Gillotts Access Plan
The SEN and Disability Act 2001 amended Part 4 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 by introducing duties on Local Authorities and schools in relation to disabled students and prospective students.
Our Access Plan is a plan for:
· Increasing the extent to which disabled pupils can engage in the school curriculum.
· Improving the physical environment of schools to increase disabled pupils’ physical access to education and extra curricular activities.
· Improving the delivery of information to disabled pupils, using formats which give pupils better access to information.
The responsibility for the Access Plan lies with the governing body and headteacher. The day-to-day management of the Plan is led by the SENCo.
The following groups were consulted in the process of drawing up the Access Plan:
· Governors
· Staff
· Students
· Parents / Community Groups
· Others (e.g. LA)
It was approved by the Governors on 30 June 2009.
Date of Review: June 2012 (Curriculum and Student Progress), November 2012 (Finance and Resources), May 2015 (Curriculum and Student Progress), June 2015 (Finance and Resources)
Next review: June 2018
Senior Member of Staff Responsible:
Ed Newbold (Deputy Headteacher, Curriculum)
Linked policy documents and information:
· Admissions (Prospectus)
· Curriculum Policy
· Equality Policy
· Behaviour for Learning Policy
· SEN Policy
· Health and Safety (including Risk Assessment)
PHYSICAL ACCESS
Statement
/ Evidence / Action neededThe size and layout of areas allows access for all pupils including
Academic areas e.g classrooms, assembly hall, library
Sporting areas e.g gymnasium, outdoor sporting facilities
Social facilities e.g canteen, common rooms
Play areasPlaygrounds / SEN and Disability Act 2001 audit undertaken in February 2003 / Actions included in Phased action plan below.
Now completed
Pupils who use wheelchairs can move around the school without experiencing barriers to access such as those caused by doorways, steps and stairs. Toilet facilities have adequate room to accommodate a hoist and changing beds if needed. Showers are available and accessible.Initial j / Joint inspection of Facilities with Education Access officer Nick Tomkins, May 2003.
Other substantive work on site since 2003 has been compliant with DDA. / Access works Now completed
Access to disabled showering facilities in Henley Leisure Centre where we have a Joint Use agreement (Aug 06 confirmed with Daniel Lee, OCC Property & Assets that this is sufficient provision)
Pathways of travel around the school site and parking arrangements are safe logical and well signed. / Inspection by Facilities Manager / Items highlighted in Phased action plan now completed
Emergency and evacuation systems inform ALL pupils, including pupils with SEN and disability.
Alarms have visual and auditory components. / Evacuation procedure to be reviewed to include actions for pupils with SEN and disability / Completed September 2003
Reviewed annually or when student with particular disabilities arrives at the school
Non-visual guides are used to assist disabled people when using buildings. e.g. lifts with tactile buttons. / Review provision and include any improvements required in any new building work / Upgrade as required
Include action in premise development plans
Décor and signage are not confusing or disorientating for pupils with visual impairment, autism or epilepsy / Review provision and include improvements in new building work / Upgrade as required
Include action in premise development plan
All area to which pupils have access are well lit / Facilities Manager to include this requirement in regular inspections / On going
Steps are taken to reduce background noise for hearing impaired pupils e.g consideration given to a room’s acoustics, noisy equipment etc. / Review policy of using hard floor finishes in classrooms and corridors / Ongoing. Consider carpets when floor coverings replaced
Furniture and equipment are selected, adjusted and located appropriately. e.g height adjustable tables available, low level sinks. / Review furniture provision when replacing. Ensure LA provide specialist furniture where appropriate. / Ongoing. Review when replacing furniture
Phased Action Plan: Physical Access
The school undertook an audit of physical environment within the school in February 2003. This audit was reviewed in May 2005 with Noel Pearson of the OCC Premise Management team. The improvements identified in the first audit have been completed and suitable access has been achieved to the majority of the school. Where access is not available to first floor areas provision can be made for disabled students and teachers by timetabling classrooms on the ground floor.
The school now has three toilets serving the disabled and all buildings are accessible by ramped access.
Timescale / Item / Cost / StatusAugust 2003 / Install ramped access to Maths, Art, MFL, Gym, Music, Learning Support and the Dining room, / From LA funding / Completed
September 2004
August 2003 / Install hydraulic lift from Art Display to ICT/OLC / From LA funding / Completed
April 2005
August 2003 / Provide toilets suitable for disabled users in MFL and Humanities. / From LA funding / Completed
September 2004
August 2004 / Provide ramped access to entrance area and make reception accessible to disabled users.
