The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 was extended to include education by the SEN and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA). The Governing Body of Ashmount School recognising the following duties that this places upon them;
The planning duties of the DDA make three requirements of the Governing body:
Schools are required to resource, implement and review their accessibility plan as necessary. This plan will be monitored and evaluated by the Teaching and Learning Committee of the Governing Body. The plan attached sets out the Governors’ proposals for increasing access to education for disabled pupils.
Disability and Ashmount School: ‘A person has a disability if he or she has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial long‑term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out day to day activities’‑ the Disability Discrimination Act, 1995 definition of disability.
The School’s Equality Policy is to ensure that there is no discrimination against any sub‑group within our community. With this in mind the school has put in place policies and procedures so that children and people with disabilities are not treated less favourably in the service, education or support they receive than people without a disability. Meeting these requirements is consistent with the school’s SEN Policy as well as its Equalities Policy.
Access to this plan: This plan will be published on our website. It will also be made available on request to any current or prospective parent who requests it. We will also hand this plan to any parent of a child with disabilities who makes an enquiry about a place for their child at the school. This plan will also be made available to any member of staff or applicant for a post at the school who requests it.
| Objective | Strategy | Outcome | Timeframe | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Improving Access to the Curriculum | ||||
| Improve range of skills and experience available within the school so we are better able to assess and provide for the needs of pupils with SEND. | Audit staff’s current skills, training and experience and plan future training. | Staff who are secure in their diagnosis of learning difficulties and abilities, and able to develop and advise on teaching strategies to enable pupils with SEND to fully access the curriculum. | Ongoing | Pupils are more able to access the curriculum regardless of their SEND. |
| Increased provision of laptops and tablets for use by SEND pupils in the classroom. | For pupils to have access to SEN computer programmes in the classroom every day. | Daily opportunities for children to use Wave 2 and 3 programmes in the classroom. | Ongoing, subject to funding. | Children to show increased progress in key skills. |
| Improving Delivery of Written Information | ||||
| Look at alternative ways of providing information e.g. updates of website access. | Advice from Outreach Services. | A stock of information stored in different formats. | Ongoing | Website access improved and click use shows this. |
| Improved school layout to facilitate SEND groups. | Review of building use and possible improvements. | School is more widely accessible to different groups and interventions can be appropriately planned in more bespoke spaces. | Plan for space improvement 2021-2024 | Pupil groups have access to better spaces that facilitate their learning. |
Review frequency: Every three years.
Approval: Governing body free to delegate to a committee of the governing body, an individual governor or the Headteacher.
Legislation: Equality Act, 2010: Schedule 10, Paragraph 3 and Disability Discrimination (prescribed Times and Periods for Accessibility Strategies and Plans for Schools) (England) Regulations, 2005.
