THE EDUCATION VILLAGE ACADEMY TRUST
Disability and Accessibility Policy
Version: / Date: / Policy Owner: / Amendments made by: / Details of amendments made: / Reviewed by: / Approved by:V0.1 / 12.05.16 / Lauren Banks / Lauren Banks
Jonathan Lumb / Update to create a cross Trust policy / Mike Butler
V0.2 / 26.05.16 / Lauren Banks
Stephen Brown / Stephen Brown / Reviewed Version / Mike Butler
V1.0 / 01.07.16 / Lauren Banks
Stephen Brown / Stephen Brown / Final Version / Mike Butler
EVAT Version Control Document
The Education Village Academy Trust:
Values, Vision & Mission
Where learning has no limits
At The Education Village Academy Trust, all children, young people and adults are valued both as individuals and as part of the wider Trust community. We aim to provide a safe, happy and caring environment within which everyone can thrive.
Core values
Our Trust’s activities are informed by our core values, which mean that we:
1. recognise the worth of each individual by valuing the personal qualities they demonstrate in their learning, living and working
2. recognise the experiences of children and young people by valuing the talents and skills they bring into their schooling, and we commit to ensuring that schooling enhances these talents and skills
3. embrace difference and harmony by valuing diversity
4. display integrity and authenticity by valuing openness, trust, fairness, honesty and respect for all people
5. foster ambition, high aspirations and independent spirit by valuing each individual’s abilities, aptitudes and desire to create, explore and grow
6. commit to hard work and high standards in provision, behaviours and outcomes
7. help, support and enable others by valuing relationships with all stakeholders, being emotionally intelligent, building resilience and being forward-looking
8. acknowledge the role of networks by valuing the ways in which people can live together, collaborate and make positive contributions as citizens
9. acknowledge the place of school in the community, including the broader global community, by valuing the essential nature of the relationship between schools and the social and economic environments in which they operate
Our vision
We want our children and young people to:
1. achieve their potential in all areas of school life: academic, social, emotional and physical development
2. develop lively and enquiring minds
3. develop their self-esteem and self-discipline, allied to a positive ethos of community involvement and responsibility
4. acquire a growing awareness of and sensitivity to the needs and rights of others
5. become responsible for their own actions and decisions, whilst developing moral and ethical values
6. habitually demonstrate tolerance, friendship and understanding
…in academies and schools that:
1. are well led, efficiently managed and staffed with high performing teams
2. provide welcoming, stimulating and purposeful learning environments
3. collaborate in impactful ways within and beyond our Trust
4. exemplify best practice and develop next practice
5. provide opportunities for staff to develop professionally and personally
6. engage meaningfully with their local, regional, national and global communities
In support of the above vision, our mission is to:
1. create a nurturing and friendly atmosphere by providing an environment where children, young people and adults are respected and valued
2. bring out the best in every child and young person by meeting the full range of individual needs
3. provide different experiences, challenges and activities
4. develop tolerance and respect for self and others
5. equip children and young people for lifelong learning
6. enhance every individual’s life chances
This policy, and its associated procedures and protocols, are based on these key principles.
Contents
Context Page 6
Definition Page 6
Introduction Page 6
Statement of Intent Page 7
Summary of actions currently taken Page 8
Staff Recruitment and Development Page 8
Reasonable Adjustments Page 9
Disclosure and Confidentiality Page 10
Views of those consulted during the development of the policy Page 10
Management, co-ordination and implementation Page 11
Getting hold of the policy Page 11
Monitoring the policy Page 11
Impact Assessment Page 11
Appendices
Appendix A – Haughton Academy plan Page 12
Appendix B – Springfield Academy plan Page 14
Appendix C – Gurney Pease Academy plan Page 16
Appendix D – Beaumont Hill Academy plan Page 18
Appendix E – Marchbank Free School plan Page 20
Where reference is made to an ‘Academy’ or a ‘School’ the intention is that the policy is universal and applies to both.
V1.0 EVAT Disability and Accessibility Policy 2 01.07.16
Context
This policy seeks to address the statutory requirements of the Equality Act 2010 (which replaces the Disability Discrimination Act 1995) and to further the aims of our Mission Statement/Vision by:
Continuing to improve all aspects of the physical environment of the academy site and other resources so that all disabled pupils can take full advantage of the education and associated opportunities provided by the Academy.
The policy refers to individuals who are disabled (both current and prospective) in a wide sense, including those with special educational needs, and with temporary or permanent physical disability. It also deals with access issues for disabled staff and visitors.
Definition (Equality Act 2010)
The Equality Act 2010 uses a wide definition of disability which includes those with physical or mobility impairments, visual impairments, hearing impairments, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, AD(H)D, medical conditions, mental health difficulties, autistic spectrum conditions, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, M.E. and ‘unseen disabilities’ (e.g. asthma, epilepsy, heart conditions, diabetes). The formal definition included in the Act is:
“A person has a disability if he or she has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day to day activities.”
The definition of “day to day activities” includes mobility, manual dexterity, lifting, hearing, eyesight, speech, memory, and the ability to concentrate, learn or understand. The Act defines “substantial” as being more than trivial and “long-term” as being more than twelve months or likely to last twelve months. An impairment which would substantially affect a person, but which is controlled by medical treatment or prosthesis, is still covered by the definition of disability.
Introduction
The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination. It replaced previous anti-discrimination laws with a single Act, making the law easier to understand and strengthening protection in some situations. It sets out the different ways in which it’s unlawful to treat someone.
