Accessability Plan 2015-2018

Hillary Primary School has been described as having a ‘welcoming and delightfully happy environment in which pupils thrive and want to do their best.’ We want all children to enjoy school, to be challenged to achieve their very best, and to consider their time at the school as their own ‘learning adventure’. We are committed to giving all of our children every opportunity to achieve the highest of standards. We do this by taking account of pupils’ varied life experiences and needs. We offer a broad and balanced curriculum and have high expectations for all children. The achievements, attitudes and well-being of all our children matter

Purpose of Plan

This plan shows how Hillary Primary School intends, over time, to increase the accessibility of our school for disabled pupils, staff, parents/carers and visitors.

Definition of disability

A person has a disability if he/she has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse affect on his/her ability to carry out normal day to-day activities.

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 time frame

Contextual Information

The original Victorian single storey building houses the majority of the school. An extension built in Summer 2015, currently has 4 classes. 3 disabled toilets are available on the ground floor.

At present we have no wheelchair dependent pupils, parents or members of staff.

Current Range of known disabilities

The school has children with a range of disabilities to include moderate and specific learning disabilities.

We have a small number of pupils and parents who have a hearing impairment, and one child who has a prosthetic limb.

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 excellent teaching and learning for all children. We aim to meet every child’s needs within mixed ability, inclusive classes.

It is a core value of the school that all children are enabled to participate fully in the broader life of the school. Consequently, all children have always been permitted to attend age relevant after school clubs, leisure and cultural activities and educational visits. The only exception would occur if a child had breached school rules when deprivation of club attendance may be used as a suitable short term sanction and to ensure the safety of others.

Target	Strategies	Target	Target	Target
Increase confidence of all staff in differentiating the curriculum	Be aware of staff training needs on curriculum access Assign CPD for dyslexia, differentiation and recording methods Online learning modules if required	On-going and as required	SLT	Raised staff confidence in strategies for differentiation and increased pupil participation
Ensure classroom support staff have specific training on disability issues	Be aware of staff training needs Staff access appropriate CPD Online learning modules if required	As required	Inclusion Manager	Raised confidence of support staff
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	Inclusion Manager	All staff aware of individuals needs
Use ICT software to support learning	Make sure software installed where needed	As required	ICT	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 coordinator	All to have access to PE and be able to excel

Improving access to the physical environment of the school

Hillary School is continuing to grow and develop, we are currently still growing from 2 form to 3 form entry from Reception top Year 6. It is hoped that in the near future we will be able to expand the buildings and to improve the facilities.

Provision, in exceptional cases, will be negotiated when a pupil’s specific needs are known.

We have a wide range of equipment and resources available for day to day use. We keep resource provision under constant review. The schools Improvement planning process is the vehicle for considering such needs on an annual basis.

Target	Strategies	Target	Target	Target
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 Target Tracker process when required Be aware of staff, governors and parents 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 Ensure staff aware of Environment Access Standard	As required Induction and ongoing if required Annually Recruitment process	INCLUSION MANAGER Head teacher Head teacher Head teacher	TARGET TRACKERs 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 all school activities Access issues do not influence recruitment and retention issues
Layout of school to allow access for all pupils to all areas	Consider needs of disabled pupils, parents/carers or visitors when considering any redesign	As required	Head/ Governors/ Site manager/ School Surveyor	Re-designed buildings are usable by all
Ensure access to reception area to all	Improve access to reception area during any re-design Develop system to allow entry for wheel chair users	Consider in any new development	Site Manager	Disabled parents/carers/ visitors feel welcome
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 safely evacuated	Put in place Emergency Evacuation Plan for all pupils with difficulties. Develop a system to ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities	As required Each Sept	H & S Inclusion Manager	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 including hall 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 as required	ICT Inclusion Manager SLT	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 Soundfields to be installed in at least 2 classes in every year group.	Ongoing	LA hearing officers Inclusion Manager	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 Egress routes visual check	On-going and as required and as appropriate Weekly	LA H & S Site Manager	All disabled staff, pupils and visitors able to have safe independent egress

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 time frame.

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 schools ICT infrastructure will enable us to access a range of materials supportive to need.

Target	Strategies	Target	Target	Target
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	All staff School Office PSA’s Office/ Website design team	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	Provide suitably enlarged, clear print for pupils with a visual impairment	As required	Office	Excellent communication
Ensure all staff are aware of guidance on accessible formats	Guidance to staff on dyslexia and accessible information	On-going	Inclusion Manager	Staff produce their own information
Annual review information to be as accessible as possible	Develop child friendly Target Tracker review formats	Ongoing	Inclusion Manager	Staff more aware of pupils preferred method of communications
Languages other than English to be visible in school	Some welcome signs to be multi-lingual	2015	EAL coordinator	Confidence of parents to access their child’s education
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	Inclusion Manager Head teacher	Pupils and/or parents feel supported and included
Provide information in simple language, symbols, 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. Ensure Prospectus is available via the school website.	2014	Office	All can access information about the school

Reviewed Sept 2015

To be reviewed Sept 2018