriate action taken on every occasion with incidents reducing over time. Disabled students, staff, parents and carers are able to be confident in reporting any harassment and in the response of the School.

Ensure staff are aware of disabled children’s curriculum access and that all staff follow the SEND code of practice in relation to this.

Information sharing with all agencies and stakeholders involved with the child, review meetings etc.

As required

All staff are aware and can meet the individual needs of students with additional / complex needs. All staff are able to support students access to the curriculum.

Classrooms are optimally organised and appropriate additional equipment is provided to promote the participation and independence of all students.

Classrooms and other teaching spaces include furniture and specialist equipment to support the learning process in individual classes according to the individual needs identified. Student voice is considered in identifying specific student needs. SENDCo liaises with parents, carers and outside agencies to enable multi-disciplinary approach to meeting the needs of the student.

Ongoing All classrooms and learning spaces are appropriate to the needs of SEND students.

Access arrangements to meet individual needs when taking tests and examinations will be applied for and support provided when required.

SENDCo will ensure appropriate student testing and will provide evidence to support access arrangements.

Ongoing All students will have their individual needs met and any barriers to achieving their full potential will be removed.

Target Strategies Timescale Desired Outcomes

Increase access to the curriculum for students with a disability. We aim to ask about any disability or health condition in early communications with new parents and carers. For parents and carers of children already at the school, we collect information on disability as part of a survey of parents’ views.

Regular and timely liaison between SENDCo, Office Manager, Premises Manager and KCL to review approaches and policies. Weekly briefings between SENDCo and KCL to review Personal Evacuation Plans and Health needs planning. Students requiring the use of a wheelchair are escorted to lessons by a member of support staff. Extra support is allocated where necessary to students with physical disabilities who require help to use DT equipment. Modified tools and utensils are available and wherever possible the school seeks advice from the Local Authority Occupational Health Officer and other NHS professionals. Bespoke arrangements are created for those at risk of severe mental health issues/SEMH needs such as modified timetables, mentoring CBT based approaches and counselling, again seeking advice from mental health professionals so children can access the curriculum effectively.

Ongoing

The school has a proactive approach to collecting information from parents in order that needs are addressed quickly and efficiently. The school aims to have a robust ‘anticipatory’ approach rather than a reactive one.

Improve and maintain access to the physical environment. Disabled students participate in extra-curricular activities. Some aspects of extra-curricular activities present particular challenges, for example: lunch and break times for students with social / interaction impairments, after-school clubs for students with physical impairments, school trips for students with medical needs.

The School has a proactive maintenance and small works schedule; this forms the basis of all accommodation works where legislation dictates and budgets allow. Disabled students are informed and given access to school extra-curricular activities and excursions in line with opportunities given to non-disabled students, wherever it is possible and physically safe to do so in order to increase inclusion opportunities.

Ongoing

Disabled students are informed and given access to school extra-curricular activities and excursions. Alternative locations for students with Social, Emotional, Mental Health Needs continue to be provided. Designated area to administer injections. Warm clothing kept for designated students with health needs so they can access PE. ‘Safe spaces’ for students with Autism.

Alternative, supervised locations for those students with Social, Emotional, Mental Health Needs during break and lunch time. Designated clean area for Type 1 diabetics to administer injections. Warm clothing is kept for designated students with health needs so they can access Physical Education Designated ‘safe spaces’ for students with Autism to access in school if they require time away from busy areas during unstructured time.

Improve the delivery of written information to students. There are areas of the curriculum to which disabled students have limited or no access. Some areas of the curriculum present particular challenges, for example: PE for students with a physical impairment, science and technology for students with a visual impairment, humanities for students with learning difficulties. Other issues affect the participation of disabled students, for example: bullying, peer relationships, policies on the administration of medicines, the provision of personal care, the presence or lack of role models or images of disabled people, in effect, all the school’s policies and procedures, written and unwritten.

Alternative signage (visual prompts) to be displayed at entry and exit points around the school and the subject areas on each floor. Modifications to exam papers and test materials where permissible for Visually impaired students who meet Access standards. Flashing Alarms in Disabled toilets for Hearing Impaired students. Visual timetables issued to students with specific learning disabilities or hearing impairment. Access to allow an alteration to typeface on school website to support Visually impaired students / parents / carers.

Ongoing

Signage to be produced and located Liaison between SENDCo and exams officer. Tests of equipment conducted to ensure they are in good working order. Network Manager to improve access to website.

Action Plan Increasing access for disabled students to the school curriculum

Target What Who When Success criteria Short term

Increase confidence of all staff in differentiating the curriculum.

Be aware and plan from staff training on curriculum access.

Headteacher / Assistant HT CPD / Teachers / SENDCo

On-going as required

Management and teaching staff are aware of the accessibility gaps to the curriculum.

Ensure hearing impaired students are able to access the curriculum.

Ensure hearing impaired equipment is fully used in classrooms where needed.

SENDCo / DGU On-going Hearing impaired students have access to correct equipment.

Medium term Ensure classroom support staff have specific training on disability issues.

Staff access appropriate CPD.

Headteacher / SENDCo Assistant HT CPD On-going as required

Staff members have the skills to support children with SEND.

School trips take into account children with SEN and disabilities

Needs of children with SEND incorporated into planning process.

Teachers / SENDCo / Lead first aid (KCL) On-going as required

Planning of school trips takes into account children with disabilities.

Long term

Students with SEND access lessons including PE lessons.

Using individual support plans to make reasonable adjustment where necessary. Seek advice from professionals where necessary. Purchase specialist equipment where appropriate.

Headteacher / ICT Manager / SENDCo On-going as required Students with SEND can

access lessons.

Improving access to the physical environment of the school Issue What Who When Success criteria Short term The school is

aware of access needs of disabled students, staff, governors, parents / carers.

Access plans / risk assessments for individuals completed as / when required.

Headteacher / DNA / KCL / SENDCo

As / when required

School is aware of accessibility gaps to its physical environment for individuals.

Disabled parking available for visitors / staff.

Visitors bay to be kept clear at all times. Staff to be aware of potential visitors that require disabled access.

School Business Manager (DNA)

On Going / As required. School is accessible to all.

Medium term

Ensure all disabled students can access all floors and areas of the school

Key staff to have access to lift keys. Individual risk assessments undertaken by Local authority as required. LA advice is acted upon

SENDCo / School Business Manager

On Going / As required. School is accessible to all.

Ensure all disabled students can be evacuated safely.

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan in place for students that need assistance.

SENDCo / DNA / Resources committee

As / when required

All disabled students and staff working alongside are safe in the event of a fire.

Improving the delivery of information to disabled students and parents / carers Issue What Who When Success criteria

Short term

Information for parents and students to be more accessible .

Review SEND information to parents / carers to ensure it is accessible. Office staff will support and help parents to access information and complete school forms where necessary. Ensure website and all documents available on the school website

SENDCo Office staff Business manager ISI

On Going

All parents / carers receive information in a form that they can access.

Medium term

Ensure website is fully compliant with requirement for access for all.

Review website and put into place requirements needed. Ensure all documents on the website can be accessed by the visually impaired.

Business manager / ISI CBL

Autumn 2017 Website is fully accessible

Long Term

Provide information in other languages for students or prospective students who may have difficulty.

SENDCo to look into access to translators, sign language interpreters considered and offered where possible

SENDCo Summer 2018

Students and / or parents feel supported and included