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Accessibility Plan
CHILDREN'S SERVICES
Accessibility Plan
2024 -2027
Date agreed: December 2024
Review date: Autumn 2025 (after new Learning Resource Centre built)
Developed by: Catherine Cresswell, Angela Brown and Alex Ryan
Approved by: Headteacher and Finance, SEND Lead and Business Manager
1.Introduction
All schools must have an Accessibility Plan. This is required by law - Equality Act 2010.
Accessibility Plans support current and future pupils with a disability.
The Equality Act says that a person has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
Accessibility Plans set out how, over time, a school will:
- increase access to the curriculum
- improve the physical environment of the school
- make information more accessible by providing this in a range of different ways
This is our school Accessibility Plan.
2.Vision and aims
Our aim is for everyone at Cerne Abbas CE VC First School to feel part of the school community. We are committed to making our school as accessible as possible. We want our pupils with a disability to:
- be fully included in school life
- actively take part in high quality learning
- thrive and enjoy their learning
- develop the skills to go on and lead fulfilled lives as adults
- be empowered, confident and able to function as independently as possible
We want our pupils with a disability to access all elements of school life. This includes school clubs, activities and trips. We recognise that we may have to do things a little differently to make this happen.
3. Objectives
At Cerne Abbas CE VC First School , all staff and governors will be aware of, and working in line with:
- this Accessibility Plan
- the wider disability provisions set out in the Equality Act
- the United Nations Conventions on the rights of:
- the child
- persons with disabilities
Our SEND Governor, Mrs Angela Brown, will champion the needs of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. They will be involved in developing and reviewing this Accessibility Plan.
Our staff will remove disadvantage faced by pupils with a disability by:
- adopting a ‘can do’ attitude
- having a flexible approach to teaching
- modifying the curriculum and environment
Person-centred systems will be in place to support the inclusion of pupils with a disability.
4. School context
The school is small with an Early Years Class (FS1 and 2), a KS1 class (Years 1 and 2 together) and a KS2 class (Years 3 and 4 together). It is set in the beautiful village of Cerne Abbas. It is a Church of England, Voluntary Controlled School with strong links to the church and the church community. This close- knit nature is reflected in the school with our children knowing the values that we have. Our vision is to be the best we can be. Our living Christian values are:
Friendship, Trust, Peace, Joy, Courage and Forgiveness.
Although small, we offer every aspect of the National Curriculum and more besides! The teaching staff and supportive Governing Body regard your child’s social and emotional as well as their academic progress as crucial to both the child as an individual and to the future of society as a whole. We aim to achieve high standards of English and Maths to enable the children in our care to access further learning throughout life.
Pupils achieve exceptionally well. OFSTED comments include 'high quality teaching and an exciting curriculum.' 'Excellent care, guidance and support lead to a very positive personal development for pupils.' 'Pupils’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is reflected in their consideration for others and the environment.' 'Pupils are courteous, friendly and respectful.'
The school also offers before and after school clubs, many educational visits both in our beautiful surrounding village and further afield, an excellent range of information technology, a full programme of outdoor education and games (often supported by outside expertise), and a Christian ethos strengthened by our church links. Both the staff and pupils enjoy working with other local schools to our mutual benefit.
Here at Cerne Abbas CE VC First School we strongly believe in creating a positive, purposeful atmosphere where children are enthusiastic and fully engaged in their learning. We want and expect our children to thrive, to be happy and to feel challenged and excited by their school day.
We are the oldest working school in Dorset build around 1836 – we have buildings on different levels which means we are only about 30% accessibility for wheelchair bound and no access to toilets at present. We are awaiting a new Learning Resource Centre to be built on our internal playground but unfortunately it will not improve physical accessibility as accessible via steps.
5. Pupil data
We ask for information about any disabilities or health conditions in early communications with new parents and carers. We also carefully observe our pupils’ progress.
Where our pupils have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan, we use the information within this to ensure that we have a good understanding of their disabilities and how to support them.
Current pupil data shows that at the start of the 01/09/2024 academic year, 21 percent of our pupils were regarded as disabled under the Equality Act 2010. Our pupils have the following areas of need:
List areas of need
Glue ear 1
ASD/ADHD/Autism 1
Organ specific 5
Speech& Lang 7
6. Audit
To help us develop our Accessibility Plan, we undertook an environmental audit of Cerne Abbas CE VC First in December 2022 . This told us that we need to :
- Increase access to the curriculum
- Utilise the physical environment of the school as we can as it hinders accessibility to the Nursery, Reception Class and all toilets
- make information more accessible
7. Consultation
In developing our Accessibility Plan, we have consulted with:
- our SEND Lead
- other staff at the school, including the leadership team.
- Our Governing body.
8. Previous actions
Access to the curriculum
During the period of our previous Accessibility Plan, we improved access to the curriculum for pupils with a disability through the following means:
- Our focus is to enable SEND children to show their knowledge and understanding without the barriers of literacy preventing them.
- Classroom are designed to meet the needs of all children with uncluttered, simple displays.
- Calm spaces available.
- Chunking of information and scaffolding learning.
- Developing independence with use of support materials.
- Dual coding.
- Senior SEND TA.
- Children with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD and ASD (low spectrum) can easily access classrooms and resources but some areas not accessible with physical disability.
- Lessons are responsive to pupil diversity with lesson modifications, ICT provided through the non-negotiable classroom essentials list.
The physical environment
During the period of our previous Accessibility Plan, we improved the physical environment of the school to increase access for pupils with a disability by:
- Classroom are designed to meet the needs of all children
- New lighting
- Developing a Pod to include sensory equipment
- The new Learning Resource Centre should give access to more of the site.
