Northlands Wood Accessibility Plan 2017-2020

 This policy was reviewed and updated in March 2017.

(This policy will be reviewed by the Governors as part of their cycle of policy review, or in response to additional guidance
from the Department for Education).

 At Northlands Wood Primary Academy, we want all children to enjoy school, to be challenged to aim high, be independent, respect others, work together and celebrate their success – TOGETHER WE LEARN AND GROW.  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 Northlands Wood Primary Academy 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 effect 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 timeframe

Contextual Information

Northlands Wood Primary Academy has been in its current location since 2010. The school design supports access into school on both the upper and lower levels. There is a lift between floors. There are four disabled toilets. One of these toilets is equipped with a shower.   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.  We also have a child who is registered blind.

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 the ethos 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. 

Improving access to the physical environment of the school

Northlands Wood Primary Academy is continuing to grow and develop. By 2020 it will be fully two form entry with 420 pupils from Reception to Year 6.   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 Development planning process is the vehicle for considering such needs on an annual basis. 

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 hand outs, 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 timeframe.

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.