Accessibility Statement
Knayton C of E Academy Accessibility Plan January 2023
At Knayton C of E Academy we work hard to ensure that the culture and ethos are such that, whatever the abilities and needs of members of the school community, everyone is equally valued and people treat one another with respect. Our school provides pupils with the opportunity to experience understand and value diversity.
This policy and plan has been devised in accordance with the planning duty in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and as amended by the SEN and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA). It also draws on the guidance set out in “Accessing School: Planning to increase access to schools for disabled pupils” issued by the DFES in July 2002.
Definition of Disability
‘A person has a disability 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. This means that in general the person must have an impairment that is either physical or mental; the impairment must have adverse effects which are substantial; the substantial adverse effects must be long-term; and the long-term substantial adverse effects must be effects on normal day-to-day activities.’ (Equality Act 2010)
We have a duty to promote equality of opportunity, eliminate unlawful discrimination, eliminate disability related harassment, promote positive attitudes towards disabled people and encourage disabled people to participate in school life.
We also have a duty to prepare and publish a disability equality scheme that will outline accessibility to the school premises and its facilities, accessibility to the curriculum, accessibility of educational services, provision of training for school personnel and pupils which result in improved outcomes for disabled pupils, parents/carers and school personnel in all aspects of school life.
We are proud of our ethos of support, collaboration and respect for one another. We strive to create a safe and caring environment for all our pupils to experience success, happiness and excellence. All school users will benefit from the school’s disability equality scheme as it will allow them to take full benefit of the opportunities that this school offers.
We are committed to providing a fully accessible environment which values and includes all pupils, school personnel, parents and visitors regardless of their education, physical, sensory, social, spiritual, emotional and cultural needs. We are committed to challenging negative attitudes about disability and accessibility and to developing a culture of awareness, tolerance and inclusion.
Current Range of known disabilities
The school has children with a range of disabilities to include moderate and specific learning disabilities. We have a small number of pupils who have a vision impairment and one pupil with known hearing impairments. At present we have no wheelchair dependent pupils, parents or members of staff.
Contextual Information
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Main Building |
The building is a single storey building easily accessible for wheel chairs to be used
Corridors and the Central space is wide enough for wheel chairs to be used
There is a disabled toilet for adults near the main entrance
There is a disabled toilet for children in the outdoor classroom
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Classrooms |
Classrooms are accessible for wheel chairs with clear access to the fire doors.
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Outside of classrooms |
There are no stairs located in any of the buildings |
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Hall |
Main entrances are flat. Access to the fire doors and kitchen servery is clear and suitable for wheel chair bound pupils or staff |
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Playground |
Available for all pupils. Access is available without the need to use steps
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Field Area |
Available for all pupils
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Entrance Paths |
All clear of steps allowing easy access for all pupils and parents
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Forest School |
All clear of steps allowing easy access for all pupils and parents. There is a path within the Forest School that wheelchair users can use
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Target |
Strategies |
Time- scale |
Responsibility |
Success Criteria |
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Increase confidence of all staff in differentiating the curriculum |
Be aware of staff training needs on curriculum access
Assign CPD for dyslexia, differentiation and recording methods
Online learning modules if required |
On-going and as required |
SENDCO Headteacher
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Raised staff confidence in strategies for differentiation and increased pupil participation |
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Ensure classroom support staff have specific training on disability issues |
Be aware of staff training needs
Staff access appropriate CPD Online learning modules if required |
As required |
SENDCO Headteacher
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Raised confidence of support staff |
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Ensure all staff are aware of disabled children’s curriculum access |
Set up a system of individual access plans for disabled pupils when required
Information sharing with all agencies involved with child |
As required |
SENDCO Headteacher
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All staff aware of individuals needs |
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Use ICT software to sup port learning |
Make sure software installed where needed |
As required |
SENDCO Headteacher Computing Lead
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Wider use of SEN resources in classrooms |
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All educational visits to be accessible to all |
Develop guidance for staff on making trips accessible
Ensure each new venue is vetted for appropriateness |
As required |
SENDCO Headteacher Class Teacher |
All pupils in school able to access all educational visits and take part in a range of activities |
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Review PE curriculum to ensure PE accessible to all
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Gather information on accessible PE and disability sports
Seek disabled sports people to come into school |
As required |
PE co-ordinator
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All to have access to PE and be able to excel
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Improving access to the physical environment of the school
Provision, in exceptional cases, will be negotiated when a pupil’s specific needs are
known.