Provide ramped access from reception and art to playground / £3500 / Completed
September 2004
August 2004 / Provide toilets suitable for disabled users at reception. / £9000 / Completed
September 2004
August 2004 / Improve artificial lighting levels in Science classrooms / £1000 / Completed
August 2005
April 2005 / Improve external lighting to all external pathways including music and P1/P2 / £1000 / Completed
August 2004
December 2005 / Provide furniture suitable for disabled users in Textiles / £500 / Completed
April 06
March 2006 / Provide furniture suitable for disabled users in Science classrooms / £1500 / Completed
August 2006 in S3 & S4 refit
August 2006 / Provide shower facilities suitable for disabled users. / £9000 / SOLL provision is adequate. (Mar 08)
CURRICULUM ACCESS
Statement
/Evidence
/Action needed
/All teachers and teaching assistants have the necessary training to teach and support pupils with a variety of disabilities. / All teachers have QTS. On-going commitment to TA training evidenced by training log. / Inclusion development Programme to be addressed in staff development slots
Classrooms are optimally organised for disabled pupils. / Specific needs of individual students are flagged up via Individual Student Profiles and teachers are expected to arrange their classrooms in response / Use staff meetings (where appropriate) to ensure all staff are familiar with potential barriers/ ways to overcome them.
Re-assess to meet changing needs of students.
Lessons provide opportunities for all pupils to achieve. / This is an expectation of all teachers and subject areas – it has been assessed through the Subject Quality Assurance (QA) process; the Learning Support QA and the Inclusion Audit / Use evidence from the QA process to identify areas of concern – provide relevant training through staff development slots/ staff meetings
Lessons are responsive to pupil diversity. / Lesson observation records
Subject QAs / Use evidence to identify areas of concern – provide relevant training through staff development slots/ staff meetings
Use coaching model to provide additional support
Lessons involve work done by individuals, pairs, groups and the whole class. / Lesson observation records
Subject QAs
Minutes of staff development meetings (e.g. work on developing group work and co-operative learning) / Use evidence to identify areas of concern – provide relevant training through staff development slots/ staff meetings
Use coaching model to provide additional support
All pupils are encouraged to take part in music, drama and physical activities. / Extra-curricular programme
Lists of students participating in activities
Results from Extra-curricular survey (to be completed on a regular basis) / Complete analysis of Extra-curricular survey to identify gaps in provision
Staff to take register of student attendance.
Analyse participation rates of students with SEND
Plan for meeting needs where possible/ appropriate
All staff recognise, and allow for, the mental effort expended by some disabled pupils e.g. lip reading by hearing impaired pupils, slow writing speed for dyslexic pupils. / Subject Quality Assurance (QA) process; the Learning Support QA and the Inclusion Audit
Homework load reduced for ASD students, use of escape cards, use of LSAs, access arrangements for exams / Use a staff meeting (when required) to ensure all staff are familiar with potential barriers/ ways to overcome them
Re-assess to meet changing needs of students.
All staff recognise and allow for the additional time required by some disabled pupils to use equipment in practical work. / Subject Quality Assurance (QA) (e.g. Art, Creative Technologies, PE); Learning Support QA and the Inclusion Audit / Use a staff meeting (when required) to ensure all staff are familiar with potential barriers/ ways to overcome them
Re-assess to meet changing needs of students.
Disabled pupils who cannot engage in some particular activities are given alternative experiences. e.g. pupils who cannot participate in all forms of physical education.
Teachers provide a variety of opportunities for pupils with SEND/AEN to provide outcomes in formats that are not always written. / Use of LSA as practical assistant; use of peers as runner in PE; use of word-processors.
Planning for need as part of transition process from primary school. / Continue with systems in place.
Access to computer technology is appropriate for students with disabilities. / ICT Health and Safety audit
SEND ICT Service used to ensure students’ needs are met. Use of Clicker 5, Dragon Speak, word-processors / Ensure issues raised by ICT Health and Safety audit are resolved
School visits, including visits abroad, are made accessible to all pupils irrespective of attainment or impairment. Guidance is available in ‘Out and About in Oxfordshire’
and on the Intranet. / OCC guidance is followed
LSAs accompany SEN students where necessary. / Monitor participation rates of students with SEND
All staff have high expectations of all pupils. / Subject QA, Learning Support QA and the Inclusion Audit
Termly analysis of assessment data by HoH and SL informs intervention planning / Continue with these processes
All staff seek to remove all barriers to Learning and participation. / Subject QA, Learning Support QA and the Inclusion Audit / Continue with these processes.
Examination concessions such as the provision of extra time, rest time, or support from a communication support worker is recognised and in preparation for public examinations e.g. in mock examinations. / Database of examination concessions / Continue to work with subject areas to ensure that individual concessions are provided where possible.
