Accessibility Policy and Plan

Policy details

Date created – 22/10/20

Date reviewed – 24/11/20

Next review date – 21/11/23

Contents

Policy details 1 Document Status 2 1. Principles 2 2. Legislation 2 3 Associated Policies 3 4 Policy Definitions 3 5 Co-op Academy Grange context 4 6 Access to the curriculum 4 7 Access to pastoral support 5 8 Site Accessibility 5 9 Access to information 5 10 Consultation 6 11 Monitoring and review 6 12 Professional Confidentiality 6

Document Status

* To be reviewed every three years or subject to any building/ curriculum or statutory amendments  

1. Principles

1.1. We are committed to the inclusion of all students. Every individual is valued and their achievements  celebrated.  

1.2. We support the entitlement of all students to a broad and balanced curriculum.  

1.3. Each student is helped to achieve their maximum potential by identifying and meeting their needs  and by overcoming potential barriers to learning.

1.4. This plan sets out the proposals of how Co-op Academy Grange will seek to increase access to  education for students with special educational needs and disabilities in the three areas required  by the planning duties in the Equality Act, 2010:  

− increasing the extent to which these students can participate in the Academy curriculum;  

− improving the environment of the Academy to increase the extent to which these students  can take advantage of education and associated services;  

− improving the delivery to these students of information, which is provided in writing for  students who are not disabled.

2. Legislation

2.1. This Policy takes account of:

− Special Educational Needs Code of Practice 2015

− Children’s and Families Act 2014

− Education Act 2011

− Education (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators) (England) Regulations 2014 − The Equalities Act 2010  

− Keeping Children Safe in Education, September 2020

2.2 The Special Education Needs (SEN) and Disability Act 2001 extended the Disability Discrimination  Act 1995 (DDA) to cover education. Since September 2002, the Governing Body has had three key  duties towards disabled students, under Part 4 of the DDA:  

a) not to treat students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) less  favourably for a reason related to their disability;  

b) to make reasonable adjustments for SEND students, so that they are not at a substantial  disadvantage;  

c) to plan to increase access to education for SEND students.

3 Associated Policies

3.1 This Policy should be read in conjunction with the following Trust Policies:

− SEND

− Academy Admissions Policy

− Complaints

− Educational Visits

− Equality Policy (Students)

− Examinations Procedures

− First Aid

− Health and Safety

− Managing and Administering Prescribed Medications

− Intimate Care

− Positive Discipline

− PSHCEE

− SMSC

− Teaching and Learning

4 Policy Definitions

4.1 Students have SEND if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision  to be made for them.

Students have a learning difficulty if they:

a) have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of students of the same age;  or

b) have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a  kind generally provided for other students of the same age in schools within the area of the local  education authority,

c) are under compulsory school age and fall within the definition at (a) or (b) above or would so do  if special educational provision was not made for them.

4.2 Students must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or form  of language of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught.

4.3 Special educational provision means:

4.3.1 For students of two or over, educational provision which is additional to, or otherwise  different from, the educational provision made generally for students of their age in schools  maintained by the Local Authority, other than special schools, in the area.

4.3.2 For children under two, educational provision of any kind.

See Section 312, Education Act 1996

4.3.3 A person has a disability for the purposes of the Act if he or she has a physical or mental  impairment and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or  her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

See Chapter 1, Section 6, Equalities Act 2010

5 Co-op Academy Grange context

5.1 Co-op Academy Grange is a secondary 11-16 academy with around 1500 students delivering an  outstanding mainstream education. It is located at Haycliffe Lane, Bradford, BD5 9ET.

5.2 Accessibility by public or private transport is by car (there is a carpark on site) or by buses. 5.3 All areas are fully accessible by lifts and/or ramps. All fire exits have accessible assembly points.

6 Access to the curriculum

6.1 Co-op Academy Grange will seek to increase the extent to which students can access the  curriculum by:

6.1.1 Providing a thorough student induction process, linking closely with feeder schools and  external services to support and accommodate the needs of students,

6.1.2 Ensure all staff adhere to Trust Policies regarding personalisation within the classroom and  the continued review of Student Learning Plans,

6.1.3 Ensuring all students with SEND are appropriately accommodated during the completion  of examination and assessments, for example, the provision of additional time, the  provision of a scribe or a laptop etc,

6.1.4 Ensure enrichment activities are as inclusive as possible and plans for educational visits  take into account individual student needs.

6.2 In order to make continuous improvements for students, our Academy will:

6.2.1 Monitor and review those areas of the curriculum which are normally difficult for SEND  students to access and make all required reasonable adjustments, for example, issuing a  lift key or re-rooming classes etc.