The Board of Directors of The Education Village Academy Trust (EVAT) has three key duties towards disabled pupils, under the Equality Act 2010:
· not to treat disabled pupils less favourably for a reason related to their disability
· to make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils, so that they are not at a substantial disadvantage
· to plan to increase access to education for disabled pupils, where such improvement to access has been identified
The Board aims to ensure that the academy premises are fit to teach in, by provision of adequate management for the funding, maintenance and review for the upkeep of the fabric of each academy. We are proud of being known as a caring institution with a strong sense of community and we strive to ensure we are fully inclusive. We will continue to regularly review our provision to make certain all our pupils can access the full curriculum.
The Disability and Accessibility Policy is very important to us as a learning community in that all our pupils with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) are integrated in as much of the whole academy’s curricular and extra-curricular learning as is practically possible.
All staff who teach SEND pupils receive regular training and updated information about the specific pupils’ needs. This policy sets out the proposals of the Board of Directors of EVAT to increase access to education for disabled pupils in the three areas:
1. Increasing the extent to which disabled pupils can participate in our curriculum
2. Improving the environment to increase the extent to which disabled pupils can take advantage of the facilities
3. Ensuring that disabled pupils are provided with the appropriate sources of information so that they are not disadvantaged.
The EVAT has created an inclusive community in which each person is respected and recognised as of equal value. We aim to ensure that everyone remains safe and stays healthy, whilst at the same time enjoys and achieves and makes a positive contribution to the wellbeing of the school community. We are committed to the care and well-being of all pupils so that they may work and learn in a safe, secure environment. In all aspects of the school, the stakeholders (governors, staff, pupils, parents and the wider community) are committed to working together to ensure that the school community remains true to the equal value principle underpinning its policies.
All members of the Trust community work together to create an atmosphere in which each member can grow and flourish regardless gender, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, age, socioeconomic background, disability, religious or political beliefs, family circumstances, sexual orientation or other relevant distinction. Positive interpersonal relationships are fostered in a climate of high expectations and respect for individual achievement.
Statement of Intent
The Trust continues to develop its ability to provide an inclusive, accessible environment for pupils, staff, parents and members of the local community. It aims to meet the five outcomes of the Children Act (2004) and has regard to the general duty to:
• promote equality of opportunity
• eliminate unlawful discrimination
• eliminate disability-related harassment
• promote positive attitudes to people with disabilities
• encourage the participation of people with disabilities
Regularly updated action plans ensure that improvements are appropriately prioritised.
Summary of actions currently undertaken across the three priority areas
1. Increasing the extent to which disabled pupils can participate in the curriculum
Examples: Timetables/class organisation are sympathetically reviewed to ensure that pupils with disabilities are not scheduled in unsuitable rooms. Any further development of the building will further increase access for pupils who use wheelchairs. Laptops or tablets are currently available for use by some pupils who require support. This includes the potential for the pupil to be provided with a laptop at home. Beaumont Hill Academy also use other assistive technologies. Mentors are provided for pupils who are unable to attend the academy through longer-term ill health.
2. Improving the physical environment, in consultation with the relevant professionals, such as Occupational Therapists, to increase the extent to which disabled pupils can take advantage of education and associated services:
Examples: door frames width, lighting, signage, disabled toilets.
3. Improving the delivery to disabled pupils of information that is provided in writing for pupils who are not disabled:
Examples: Pupils and staff can collect/request information in an appropriate format e.g. large print or Braille. It is a requirement that the EVAT’s Disability and Accessibility Policy is resourced, implemented and reviewed and revised as necessary.
An individual Action Policy showing how each Academy will address the priority areas identified above can be seen in the Appendix A to E.
Staff Recruitment and Development
It is the aim of the Trust to recruit, train, develop and retain disabled people. The Trust monitors self-declaration of disability at both application and appointment stage. As part of staff recruitment, the Trust has an equality monitoring slip that is removed from the application form prior to sending to the department. This is to ensure that the monitoring data is not seen by the recruiters but that HR have the necessary information to inform the department of any adjustments required to the recruitment process.
The Trust offers a variety of training opportunities to meet the requirements of all staff. These are normally held in accessible venues with consideration of the needs of staff with disabilities. All staff attending a training programme are asked whether they have any access requirements, reasonable adjustments or requirements that need to be accommodated.
All managers who conduct the annual review of their staff pay attention to the developmental needs of disabled staff together with discussing any reasonable adjustments which may be identified.
Reasonable Adjustments
The EVAT is required to make reasonable adjustments when a disabled pupil or member of staff may be placed at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with a person who is not disabled. Examples of reasonable adjustments for pupils include making appropriate arrangements in such activities as:
· teaching, including classes, practical sessions
· examinations and assessments
· field trips and outings
Adjustments may include:
· specific examination arrangements
– Examination support workers, readers or scribes, additional time or
large print or braille versions of questions
· provision of an additional support for learning
· adjustments to assessment practices
· accommodation arrangements
– May be unique to an individual and may not be included in the
list of available access arrangements.
· specific access issues such as the use of guide dogs
Similarly there is an obligation to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees or potential employees to ensure that they are not disadvantaged. Adjustments may include:
· reallocation of duties
· altering working hours
· changing work location
· modifying equipment e.g. providing an adapted keyboard or telephone
· consideration of other roles
Consideration should also be made for those employees associated with persons with a disability.
The Trust also has the facility to conduct work place assessments to identify if specific equipment or reasonable adjustments are required.
Disclosure and Confidentiality
The Trust is mindful of its responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1998 and will ensure the needs of disabled staff, parents of pupils and pupils are not compromised by the competing requirements of this legislation with the responsibilities it places on the Trust in respect of the Equality Act 2010.
The Trust will develop an environment within which individuals feel able to disclose their disability. Encouragement and opportunity will be given to staff, parents of pupils and pupils to disclose any disability that may have a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities so that a discussion can take place about disability-related reasonable adjustments or other support that may be required. Individuals can choose to bring someone to accompany them at meetings to provide extra support if required.