Tuxford Academy Access Plan

Tuxford Academy Access Plan In accordance with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Act 2001 Tuxford Academy, in accordance with the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Act 2001 must prepare accessibility plans. This plan includes - Accessibility, a plan for:  increasing the extent to which disabled students can participate in the school curriculum;  improving the physical environment of schools to increase the extent to which disabled students can take advantage of education and associated services; and  improving the delivery to disabled students of written information which is provided to students who are not disabled. This should be done within a reasonable period of time and in formats which take account of views expressed by the students or parents about their preferred means of communication. Definitions

A ‘disabled student’ is defined as someone who ‘has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day to day activities’.

Discrimination A responsible body discriminates against a disabled person if:

o For reasons which relate to their disability, it treats them less favourably than it treats or would treat others to whom that reason does not or would not apply. o It cannot show that the treatment in question is justified.

Reasonable steps The duty to take reasonable steps (to ensure that there is no discrimination intended as an ‘anticipatory’ duty and does not simply apply once an individual student presents him or herself.

Key Principles All disabled children should have access to education. Wherever practicable, Tuxford Academy will  Advise on the statutory responsibilities of education bodies in the preparation of accessibility strategies and accessibility plans  Increase the extent to which disabled students can participate in the school curriculum  Promote improvements in the delivery to disabled students of written information that is provided to students who are not disabled  Encourage improvement in the physical environment of schools to increase the extent to which disabled students can take advantage of education and associated services. Tuxford Academy recognises that many of its students, visitors and staff, whether disabled or otherwise, have individual needs when using school and its facilities. However, we also recognise that for some students, the nature of their disabilities may mean that they experience specific difficulties related to accessing education, and the physical environment. As part of the ongoing commitment to the delivery of an inclusive educational service, we will endeavour to ensure that disabled students receive the same standards of education as non-disabled students.

In the light of this Tuxford Academy will:  Inform all staff that our policy for the provision of educational services ensures the inclusion of disabled students. Such communications will address the legal obligation of staff, and the Academy.  Provide appropriate disability awareness training for staff, which will explain the school policy towards disabled students and the effective implementation and monitoring of it.  Address acts of disability discrimination via existing conduct codes, where appropriate.  Encourage suppliers and contractors, to adopt similar policies towards disabled students.

In order to ensure that the educational services it provides effectively meet the needs of disabled students Tuxford Academy will:  Consult with disabled students, parents, staff and disability organisations.  Plan to make access improvements to enable disabled people to use its services. Furthermore, the school will effectively communicate its availability to both students and staff.  Regularly review whether its education (and other) services are both accessible and effective, and take appropriate action.  Monitor the implementation and effectiveness of this policy on a regular basis.  Operate an accessible complaints procedure whereby disabled people can make improvement suggestions and request assistance. Time Curriculum Access Targets Strategies Outcome Frame Medium Term  All curriculum  Continue with training of  Staff are Completed and ongoing areas whole school staff more consider aware of their the ways practice in  Link with school & in which light of department focus upon they can current teaching & learning. At make the legislation least one INSET training to curriculu and focus upon inclusive m more developmen practice each academic accessibl ts year e to students with specific  To ensure all students needs Completed and annually have  To meet regularly with appropriate students, parents and equipment outside agencies to plan  Strategic in place to access improvements planning enable continue them to d at engage departm  AJ and SRB to gather with a ental evidence from all faculties broad and level to ensure arrangements balanced are met curriculum

 Ensure all exam arrangemen ts are in place for all  All students students with are to identified achieve needs full potential and support structure s are in place

Physical Time Targets Strategies Outcome Environment Frame Short term  To ensure  To keep the disabled lift in  All visitors Ongoing that the working order & ensure can access main school arrangements are made for the main is at least one lift operator reception accessible during Progress / Open area of school to disabled Evenings from the front visitors and feel  To provide students who welcomed have identified needs, use of a lift key

 To ensure at least one  All parents  To ensure parking space near the are able to Completed Emergency main entrance for disabled access all Evacuation visitors upper areas Plan of the school includes  To continue to use student in use during provision hosts to welcome visitors Progress / for to school & ensure the Open physically visitor signing–in book on a Evenings impaired lower table for easy access persons in the upper  Meetings held with parents, corridors students and agencies to  Evacuation assess and evaluate Plan includes evacuation procedures reference to provision for  SEN/Strategies folder, EHC physically Plan, update all TAs  To ensure impaired all student persons. needs are Instructions disseminate clearly d to staff displayed & for access any necessary to the training mainstream undertaken class

 All students accessing a broad and balanced curriculum

Access to the Targets Strategies Outcome Time Frame written word

 To ensure  All students that all  Seating arranged so that all feel Completed Short term students students can see clearly. comfortable, can safe and access  Identified resources and included and written strategies are available and all are able to informatio known by all staff regarding access the n on the individual needs curriculum. classroom board  Desktop copies of text are also provided where appropriate

Medium term Targets Strategies Outcome Time Frame

 Visual  Training for all staff using the  Consistency Completed signs are inset days and strategies for across used in all vulnerable groups departments classroom  Seek advice from agencies. aids students’ s as  Include Training from the organisational  Rolling programme of signals to National Strategy Inclusion skills. training begins Sept the Development Programme 2016 (ongoing) organisati within whole school CPD on of training.  Departments tasks.  Implement Learn to Learn use some  Staff alternative strategies. Broaden use of become methods of iPads. Encourage and plan for familiar recording students’ use of ICT with a within some particularly where they have lessons. variety of own or county supplied technolog equipment. y and practices developed to assist people with disabilities Plan Updated September 2017

Policy Updated September 2017 and due regard given to the Equalities Act

Signed...... Rev. Greg Price (Chair of Governors)

Dated ......