Disability Policy
Our commitment to meeting our duty under the provisions of the Disability and Discrimination Act 2006 and the Equality Act 2010 will underpin all that we do in this school. No one will be treated less favourably than others. This school will work hard to meet the individual needs of all, including those with a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. We will anticipate the needs of those with disability and make reasonable adjustments to ensure that their needs are met to give them access to all aspects of the school’s life. All members of the school community will be involved and consulted in the process of implementing our statutory duty.
Objectives
1 To ensure that all learners receive their entitlement to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum.
2 To ensure that provision for learners with disability is central to curriculum planning, teaching and learning.
3 To recognise, celebrate and record learners’ achievements, progress and successes in order to encourage a positive self-image.
4 To ensure that those with management responsibility, and individual staff accept responsibility for planning, organization and delivery of appropriate educational material to pupils’ disability.
5 To ensure that learners and parents are fully involoved at every stage in the provision made by the school.
6 To establish a Disability and Equality Steering Group that where appropriate represents the whole school community, including learners and those with disability.
7 To establish a phased Accessibility Action Plan to increase the extent to which those with disability can participate fully in the curriculum and in extended schooling curricular activities.
8 To have a phased plan to improve the physical environment so that all can take advantage of all the services and education provided by the school.
9 To improve the access and delivery of information to those with disadvantage that would normally be provided in writing to other members of the school community.
10 To ensure that within the school budget appropriate funding is provided to underpin the Accessibility Action .
Strategies
1 Monitoring, evaluation and review carried out by the Leadership Team and SENCO will ensure that procedures and practices within the school give all learners access to the whole curriculum.
2 Parents will be involved and consulted about the provision being offered by the school.
3 The Special Educational Needs Coordinator will be responsible for the identification and assessment of the specific educational needs and a procedure will be put into place to ensure effective liaison with appropriate support agencies and outside agencies.
4 The assessment of disability will be diagnostic in nature and constructive in practice, with appropriate involvement of parents and relevant members of staff.
5 INSET opportunities will be provided for staff, to raise awareness and provide practical examples of suitable curricular materials.
6 A flexible approach will be used, involving a variety of forms of intervention such as in-class support, short-term individual withdrawal, monitoring and production of materials in subject areas, and specific advice to subject staff.
7 Active participation of parents in the teaching and learning process will be encouraged.
8 The positive achievements of pupils will be celebrated and recognized.
9 Statemented/EHCP learners will continue to have access to the whole curriculum unless a specific exemption has been made and agreed.
Outcomes
This policy will play an important part in the educational development of individual pupils. It will ensure that pupils with disability are treated as favourably as others and that the school will make reasonable adjustments to avoid dis advantaging disabled pupils. Pupils with disability will be treated as equal and valued members of the school community.