Accessibility Policy & Plan
Saint James’ Church of England
Primary School & Nursery
Our Vision
‘A Christian Community Achieving Excellence and Equality’
Be Safe: self-control; peace; patience Be Respectful: kindness: gentleness; goodness. Be Individual: faithfulness; love; joy
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Accessibility Plan
Date: Spring 2021 Review Date Spring 2024
Purpose of Plan
This plan shows how St. James Church of England Primary School and Nursery intends to ensure the accessibility of our school for disabled pupils, staff, parents/carers and visitors.
Areas of planning responsibilities
Increasing access for disabled pupils to the school curriculum (this includes teaching and learning and the wider curriculum of the school such as participation in after- school clubs, leisure and cultural activities or school visits).
Improving access to the physical environment of schools (this includes improvements to the physical environment of the school and physical aids to access education).
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. The information should take account of pupils’
disabilities and pupils’ and parents’ preferred formats and be made available within a reasonable timeframe.
Contextual Information
St. James’ Church of England Primary School is a one-story building in two parts, an original building and a ‘new’ building, which is now seven years old. We also have two demountable classrooms used for our Nursery and an alternative provision classroom for pupils with SEND. Each of the main buildings has a disabled toilet. The ‘new’ building has a disabled toilet with a changing bed and a hoist.
Increasing access for disabled pupils to the school curriculum.
Improving teaching and learning lies at the heart of the school’s work. Through self- review and Continuous Professional Development (CPD), we aim to enhance staff knowledge, skills and understanding to promote and maintain excellent teaching and learning for all children. We aim to meet every child’s needs within mixed ability, inclusive classes.
Accessibility Plan 2018-21
| Target |
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| Strategies | Time- | Responsibility | Success Criteria | ||
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| scale |
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Increase confidence of all staff in mastery of the curriculum | Be aware of staff training needs on curriculum access | On-going and as required |
BF | Raised staff confidence in strategies for mastery and increased pupil participation | |||||
| Assign CPD for Mastery |
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| Be aware of staff training needs |
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Ensure classroom support staff have specific training on disability issues |
Staff access appropriate CPD |
As required |
SENCO |
Raised confidence of support staff | |||||
| Online learning modules if required |
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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 |
SENCO |
All staff aware of individuals needs | |||||
Use ICT software to support learning | Make sure software installed where needed | As required |
ICT - SH | Wider use of SEN resources in classrooms | |||||
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 |
HT/EVC |
All pupils in school able to access all educational visits and take part in a range of activities | |||||
Review PE curriculum to ensure PE accessible to all | Gather information on accessible PE and disability sports
Seek disabled sports people to come into school |
As required |
PE-DP |
All to have access to PE and be able to excel | |||||
Improving access to the physical environment of the school
| Target |
| Strategies | Time-scale | Responsibility | Success criteria |
The school is aware of the access needs of disabled pupils, staff, governors, parent/carers and visitors | To create access plans for individual disabled pupils as part of the EHCP process when required
Be aware of staff, governors and parents/carers 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 | As required
Induction and on- going if required
Annually |
SENCO +
Headteacher | EHCPs 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 school activities
Access issues do not influence recruitment and retention | ||
Ensure access to Playground area for all | Improve access to playground are during any redesign
Develop system to allow entry for wheelchair users | Consider in any new development plans for the outside space of the school | Site Manager /HT/Govs | Disabled parents / carers/ visitors feel welcome | ||
| Target |
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| Strategies | Time- | Responsibility | Success Criteria |
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| scale |
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Improve signage and external access for visually impaired people | Yellow strip mark step edges | On-going |
Site Manager | Visually impaired people feel safe in school grounds | |||
Ensure all disabled pupils can be evacuated safely | 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 Each Sept |
SENCO & HT | All disabled pupils and staff working alongside are safe in the event of a fire | |||
Ensure accessibility of access to IT equipment | Alternative equipment in place to ensure access to all hardware
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
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ICT |
Hardware and software available to meet the needs of children as appropriate | |||
Ensure hearing equipment in classrooms to support hearing impaired | Seek support from LA hearing-impaired unit on the appropriate equipment | As required | LA hearing officers | All children have access to the equipment | |||
All fire escape routes are suitable for all | Make sure all areas of school can have wheelchair access in event of emergency | On-going and as required and as appropriate |
Site Manager | All disabled staff, pupils and visitors able to have a safe exit | |||
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 school’s ICT infrastructure will enable us to access a range of materials supportive to need.
| Target |
| Strategies | Time-scale | Responsibility | Success criteria |
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 document accessible via the school website can be accessed by the visually impaired |
During induction
On-going
Current |
School Office |
All parents receive information in a form that they can access
All parents understand what are the headlines of the school information | ||
Improve the delivery of information in writing in an appropriate format
Ensure all staff are aware of guidance on accessible forms | Provide suitably enlarged, clear print for pupils with a visual impairment
Guidance to staff on dyslexia and accessible information | As required
On-going | Office
SENCO | Excellent communication
Staff produce their own information | ||
Targets |
| Strategies | Time-scale | Responsibility | Success criteria |
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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 | SENCO & HT | Pupils and/or parents feel supported and included | ||||||
Provide information in simple language, 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 | 2019 | HT | All can access information about the school | ||||||