Accessibility Action Plan                                           

2018-2022

St John’s aims to consider the uniqueness and individual needs of its children by delivering a broad, balanced, differentiated and relevant curriculum. Each child is considered as a whole person developing skills, concepts and attitudes necessary for the opportunities and experiences of the future. Our aim is to prepare our children to reach their full potential as responsible citizens. Our school aspires to value everyone associated with it, irrespective of age, position, race, gender, background or ability. We endeavour to motivate, support and inspire personal, spiritual, emotional and educational growth in a safe and secure environment.

 Our Curriculum Aims:

• To encourage all children to understand, be interested in and show respect to others, whilst also developing their own self esteem.
• To ensure our children become literate and numerate and having the confidence when communicating, working with and responding to others.
• To ensure our children develop independence enabling them to make healthy, safe life choices for themselves and others.

Please see our Curriculum Intent to full information on our Curriculum Aims.

In our Accessibility plan we will outline how we can promote accessibility for all disabled children, staff, parents, governors and visitors to our school. This is also supported in our Disability Equality Scheme, SEN, Health & Safety and Equal Opportunities Policies.

The purpose of this plan is to show how our educational setting intends, over time, to increase accessibility to the physical environment, the curriculum and written information so that all pupils with a disability can take full advantage of their education and associated opportunities.

This plan sets the proposals of St John’s Church School to ensure our practices and policies comply with the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 and increases access to education for those with disabilities. We will therefore, make sure that we:

• Do not treat disabled children less favourably for a reason related to their disability.
• Will make reasonable adjustments for disabled children, so that they are not at a substantial disadvantage.
• Will plan to increase access to education for disabled children.
• Do not allow any form of harassment of people with a disability.
• Will promote positive attitudes towards anyone living with a disability.
• Will remove barriers which may discourage disabled people from playing a full part in the life of our school.
• Will encourage full participation by everyone in our school activities.

Our Accessibility action plan is resourced, implemented, reviewed and updated annually and the views of children, staff, parents of children who have a disability, governors and members in our community with relevant experience, are taken into consideration.

Our main priorities include:

1. Increasing the extent to which disabled children and adults can participate in the school curriculum.
2. Improving the physical environment of the school to increase the extent to which disabled children and adults can take advantage of education and the wider life of school including trips and clubs.
3. Improve the accessibility of written information to disabled children and adults.

How does this happen in these 3 Key Areas:

1. Access to the curriculum – our children are taught using a variety of teaching and learning methods, ensuring accessibility to the curriculum. Every child has individual learning targets which are closely monitored and regularly reviewed. All staff access up to date training which leads to a better understanding of the children’s needs. Teaching assistants are also well trained and work in collaboration with the teaching staff to ensure appropriate support is offered. We analyse our school data to measure the impact of intervention programmes and support strategies. Our SEN register is regularly updated by the SENCo. Advice is sought from the SEN and Disability Service, the Educational Psychologist and other appropriate outside agencies to provide staff with information about making ‘reasonable adjustments’ to the curriculum.

2. Physical Access – the school building and grounds: there are well structured and supportive playtime and lunchtime activities such as Year 6 play-leaders, an adult play-leader and football club coach. Internally when making adjustments to the building we ensure these are DDA compliant. Any hazards are denoted for the visually impaired, height adjustments are made if required and flexibility in seating arrangements to suit pupil needs are made.

3. Access to written information – every classroom has their own Interactive Whiteboard, lap tops and iPads are widely available for individual children, visual timetables are used, parents receive monthly newsletters and a weekly electronic news bulletin, weekly ‘drop-in’ sessions for parents are available to visit their child’s class teacher plus alternative phone conversations or email communication.