KatherineSemarJuniorSchool
Disability Equality Policy and Scheme
September 2010 – September 2013
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This Disability Equality Policy and Scheme has ‘Safeguarding
Children and Child Protection’, ‘Every Child Matters’,
‘Excellence and Enjoyment’, the school’s ‘HealthySchool’,
And Inclusion Quality Mark (IQM) and the school’s
Mission Statement and Aims at its heart.
STATEMENT OF SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN
At KatherineSemarJuniorSchool, our school community has a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are our pupils. This means that we have a Safeguarding Children and Child Protection Policy and Procedures in place which we refer to in our prospectus. All staff including our volunteers and supply staff must ensure that they are aware of our procedures.
Parents and carers are welcome to read these on request. Sometimes we may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies when there are concerns about a child’s welfare. We will always ensure that our concerns about our pupils are discussed with their parents/carers first unless we have reason to believe that this is not in the child’s best interests.
Our Designated Child Protection Officer is: MRS. RACHEL CALLAGHAN, OUR HEADTEACHER
School Aims:
At Katherine Semar Junior School, we aim to provide a positive learning experience for every individual. We take pride in the fact that our pupils are nurtured in a safe, enjoyable and respectful learning environment because everyone in our school matters.
•A school where everyone feels valued and respected
•A place with a warm, happy, calm, safe atmosphere where everyone enjoys learning and working together
•A school, which has learning and teaching at the heart of everything that it does
•An ethos which celebrates achievement and recognizes success
• A place which has consistently high expectations for all and where academic achievement is not the only measure of success
• The school is an integral part of the community where parents can be involved in school life doing the best for myself, my community and the world community.
The Outcomes for our Children should be:
•Children that are confident and highly motivated with a good self image who are fully involved in the life of the school
•Children who think positively, who say, “I can…”
• Fulfilling potential, rewarding success
•Children who behave well and who tolerate, care and support each other
•Children who can think for themselves, who are open minded and have a love of learning and show initiative
• Lessons which take account of individual learning styles
•Children who achieve to the best of their ability and fulfil their own potential
•Children’s views represented in the organization of the school
Our Ethos:
- Our Ethos, Curriculum, Working Practices and Environment should achieve these aims because:
•Our ethos will value all children as individuals, raising self esteem whenever we can and creating a positive atmosphere through our interactions with the children and each other
•Our curriculum will be broad, balanced and creative with many opportunities for first-hand experience. Teaching will take account of learning styles and all abilities. SATS will be important but so will the development of the whole child through the arts, and subjects such as PSHE
•We will teach the children life-skills to equip them for tomorrow’s world.
•We are a performing and effective team who support each other and work for the positive development of our children. We are open, honest and supportive of each other, setting positive examples to the children
•Our environment will be attractive, calm, ordered, safe and stimulating. It will celebrate the achievements of the children and stimulate and support their learning. It will look bright, colourful and make an impact
•We will continue to develop positive relationships with parents and the wider community
KatherineSemarJuniorSchool
Disability Equality Policy and Scheme
September 2010 – September 2013
2
The Aims of the Policy
This policy’s aim is to provide a structure to:-
• promote equality of opportunity between disabled people and other people;
• eliminate discrimination that is unlawful under the Disability Discrimination Act;
• eliminate harassment of disabled people that is related to their disability;
• promote positive attitudes towards disabled people;
• encourage participation by disabled people in public life;
• to take steps to meet disabled people’s needs, even if this requires more favourable treatment.
This policy explains how the school meets these responsibilities and includes an Action Plan to make further improvements in future. At present this policy works alongside the school’s Accessibility Plan. The two will be amalgamated at next review.
How we have involved our school community in developing this scheme.
Parents and carers of pupils with a disability have been consulted verbally in informal meetings with the Inclusion Manager and by anonymous questionnaires to collect their views on the most beneficial ways to provide successful inclusion of their children. Action planning addresses any issues raised. Pupil participation is promoted, for example, through individual conferencing of children with special educational needs and disabilities and children who have statements are interviewed. Parents and carers are asked at pre-transfer interviews with the Headteacher, and at the Summer Term presentation evening to new parents of children in Year 3, if there are any reasonable adjustments that the school may need to make to meet the needs of any of their family members.
Through our school ethos, our Headteacher’s vision, enhanced by our Personal, Social and Health Education curriculum including the SEAL project, we foster the recognition that individuals have different strengths and weaknesses. All are equal members of our school community with valuable assets to contribute, who deserve respect and nurture.
Regular awareness raising on the definition of disability takes place with pupils, staff parents/carers and other school users. This is done through PSHE lessons, the newsletter, termly curriculum letters, Home and School Books, questionnaires and the school website. This Policy is available in paper format for the whole school community, and on the school website.
KatherineSemarJuniorSchool
Disability Equality Policy and Scheme
September 2010 – September 2013
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Our Headteacher’s Vision is to achieve:
“Excellence in teaching and learning, achieved through an enjoyable andprofessional whole community team effort following clearly defined goals, whichrecognises and values the uniqueness and achievement of every child, and respectsthe dignity of all.”
Recruitment, development and retention of disabled employees
In accordance with theEssex County Council employment systems, at recruitment, staff areasked to disclose details of any disability on the confidential pre-employment form.Screening is then undertaken and a fitness for work certificate given.Staff have received training on the Disability Equality Duty and are aware how andwith whom to raise personal issues during the school year. Staff are consulted as to
whether there are any new circumstances that they would like to disclose atperformance management annual reviews. Staff Meetings provide a forum for furtherdiscussion on disability issues.