6.2.2 Scrutinise the data about SEND students after every assessment point and the sharing of  findings at Senior Leadership Team level, followed by implementation of intervention  strategies (where appropriate).

6.2.3 To further investigate avenues for supporting students with SEND external to the academy. 6.2.4 Provide a suitable transition process to provisions outside of our Academy, for example,  college, apprenticeship or other specialist SEND provision.

6.2.5 Local Governing Body meetings to consider the progress and performance, finance and  provision for students with SEND.

7 Access to pastoral support

7.1 Co-op Academy Grange will provide a bespoke pastoral structure for all students. 7.2 An Assistant Principal will be the Senior Lead for the Pastoral strand within the Academy. 7.3 Students may work with a teaching assistant (TA) or have support from a Senior Teaching  

Assistant (STA) as necessary to provide 1-2-1 support and challenge both in relation to their  personal and academic life.

7.4 Co-op Academy Grange will ensure that students with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)  receive the provision to which they are entitled and that all staff are aware of those students’  needs.

7.5 In order to make continuous improvements for students Our Academy will:

7.5.1 Ensure all staff receive appropriate training and development to meet the needs of the  students with whom they work, appropriate to their individual roles and responsibilities. 7.5.2 Provide quarterly reviews of performance data with specific reference to the performance  outcomes of SEND students.

7.5.3 Ensure there are timely reviews of Individual student risk assessments and any issues are  appropriately investigated in a timely manner

8 Site Accessibility

8.1 Co-op Academy Grange has in place full disabled access to all areas.

8.2 Designated parking for Blue Badge Holders is available at the front of the academy, close to the  front of the building.  

8.3 Additionally, there is sufficient washroom facilities throughout the site designed specifically for  disabled individuals to access.

8.4 There is a dedicated, multi-faith prayer room available for all staff and students to use. 8.5 Co-op Academy Grange will continue to take into account the needs of its students, staff and  visitors when planning and undertaking future site developments, for example, improvements to  access, facilities, lighting, acoustics and colour schemes.  

8.6 In order to make continuous improvements for students, our Academy will:

8.6.1 Conduct an annual review of incidents reported via the Operations Manager regarding  required site improvements, incidents and near misses, and also essential maintenance  works.

8.6.2 Provide termly reviews to the Local Governing Body regarding Estates and Safety matters. 8.6.3 Ensure that all areas have a full and in date risk assessment and that a dynamic risk  assessment is carried out at the very least when conducting ad hoc works.

8.6.4 Ensuring all students receive a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) in order to  safely evacuate a building in the case of an emergency.

8.6.5 Ensure compliance with the Trust Managing and Administering Prescribed Medications  Policy

9 Access to information

9.1 Co-op Academy Grange will provide access to information and performance updates in a variety  of ways including:

9.1.1 Academy Newsletter

9.1.2 Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)

9.1.3 Co-op Academy Grange website

9.1.4 Google Classrooms

9.1.5 Open Days

9.1.6 Parent/Carer and/or curriculum evenings/meetings

9.1.7 Meetings with parents/carers

9.1.8 SEND review processes

9.2 In order to make continuous improvements for students our Academy will:

9.2.1 Produce all college literature in the correct size font and on the appropriate colour  background to assist visually impaired students.

9.2.2 Investigate alternative ways of providing access to information, software and activities. 9.2.3 Investigate ways of communicating with SEND parents/carers and other adult users of the  site.

9.2.4 Make full use of external providers of support including those provides through the Local  Authority for providing information in alternative formats (for example Braille or audiotape)  if required.

9.2.5 Seek to use text alerts and Google Classroom notifications to communicate with specific  user groups.

10 Consultation

10.1 All sections of the Co-op Academy Grange community will be included in the development of this  accessibility plan with specific input sought from:

10.1.1 Students voice

10.1.2 Parents/Carer

10.1.3 SENDCo

10.1.4 Staff

10.1.5 Students

10.2 Feeder schools will be contacted to assist with the planning and information gathering of incoming  Year 6 students.

10.3 All students with an EHCP will have an annual review where students and parents/carers are  consulted about the provision they are offered and are able to contribute to an evaluative  commentary.

11 Monitoring and review

11.1 The Accessibility Action Plan will be monitored at each Local Governing Body meeting. 11.2 This policy will be reviewed every three years by the Local Governing Body.

12 Professional Confidentiality

12.1 Confidentiality is an issue which needs to be understood by all those working with students,  particularly in the context of safeguarding. The Trust recognises that the only purpose of  confidentiality in this respect is to benefit the student.