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
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