The school is aware of the ‘Access to work’ scheme and of LA policies, which may berelevant for disabled staff. For example, present staff have taken advantage of“phased return” arrangements.
Governors will be asked when they take up their posts whether there are anydisabilities that they wish to disclose in order that the school may make reasonableadjustments necessary. The Headteacher will hold a confidential register of all schoolusers with disabilities.
Educational opportunities available to and achievements of pupils with a disability
In pre-transfer interviews parents are consulted as to how their child’s needs can bebest met.
Home visits if appropriate, Pre-School visits and introductory meetings with theHeadteacher for all inwardly mobile children, ensure details of children’s disabilitiesare discussed. Detailed transfer programmes are drawn up in consultation withparents, teaching staff from both schools and outside agencies where applicable (forexample for those children with statements of educational need or medical
conditions).
Photographs and details of disabled children with significant needs are displayed inthe Medical Room for all adults working in school. The school’s list of children with special educational needs records the number ofchildren in each category of need. The names of those children not at School Actionor School Action Plus phase or who have a statement of educational need, but whoare/or have been of concern for any reason, are listed for all staff in each year group.Details of particular, non-confidential, day to day needs are available for the benefit of supply teachers or other professionals. For example, children with medical needssuch as allergies, and children who wear glasses. This is to ensure they can provideappropriate educational opportunities and any additional support for the identifiedchildren.
KatherineSemarJuniorSchool
Disability Equality Policy and Scheme
September 2010 – September 2013
4
All preparation, planning and assessment of teaching and learning takes into accountthe requirements of children’s disabilities with reasonable adjustment made in areassuch as differentiation of resourcing or learning style. For example, picture enhancedcommunication methods such as visual time-tables for those with languagedifficulties. Short-term planning indicates those children with particular needs, andthe type of teaching method to be employed.
Reasonable adjustments are made to the timetable when required for instancereduced hours, rest periods in the day or phased returns after absence.
The school’s pupil tracking system monitors the attainment of all children andindividual targets are set in response. In consultation with the Headteacher, the Inclusion Manager, and the staff, review the progress of those children with special needs and IndividualEducation Plans (IEPs), or Pastoral Support Plans are
drawn up in consultation with pupil, parent or carer and outside agencies ifappropriate.
The emotional care of all pupils is high priority in school and developed throughclassroom circle time, our PSHE curriculum and the SEAL project. Classroominitiatives like Buddy systems and Socially Speaking groups or similar, self-esteem questionnaires and interviewing children allow children to communicate any concerns and interventions to foster issues suchas self-esteem, anger management and conflict resolution are available. Learning Mentors work with pupils who have difficulties in these areas.
Adult mentors are assigned and older children act as ‘buddies’ to younger agegroups. Children who are socially vulnerable are noted for extra care from staff attimes and alternative activities can be arranged. Playground buddies and Play leaders help toinclude all children at playtimes.
Children with disabilities are able to access special arrangements for SAT tests,should they meet the statutory criteria to qualify for extra time, a reader or a scribe.Children are trained beforehand so that they are able to take full advantage of thesearrangements.
The school promotes and monitors access for children with disabilities on all schoolvisits, social events, such as PTFA events, and residential trips. Individual riskassessments are compiled to facilitate positive inclusion. Children with disabilities arerepresented in positions of responsibility like the School Council and the Eco ActionTeam.
Intervention programmes, extra supported visits and informal liaison meetings arearranged to foster successful transfer to secondary school and other establishments.
The school monitors the number of children with disabilities accessing school clubsand actively promotes the inclusion of children in clubs both in and out of school. Forexample, parents, carers or family members are offered the opportunity to go withtheir child to clubs or to ask for the support of an adult in school or a “buddy” to helptheir child settle in the club. Reasonable adjustments are made to which year groupmay attend a certain activity. Parents can request staff support in finding links toother families who may be involved in clubs outside school that would benefit pupilswith disabilities.
Pupils with disabilities are offered especially planned opportunities to meet theirneeds, for example: separate extra curricular opportunities. I.e. Riding for the disabled.
KatherineSemarJuniorSchool
Disability Equality Policy and Scheme
September 2010 – September 2013
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Feedback from parents on the success of the above is sought from pupils, parentsand carers both verbally and in the form of questionnaires or similar. Children in Year
6 with disabilities will be asked to identify what they have found to be potentialbarriers to their learning. These issues will be analysed and relevant changesplanned.
Information on other disabled people using our services
This policy will be published on the school website after discussion with staff andgovernors. In order to identify disabled users, disclosure is required in order that anyreasonable adjustments can be made. Our questionnaires and Disability EqualityScheme form part of our induction for new parents and staff. All users are reassuredof complete confidentiality. Details of disabled users will only be shared on a “need to
know” basis.
How the impact of our school policies and practices will be assessed
The school has a cycle of policy reviews. This Disability Equality Scheme will inform all policy and practice
reviews. All planning will be examined in the light of the Duty and the possibleimplications for disabled adults and children. Necessary alterations or actions will beinitiated as a result.
The school will continue to monitor the success of this policy annually, participatingwith parents and carers, employees, pupils and other professionals.
THIS POLICY SHOULD BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH KATHERINESEMARJUNIORSCHOOL’S POLICIES FOR:
• Safeguarding Children and Child Protection
• Policy for Children in Care
• Policy for Pastoral Care
• Positive Behaviour and Discipline Policy
• Positive Handling Policy
• Policy for the Prevention of Bullying
• KatherineSemarJuniorSchoolInclusion Policy
• KatherineSemarJuniorSchool Accessibility Plan
Review
This Policy and associated action plan are reviewed every three years in accordance with theprogramme for policy review in the School Development Plan.