We have a wide range of equipment and resources available for day to day use. We keep resource provision under constant review. The schools improvement planning process is the vehicle for considering such needs on an annual basis.
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Target |
Strategies |
Time-scale |
Responsibility |
Success criteria |
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The school is aware of the potential needs of disabled pupils, staff, governors, parent/carers and visitors |
To create access plans for individual disabled pupils as part of the IPM process when required
Be aware of staff, governors and parents access needs and meet as appropriate
Through questions and discussions find out the access needs of parents/carers through newsletter
Consider access needs during recruitment process
Ensure staff aware of Environment Access Standard |
As required
Induction and on- going if required
Annually
Recruitment process |
SENDCO Headteacher
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IPMs in place for disabled pupils and all staff aware of pupils needs
All staff and governors feel confident their needs are met
Parents have full access to all school activities
Access issues do not influence recruitment and retention issues |
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Layout of school to allow access for all pupils to all areas |
Consider needs of disabled pupils, parents/carers or visitors when considering any redesign |
As required |
Headteacher/ Governors/ Site manager/ School Surveyor |
Re-designed buildings are usable by all |
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Ensure all disabled pupils can be safely evacuated |
Put in place Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) for all pupils with difficulties
Develop a system to ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities |
As required
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SENDCO Headteacher
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All disabled pupils and staff working alongside are safe in the event of a fire |
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Ensure accessibility of access to IT equipment |
Alternative equipment in place to ensure access to all hardware including hall
Liaise with VI/HI on information with regard to the visual impaired and hearing impaired pupils |
On-going and as required
Software may be required As required
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SENCO - Teachers |
Hardware and software available to meet the needs of children as appropriate |
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Ensure hearing equipment in classrooms to support hearing impaired |
Seek support from NYCC hearing impaired unit on the appropriate equipment |
Ongoing |
LA hearing Specialist Teachers |
All children have access to the equipment |
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All fire escape routes are suitable for all |
Make sure all areas of school can have wheelchair access
Egress routes visual check |
On-going and as required and as appropriate
Weekly |
Headteacher
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All disabled staff, pupils and visitors able to have safe independent access |
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Ensure seating and other furniture supports the physical needs of pupils |
Seek support from Specialist Teachers and Physiotherapy to purchase specialist furniture and access funding. |
Yearly for pupils requiring this |
SENDCo
Headteacher
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All disabled staff, pupils and visitors able to have safe independent access |
Improving the delivery of written information to disabled pupils
This will include planning to make written information that is normally provided by the school to its pupils available to disabled pupils. Examples might include handouts, textbooks and information about school events. The information should take account of pupils’ disabilities and pupils’ and parents’ preferred formats and be made available within a reasonable timeframe.
In planning to make written information available to disabled pupils we again need to establish the current level of need and be able to respond to changes in the
range of need. The school will need to identify agencies and sources of such materials to be able to make the provision when required. The ICT infrastructure will enable us to access a range of materials to support any need.
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Targets |
Strategies |
Time- scale |
Responsibility |
Success Criteria |
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Review information to parents/carers to ensure it is accessible. |
Provide information and letters in clear print in “simple” English
School office will support and help parents to access information and complete school forms
Ensure website and all documents accessible via the school website can be accessed by the visually impaired. |
During induction
On-going
Current |
SENCO /Teaching Support
Administrators
Administrators
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All parents receive information in a form that they can access
All parents understand what are the headlines of the school information |
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Improve the delivery of information in writing in an appropriate format |
Provide suitably enlarged, clear print for pupils with a visual impairment |
As required |
Administrators
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Excellent communication |
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Ensure all staff are aware of guidance on accessible formats |
Guidance to staff on dyslexia and accessible information |
On-going |
SENCO |
Staff produce their own information |
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Annual review information to be as accessible as possible |
Develop child friendly IPM review formats
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On-going |
SENCO
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Staff more aware of pupils preferred method of Communications
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Provide information in other languages for pupils or prospective pupils who may have difficulty with hearing or language problems |
Access to translators, sign language interpreters to be considered and offered if possible |
As required
Currently being provided for parent when necessary |
SENCO |
Pupils and/or parents feel supported and included |
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Provide information in simple language, symbols, large print for prospective pupils or prospective parents/carers who may have difficulty with standard form of printed information |
Ensure website is fully compliant with requirement for access by person with visual impairment.
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Administrators Headteacher |
All can access information about the school |
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For further information please contact the school Office on admin@knaytonacademy.org or 01845 537291 who will be able to provide further information.
Head teacher: Abi Clay
SENDCO: Rebecca- Niblett-Atkinson
