Introduction
This plan has been written to meet the requirements of school to carry out accessibility planning for disabled pupils as stated in the Equality Act 2010 and the SEND Code of Practice 2014.
English Martyrs’ recognises its duty:
• 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.
English Martyrs’ aims 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.
This plan will be reviewed regularly and will be updated every three years. This plan complements our SEN Policy, Equal Opportunities, Administration of Medicines, Safeguarding and Child Protection policies.
Definition of Disability under the Equality Act 2010 states that a person has a disability if:
• you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.
English Martyrs’ provides all pupils with a broad and balanced curriculum, differentiated and adjusted to meet the needs of individual pupils and their preferred learning styles. We endorse the key principles which underpin the development of a more inclusive curriculum:
• Setting suitable learning challenges
• Responding to pupils’ diverse learning needs
• Overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils.
The three areas to be considered in the action plan are:
a) Improving education and related activities. English Martyrs’ will seek and follow the advice of LA services, such as specialist teacher advisers and SEN advisers, and of appropriate health professionals from the NHS Trusts.
b) Improving the physical environment. English Martyrs’ 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.
c) Improving the provision of information. English Martyrs’ will make itself aware of local services, including those provided through the LEA, for providing information in alternative formats when required or requested.
Contextual Information
English Martyrs’ Catholic Primary School is a highly inclusive school. The large building, on extensive grounds, was formally two separate schools. An ongoing modernisation scheme, ensures that pupils have access to modern facilities. The EYFS is housed in the single storey section, which is fully accessible to the whole school community. There are two accessible toilets on the ground floor, which have alarm cords.
Information about the school’s disabled population
The school’s population often has children who have some kind of impairment, be it physical or mental. Some children have moderate and specific learning difficulties. Home visits are undertaken for all children beginning Nursery and Reception and if any children have additional needs the Local Authority, Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust and health advisers are contacted for support and guidance. Many staff members hold current first aid qualifications.
Transition meetings are held between class teachers each year. A thorough system of reviews takes place for children on the SEN register and those who have disabilities, including VI. Medical forms are signed by the head teacher and discusses medication use with parents. Where children have significant health problems, all appropriate adults are informed and photos are displayed on the staff notice board and/or the kitchen wall to hi-light a food allergy.
How appropriate is the current provision?
Staff are highly aware by effective communication of the issues faced by our disabled pupils and act to resolve them, e.g. adapting the timetable, lesson content and presentation of resources to ensure better accessibility, planning visits and clubs which are inclusive. Regular CPD addresses the inclusion agenda.
Provision in an Emergency
Children with specific physical needs have their own personal evacuation plans. Named adults are responsible for their evacuation in an emergency. We have regular evacuation practices for all children, including a procedure where we blow the whistle three times when we wish to evacuate the school grounds.
Recent projects to improve the physical environment have included:
• Canopies to ensure EYFS access external space during inclement weather
• Trim Trail installed in KS2 Yard
• Installation of gym equipment in KS2 Yard.
Targets for 2021 – 2024 and how we intend to achieve them.
Monitoring will be undertaken by the Local Governing Body, with advice from key professionals.