Live - Accessibility Plan Policy 2024-2027
Co-op Academy Hamilton
Accessibility Plan 2024-2027 Policy
Policy details
- Date created - May 2024
- Date reviewed - June 2024
- Date approved - June 2024
- Next review date - June 2027
- Policy owner - L Brandrick
Contents
- Aims
- Legislation and Guidance
- Action Plan
- Monitoring Arrangements
- Links with Other Policies
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 uncompromising in holding children at the centre of everything we do and it is our ambition to ensure ALL of our children reach their full potential.
We will constantly challenge ourselves, take risks and innovate to ensure our curriculum is broad, balanced, challenging and linked to our children’s interests. We have adopted a ‘MAGIC’ approach to our curriculum.
All staff lead by example, we recognise and value diversity, respecting everyone for who they are. Our staff ensure everyone can take part and everyone has the opportunity to be all they can be. We do not tolerate any prejudice.
All staff share our commitment to improvement, and we have a commitment to develop all staff through induction, empowerment and supported delegation. Our Appraisal systems challenge and support teachers’ improvement so that teaching is highly effective.
Everyone is valued within our academy and we welcome both internal and external challenge and feedback because we are committed to using our resources most effectively to achieve the best standards possible.
The plan will be made available online, on the school website.
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.
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
Aim | Current good practice | Objectives | Actions to be taken | Person responsible | Date to complete actions by | Success criteria |
Increase access to extra-curricular/enrichment activities for pupils with special educational needs and disability | Our school offers to all children;
Annual planners for each year group are reviewed annually to ensure MAGIC opportunities and enrichment activities are planned for All children who are entitled to pupil premium funding are invited to attend an extra-curricular club Extra-curricular clubs are planned throughout the academic year Child voice is used to inform which extra-curricular clubs are offered, as well which enrichment activities children would like to experience Parent voice is captured through parent questionnaires An inclusive approach is in place to ensure all children access wider school life and attend events We use resources tailored to the needs of pupils who require support to access the curriculum. The school works closely with external agencies and other schools to meet the needs of the children where appropriate. | To increase the number of children with special educational needs or disability to attend extra-curricular activities. (Where appropriate). Continue to implement and develop our enrichment curriculum to provide experiences for children beyond the classroom, developing awareness of the rights and needs of others (links with BV). To increase the awareness of the difficulties that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities experience during enrichment/extra-curricular activities To ensure staff have ongoing SEND training To promote the wellbeing policy and action plan to develop a school culture that promotes respect and values diversity To ensure adaptations are in place | To continue to plan and deliver a range of extracurricular activities that meet the needs of the children in the cohort. To continue to develop our enrichment curriculum which enriches experiences for children beyond the classroom, developing awareness of the rights and needs of others (links with BV), ensuring child voice is considered Staff CPD opportunities, through external providers Planned PDMS on SEND needs Implement the wellbeing policy and action plan with staff Complete stakeholder questionnaires School council to capture children’s voice | PE lead/ SENCO Curriculum lead and SENCO
All staff Leadership team/ SENCO Leadership team/ SENCO Leadership team/ SENCO School council lead
| Termly
Annually
Ongoing
Ongoing 24-25 academic year Termly Ternly
| An increase in children attending extra-curricular activities. Enriched curriculum planned and children’s awareness of others needs developed. Increase in disability awareness – no discriminatory complaints. Staff are able to meet children’s needs. Inclusive school environment is in place, which promotes respect and diversity Stakeholder voice is acted upon |
Maintain and improve regular use of the physical environment for those with social, emotional and mental health needs | The environment is adapted to the needs of pupils as required. This includes:
facilities
Personalised timetables are in place, where required, to allow curriculum adaptations and to ensure school is a positive experience for all children Forest schools is planned and delivered across the school to all pupils Risk assessments are in place Meet and greet and positive behavior culture, including a positive behavior policy which is consistently applied Work takes place with external agencies to ensure all factors are considered Wellbeing policy and action plan written MAGIC values support classroom practice Good to be me days take place annually to promote differences Awareness days are planned and delivered within the school curriculum | To ensure the school environment is suitable to meet the increasing needs of children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs. To ensure the curriculum develops opportunities for outdoor learning opportunities within the local environment To ensure the school is a welcoming place to be for all stakeholders
| Deliver staff CPD to upskill staff’s knowledge of social, emotional and mental health needs Deliver ongoing CPD on behavior to staff Develop wellbeing action plan, considering wellbeing for all stakeholders To complete a staff questionnaire on wellbeing Advice to be sought from external agencies, as required
Automatic doors to access office area to be added to site development plan Quotes to be sourced for automatic doors | Leadership team/ English leader
Leadership team/ SENCO Behaviour leader Wellbeing leader Wellbeing leader All staff Site manager Site manager | 24-25 academic year Ongoing Ongoing 24-25 academic year
24-25 academic year
Ongoing 24-25 academic year
24-25 academic year
| Children feel safe at school and know how to respond appropriately to the emotions they are feeling. Children use role play as a form of communication Behaviour policy approved. Reduced recorded behaviour incidents Consistency from staff and children resulting in exemplary behaviour Pupils with SEMH needs are able to fully access the environment Improved access to the school grounds for those with a disability. |
Develop communication and networking, offering support for all stakeholders
| Our school uses a range of communication methods to ensure information is accessible. This includes:
Staff meet with parents to support with paperwork completion and access to internal systems We offer a parent forum however uptake remains low We invite parents into watch me learn sessions, parents’ evenings and additional events We regularly send out questionnaires to all stakeholders and feedback is acted upon Staff have good relationships with parents Staff utilise additional agencies where required to support with barriers Robust safeguarding procedures are in place | To continue to develop communication channels with parents to improve delivery of information to support all pupils To develop the parent forum to include SEND support workshops to raise awareness of well-being, what we do in school and what stakeholders can do at home. To continue to engage with stakeholders in a range of ways To increase uptake at parent forum
| To make adaptations to letters/communication to support stakeholders To continue to develop resources via the class SEND page on the website for pupils with a disability.
To ensure the SEND report is developed into a more user-friendly format. Contact external agencies for support as required Promote parent forum / workshops to allow networking opportunities as well as feedback to school Send out stakeholder questionnaires regularly | All staff
SENCO SENCO All staff / SENCO Safeguarding and attendance officer Leadership team/ SENCO | Ongoing
Ongoing 24-25 academic year Ongoing Ongoing Termly
| Children are able to access information and resources.
Stakeholders are able to access information and resources.
Improved communication and parental attendance
SEND report is accessible to a wider audience.
Raise community awareness of special educational needs
|
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 Trustees.
5. Links with Other Policies
- Health and safety policy
- Trust Equality, Diversity & Cohesion Policy & Scheme
- Special educational needs (SEN) information report
- First Aid and Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs Policy
- Positive behaviour Policy
- Well-being Policy