Accessibility
If you require documents to be displayed in large print or translated, please contact the school office.
The purpose of an accessibility plan or audit in a primary school is to ensure that the school environment is inclusive and accessible to all students, staff, and visitors, particularly those with disabilities or additional needs. Here are the key objectives:
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Identify Barriers: An audit helps to identify any physical, sensory, or communication barriers that may hinder students with disabilities from fully participating in the school environment, whether in the classroom, outdoor areas, or other facilities.
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Ensure Legal Compliance: The plan ensures that the school complies with laws and regulations related to disability access, such as the Equality Act 2010 in the UK, which requires schools to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate students with disabilities.
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Improve Physical Access: It evaluates and suggests improvements to the school’s physical environment, such as ramps, elevators, signage, accessible toilets, and classroom layouts, to make sure they are accessible to all students, including those with mobility impairments.
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Enhance Learning Opportunities: The audit helps to ensure that students with various disabilities have equal access to educational resources, materials, and activities, which might include offering assistive technologies or adapting teaching methods.
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Promote Inclusivity and Participation: It supports the development of strategies that make extracurricular activities, events, and field trips accessible to all students, fostering a sense of belonging and equality.
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Create a Long-term Plan for Improvement: Based on the audit’s findings, the school can create a strategic plan for gradual improvement of accessibility. This plan will prioritize changes based on resources, urgency, and the needs of the school community.
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Monitor Progress: An accessibility plan is an ongoing process that includes regular reviews to assess the effectiveness of changes and ensure continuous improvement in providing an accessible school environment.
By conducting a comprehensive accessibility audit and creating a plan, a primary school can better serve the needs of all students, create a more equitable environment, and adhere to legal standards for accessibility.
Please see below for the Cedarwood Primary School Audit/Accessibility Plan.
If you have any questions about the plan, or would like to discuss any accessibility arrangements, please do not hesitate to contact Amy Ward - Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCo) and Inclusion Lead.