- Secure EYFS outside area to allow for independence free flow of indoor and outside environment
Access to information
During the period of our previous Accessibility Plan, we made written information more accessible to pupils with a disability by:
- Dual coding
- PECS and picture boards and timetables
- Zone of regulation in Early Years
- Simple work sheets where needed
- Uncluttered
- Information chunked.
9. Sources of advice and information
Our Accessibility Plan has been written following guidance from the Local Authority and considering the Dorset Local Authority Accessibility Strategy.
10. Other policies
Our Accessibility Plan complements and supports our:
- Special educational needs and disability policy and SEN information report
- Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions policy
- Equality information and equality objectives
It can also be read alongside the following school documents:
- Child protection policy
- Curriculum policy
- Staff development policy
- Health and safety policy (including off-site safety)
- Behaviour policy
- School development plan
11.Implementation and monitoring
Our Accessibility Plan shows how we will continue to improve accessibility at Cerne Abbas CE VC First School for pupils with a disability (and for staff and visitors to the school) over the next 3 years. It may be used to inform other school planning documents.
We will work in partnership with the Local Authority in implementing the Accessibility Plan. Where necessary, environmental works will be guided by relevant buildings regulations.
Sufficient resources will be allocated to implement this Accessibility Plan.
The Accessibility Plan will be reviewed regularly (and updated if needed). It will be monitored through the governing body.
This Accessibility Plan runs for 3 years and will be updated in Autumn 2027 (will be amended after the building of the Learning Resource Centre. Once updated, we will advise our parents/ carers of this via our usual communications and on our website.
12. Accessibility Action Plan
Increasing Access to the Curriculum
Outcome 1 | |||
What outcome do we want to achieve? | Increasing access to the curriculum | ||
What actions will we take to achieve this? | Need for visual images of diversity around the school | ||
How can we tell if this is successful? | Evidence of visual diversity to include disabilities | ||
When will this work be done? | Ongoing | ||
Approximate cost | £50 | ||
Responsible person(s) | Headteacher | Date complete | On going |
Outcome 2 | |||
What outcome do we want to achieve? | Increasing Access to the Curriculum | ||
What actions will we take to achieve this? | Diversity in the curriculum. To include representations of diversity throughout the curriculum subjects taught. Buying books for children that include diversity termly. | ||
How can we tell if this is successful? | Diversity included in all curriculum subject taught | ||
When will this work be done? | Ongoing | ||
Approximate cost | £150 per annum | ||
Responsible person(s) | All teaching staff | Date complete | Ongoing |
Improving the physical environment
Outcome 1 | |||
What outcome do we want to achieve? | Improving the physical environment | ||
What actions will we take to achieve this? | Lighting improved to help visually – all lighting in classrooms replaced with LED bulbs. | ||
How can we tell if this is successful? | Pupils reading better | ||
When will this work be done? | Competed by Dorset Council | ||
Approximate cost | Dorset Council paid | ||
Responsible person(s) | Dorset Council | Date complete | Completed |
Outcome 2 | |||
What outcome do we want to achieve? | New Learning Resource Centre | ||
What actions will we take to achieve this? | Hopefully improve the percentage accessible for physical disabilities. | ||
How can we tell if this is successful? | More areas accessible to wheel chair users. | ||
When will this work be done? | Spring 2024 | ||
Approximate cost | |||
Responsible person(s) | Date complete | ||
Outcome 2 | |||
What outcome do we want to achieve? | Edges to steps need to be highlighted | ||
What actions will we take to achieve this? | Step to Ducklings need to be edged in white | ||
How can we tell if this is successful? | Children less prone to tripping. | ||
When will this work be done? | Ongoing | ||
Approximate cost | |||
Responsible person(s) | Site Manager | Date complete | On going |
Outcome 3 | |||
What outcome do we want to achieve? | Continue to ensure that Classrooms are designed to reduced distraction and sensory overload. Calm spaces for pupils to withdraw if necessary. | ||
What actions will we take to achieve this? | Continue to ensure all classrooms have reduced clutter and busyness – non negotiable. Eden pod with sensory equipment Sensory area developed outside Trendle Class | ||
How can we tell if this is successful? | Calm surroundings for children to learn to the best of their ability. | ||
When will this work be done? | Ongoing | ||
Approximate cost | £400 | ||
Responsible person(s) | Teachers /SEND Lead | Date complete | Ongoing |
Making information more accessible
Outcome 1 | |||
What outcome do we want to achieve? | Continue to keep written information to simple language | ||
What actions will we take to achieve this? | Visual timetables in classrooms. Now and Next boards as necessary | ||
How can we tell if this is successful? | All children calm and engaged. | ||
When will this work be done? | Ongong | ||
Approximate cost | |||
Responsible person(s) | Teachers | Date complete | Ongong |
Outcome 2 | |||
What outcome do we want to achieve? | Opportunities to reduce written information | ||
What actions will we take to achieve this? | Phone calls could be made if necessary | ||
How can we tell if this is successful? | All parents accessing information at all times | ||
When will this work be done? | Ongoing | ||
Approximate cost | |||
Responsible person(s) | Admin Officer | Date complete | Ongong |
Outcome 3 | |||
What outcome do we want to achieve? | ICT explored to its full potential | ||
What actions will we take to achieve this? | Current area of development for the SEND evaluation | ||
How can we tell if this is successful? | SEND Pupils accessing more of the curriculum by utilising IT – school has hired 15 ipads for pupils to use | ||
When will this work be done? | Ongoing | ||
Approximate cost | £1500 per annum | ||
Responsible person(s) | Teachers, SEND Lead and Teaching assistants | Date complete | Ongoing |
A positive, purposeful and enthusiastic atmosphere