Review timing of tests.
Phased Action Plan: Curriculum Access
Statement
/Action needed
/Timescale
/Cost
/Status
/All teachers and teaching assistants have the necessary training to teach and support pupils with a variety of disabilities. / Inclusion development Programme to be addressed in staff development slots / Ongoing / ASD training sessions
ADHD training session and regular briefing slots focused on these elements
Classrooms are optimally organised for disabled pupils. / Use staff meeting (when required) to ensure all staff are familiar with potential barriers/ ways to overcome them.
Re-assess to meet changing needs of students. / Ongoing / Yes when relevant
Lessons provide opportunities for all pupils to achieve. / Use evidence from the QA process to identify areas of concern – provide relevant training through staff development slots/ staff meetings / Ongoing / LT QA of subject areas once every 3 years – internal, SL-led QAs taking place in intervening two years.
Report includes feedback on teaching & learning and curriculum organisation – provides evidence for subject SEF and development planning.
Lessons are responsive to pupil diversity. / Use evidence to identify areas of concern – provide relevant training through staff development slots/ staff meetings
Use coaching model to provide additional support / Ongoing
Ongoing / QAs have helped identify development priorities (whole school and subject level) – linked to staff training through TLCs and individual staff needs.
Lessons involve work done by individuals, pairs, groups and the whole class. / Use evidence to identify areas of concern – provide relevant training through staff development slots/ staff meetings
Use coaching model to provide additional support / Ongoing
Ongoing / Evidence used to establish whole school development priorities – form basis for subject development plans (e.g. development of group work in RS and geography)
All pupils are encouraged to take part in music, drama and physical activities. / Complete analysis of Extra-curricular survey to identify gaps in provision
Staff to take register of student attendance.
Analyse participation rates of students with SEN
Plan for meeting needs where possible/ appropriate / 2014-15
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing / Extra-curricular survey needs to be completed annually (will become easier to manage via Google Forms once BYOD scheme introduced)
SIMS used to record attendance although not systematic.
Some analysis (e.g. recent music QA) but needs to be better planned.
All staff recognise, and allow for, the mental effort expended by some disabled pupils e.g. lip reading by hearing impaired pupils, slow writing speed for dyslexic pupils. / Use a staff meeting (when required) to ensure all staff are familiar with potential barriers/ ways to overcome them
Re-assess to meet changing needs of students. / Ongoing / Staff briefings
E-mails to relevant members of staff
Staff Bulletin
Access Arrangements list made available to teachers
All staff recognise and allow for the additional time required by some disabled pupils to use equipment in practical work. / Use a staff meeting (when required) to ensure all staff are familiar with potential barriers/ ways to overcome them
Re-assess to meet changing needs of students. / Ongoing / Staff briefings
LSA in relevant lessons
E-mails to relevant staff
Disabled pupils who cannot engage in some particular activities are given alternative experiences. (e.g. pupils who cannot participate in all forms of physical education).
Teachers provide a variety of opportunities for pupils with SEND/AEN to provide outcomes in formats that are not always written. / Continue with systems in place. / Ongoing / Close communication with relevant HoH and SL.
Alternative curriculum and activities available
Alternative modes of assessments.
Access to computer technology is appropriate for students with disabilities. / Ensure issues raised by ICT Health and Safety audit are resolved / Sept. 2009 / All students with needs provided with relevant equipment (e.g. Year 11 student with visual impairment who has a Sapphire (magnifier device) and her own laptop with specific software.
‘Write online’ has been provided on 10 laptops for use by SEND students.
Introduction of BYOD scheme (start 2015-16) should support this process but must ensure that SEND students have access to devices/ appropriate support.
School visits, including visits abroad, are made accessible to all pupils irrespective of attainment or impairment. Guidance is available in ‘Out and About in Oxfordshire’
and on the Intranet. / Monitor participation rates of students with SEND / Ongoing / Yes. School continues to include as many SEND students as possible.
E.g: Year 10 ASD student who was involved in the French exchange.
All staff have high expectations of all pupils. / Continue with these processes / Ongoing / Ongoing
All staff seek to remove all barriers to learning and participation. / Continue with these processes. / Ongoing / Ongoing
Staff briefings provided on the frame of the ne SEND Code of Practice.
Support request system put in place for accessing LSA support with specific students.
Examination concessions such as the provision of extra time, rest time, or support from a communication support worker is recognised and in preparation for public examinations e.g. in mock examinations. / Continue to work with subject areas to ensure that individual concessions are provided where possible. / Ongoing / Ongoing
ACCESS TO INFORMATION