Disability Equality Scheme

(Incorporating Accessibility Plan)

December 2009 – December 2012

Values

“The school is committed to enabling all pupils and adults to achieve their potential and to preparing all pupils to access and enjoy the full range of life opportunities in the future.” Equal Opportunities policy updated 2009

Springfield School recognises that all individuals are different and have different needs.  We believe in equal opportunities for all adults and pupils.”  Equal Opportunities policy updated 2009

Springfield School recognises all its members as equal individuals and is committed to developing an inclusive and supportive learning environment that removes barriers to learning and in which all learners achieve their full potential.

Springfield School values the presence, participation, and achievement of all pupils and works with them, their parents/carers and with other professionals to ensure they are successful, happy and able to thrive.

We recognise the diversity amongst the people of our city and country and seek to celebrate difference through the content and delivery of the curriculum.

Vision

We work to:

·       Minimise any barriers to participation so that Springfield School is made as accessible as possible to all those within our community with a disability

·       Ensure that pupils with disabilities achieve their potential

·       Promote close partnerships with parents, children and other agencies to plan for smooth and successful transition between all phases

Background

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 2005 places the following duties towards disabled people on the Governing Body:

·       To promote equality of opportunity between disabled people and other people

·       To eliminate discrimination that is unlawful under DDA 1995

·       To eliminate harassment of disabled people that is related to their disability

·       To promote positive attitudes towards disabled people

·       To encourage participation by disabled people in public life

·       To take steps to meet disabled people’s needs, even if this requires more favourable treatment

The DDA defines a person with a disability as:  “someone who has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day to day activities.” 

Impairments can include conditions such as autism, diabetes, epilepsy, speech and language defects, depression or emotional difficulties and severe skin disorders as well as long term conditions such as cancer or HIV.

Rationale

The purpose of the Disability Equality Scheme (DES) is to set out our vision and action plan to increase the accessibility of the school for disabled pupils in three main areas:

·       Increase access to the curriculum

·       Make improvements to the physical environment of the school to increase access

·       Make written information available to pupils, parents and visitors in a range of different ways

The action plan is informed by consultation with interested pupils, parents, governors and staff, including disabled people, and by an audit of the needs of current pupils, staff and parents.

The DES is reviewed every three years.

The school will:

·       Use information gathered via consultation and school data to identify issues affecting disabled people and analyse the impact of action taken. Consultation may take the form of questionnaires; individual meetings; feedback from Parents’ Evenings, Annual Reviews and the Year Offices; anecdotal evidence from parents, pupils and staff; reports from specialist agencies.

·       Draw up and implement an action plan

·       Monitor and report on progress annually

The Accessibility Plan is resourced, implemented and reviewed annually as part of the School Improvement Plan.  The governors also work with the PCC on the BSF project to highlight and prioritise substantial premises issues which continue to limit full access.

All views, concerns and conclusions are recorded with the Audit, Consultation feedback, Action Plan and Accessibility Plan in Appendices 1 – 3

Day to Day practice

Pupils are admitted to Springfield School in accordance with the published local authority admissions policy.  Where a pupil with a known disability seeks admission to Springfield School, the governors will seek advice and support from the designated LA officer if there are unresolved issues regarding full access to all areas of school life.

Springfield School is an equal opportunities employer. The LA HR department monitors and advises on good practice, such as our Staff Absence procedures and the Rarely Cover policy.   The Health and Safety policy makes clear that all members of the school are provided with ‘a safe and healthy environment’.  The school internal review, CPD and Performance Management policies all reinforce the opportunities available for support, mentoring, professional development and encouragement for all staff. Expectations of staff with disabilities or medical conditions will be adjusted to allow them to work safely and productively.  For example: appointments with parents on Parents’ Evenings are held separately for a member of staff who is deaf.

Reasonable adjustments are made where possible to allow full access for pupils with disabilities to all aspects of the curriculum and to take account of the views and concerns of the pupil and parents. Every effort is made, in addition, to enable all pupils to access the extended services offered by the school.

SEN and other appropriate staff receive ongoing disability awareness training in order to support the pupils with whom they work.  Pastoral staff maintain very good links with specialist agencies who support families of children with disabilities. Training is provided for all staff each year in the use of Epipens and the emergency procedure for seizures or drug misuse.  Pupils who may need emergency treatment like this in school have an individual Health Care Plan drawn up with the parents, pupil and school nurse.

Pupils with diabetes are monitored by the school diabetic nurse and mentored in KS4 by a member of staff in the term before their exams.

Exam concessions are in place for all pupils who require them for both internal and external exams.

The school nurse, MABS, Speech and Language tutors, dyslexia advisers, the Educational Psychologist, CAMHS and the AMHP, Connexions, Occupational Therapy team, PCSO team and a team of external mentors all offer one to one guidance and specialist support in school.

School ECM monitoring identifies pupils whose illness/condition has contributed to poor attendance.  Individual data is analysed, pupils and parents consulted and intervention provided as appropriate.

There is in school provision for bereavement support and Young Carers.

Multiagency teams meet for action planning as required.

IPP analysis identifies very specific barriers to progress and implements action.

A full and mixed programme of Citizenship and PSHCE lessons develop awareness of disability, both on a personal level and within the community and promote positive models and images of disabled people.

Building Schools for the Future

“The city is committed to ensure that all secondary schools are fully DDA compliant following the BSF improvement programme.” PCC Strategy for Change 2008

“Personalised learning underpins the core vision for educational transformation in the city.  Young people have the right to be considered as individuals with wide reaching potential irrespective of age, gender, disability, ethnicity or socio economic status.” PCC Strategy for Change 2008

The BSF programme for Springfield begins in 2012 with a planned completion date of 2014.  Until this refurbishment is complete, the school will endeavour to meet the needs of all pupils and staff within the constraints posed by the current buildings.  The governors agree that any adjustments required for individual pupils and staff will be fully considered and actioned where possible.  However, all such decisions have to be made with the context of the BSF programme.

Review:  Summer 2012