Lane End Primary School

Disability Equality Scheme

and

Access Plan

2010 - 2013

“We want to live in communities where we can participate fully and equally. We want all our children to do well at school, to take part in all areas of school life and reach their potential. We know that for many disabled children at school, and disabled people in employment, this hasn’t yet happened and there remains considerable work to be done.

The Disability Equality Duty is a new way for public authorities to tackle disability discrimination in a practical way by introducing policies that actively promote opportunities and so prevent discrimination taking place”

Bert Massie

Chairman

Disability Rights Commission

Introduction

The SEN and Disability Act 2001 extended the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) to cover education. Since September 2002, the Governing Body has had three key duties towards disabled pupils, under Part 4 of the DDA:

q not to treat disabled pupils less favourably for a reason related to their disability;

q to make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils, so that they are not at a substantial disadvantage;

q to plan to increase access to education for disabled pupils.

This plan sets out the proposals of the Governing Body of the school to increase access to education for disabled pupils in the three areas required by the planning duties in the DDA:

q increasing the extent to which disabled pupils can participate in the school curriculum;

q improving the environment of the school to increase the extent to which disabled pupils can take advantage of education and associated services;

q improving the delivery to disabled pupils of information which is provided in writing for pupils who are not disabled.

The school’s accessibility plan will be resourced, implemented and reviewed and revised annually.

Attached is a set of action plans showing how the school will address the priorities identified in the plan.

1A: The purpose and direction of the school’s plan: vision and values

At Lane End Primary School we aim to work in partnership with all members of the school community to make teaching and learning exciting and enjoyable, support and challenge every child to achieve at the highest possible level and create a safe and secure environment where every child is happy, valued and prepared to make a positive contribution to our rapidly changing society.

Lane End Primary School has high ambitions for all of its pupils and expects them to participate and achieve in every aspect of school life – we believe that this is their right and entitlement.

Our commitment to equal opportunities is driven by the National Curriculum Inclusion statement. The school aims to:

- set suitable learning challenges;

- respond to pupils’ diverse needs;

- overcome potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils.

We welcome all pupils and staff, irrespective of race, colour, creed or impairment. Every member of staff shares in the responsibility to remove barriers to learning for all pupils, including those with a disability.

Definition of disability

The disability discrimination duties are owed to all pupils who are defined by the DDA as being disabled and under the planning duties schools and local authorities have a general duty to improve the accessibility of schools for disabled pupils.

The DDA defines a disabled person 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’ (see definition below of normal day-to-day activities).

Physical or mental impairment includes sensory impairments and also hidden impairments. In the DDA ‘substantial’ means ‘more than minor or trivial’. ‘Long-term’ means has lasted or is likely to last more than 12 months.

The definition is broad and includes children with a wide range of impairments, including learning disabilities, dyslexia, autism, speech and language impairments, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), diabetes or epilepsy, where the effect of the impairment on the pupil’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities is adverse, substantial and long-term. All those with cancer or surviving cancer; HIV or Multiple Sclerosis are now included from the point of diagnosis.

A significant number of pupils are therefore included in the definition.

Normal day-to-day activity

The test of whether the impairment affects normal day-to-day activity is whether it affects one or more of the following (without the use of any aids):

mobility;
manual dexterity;
physical co-ordination;
continence;
ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects;
speech, hearing or eyesight;
memory or ability to concentrate, learn or understand;
perception of risk of physical danger.

Disability and special educational needs

Many children who have SEN will also be defined as having a disability under the DDA. It is likely that many of the pupils who have SEN and a statement or who are at School Action Plus will count as disabled. However, not all children who are defined as disabled will have SEN. For example, those with severe asthma, arthritis or diabetes may not have SEN but may have rights under the DDA. Similarly, not all children with SEN will be defined as having a disability under the Disability Discrimination Act. In particular some children whose emotional and behavioural difficulties have their origins in social or domestic circumstances may fall outside the definition.

Possible overlap of SEN and DDA disability definition for children and young people

Special Educational Needs

Both SEN + Disabled

Disabled

Mild dyslexia

Emotional Behavioural Difficulties (EBD - social factors)

Mild Dyspraxia

Minor speech impairment

Mild Learning difficulties

Motor Impairment (long term)

Learning difficulties

Hearing impairment / Deaf

Visual Impairment/Blind

Incontinence

Significant Dyslexia

Epilepsy

Non –verbal

ADHD

Autism

Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD - factors other than social e.g. medical conditions/mental health)

Asthma

Diabetes

Cancer recovery

Mental health Issues

Disfigurement

Eating disorder

Lack of limbs

Sickle cell Anaemia

Gross Obesity

Very Short Stature

1B: Information from pupil data and school audit

Lane End is a community primary school serving the Stockport area. Within the current school population of 205 pupils, there are 4 pupils on School Action Plus, a further 12 on School Action of the SEN Register and three children have statements of special educational needs.

Disabled pupils currently in school have the following needs:

Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD);
Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD);
Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD - including Aspergers Syndrome);
Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD – including Dyslexia and Dyspraxia);
Speech Language and Communication Needs (SLCN);

Previously we have also worked with pupils with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Multiple Learning Difficulties, Diabetes and hearing impairments.

Currently all pupils in school are mobile.

The school’s strengths and weaknesses in working with disabled pupils

Training is provided through a cycle of staff INSET and meetings with relevant organisations to raise awareness of needs and also of strategies for effective classroom practice in meeting needs. The SENCO works closely with class teachers and teaching assistants to ensure that children’s needs are met and that staff have relevant information.

Every teacher has a Special Educational Needs file. This contains information on each pupil with special needs / disabilities and outlines their strengths, difficulties and strategies for supporting the pupil in the classroom. It also contains further information and guidance on a range of needs (ASD, ADHD, SpLD etc) and gives ideas of how to best support pupils with these disabilities. In addition, updated information is issued to staff as appropriate, following Annual Reviews for example. Support staff also have access to this information.

The school subscribes to the LA training for teaching and support staff. Further specific training is undertaken as appropriate and is identified through staff development meetings (Performance Management/Appraisal) and through priorities identified in the School Improvement Plan. There is regular liaison with a range of Outside Agencies who offer training, advice, guidance and support in meeting the needs of the pupils we support. These agencies include:

The Learning Support Service, LSS;
The Educational Service for the Sensory Impaired, SIS;
Speech and Language Therapy Service, Sp&L;
Occupational Therapy Service, OT;
Children’s Physiotherapy Service;
Children & Adult Mental Health Service, CAMHS;
Educational Psychology Service, EP;
Primary Behaviour Support Service, PBSS;

All pupils are integrated into the mainstream classes, as appropriate, and specialist support and advice is given by external support staff. We have a large number of teaching assistants who are used effectively to support individual children and groups.

Systems are in place to ensure the smooth transition of pupils from Lane End to their secondary placement, (mainly Cheadle Hulme High). Liaison and the sharing of information regarding disabled pupils with a statement of SEN or on School Action Plus begins with the SENCO or Resource Base Manager from the secondary school attending the transition review. Further meetings are arranged during Year 6 and additional visits to their allocated secondary school during the Summer Term prior to transfer as well as sessions with one of our teaching assistants about secondary school and a visit with them to the school. Lane End staff liaise with parents and the Secondary school staff to ensure that all relevant information is passed on and any appropriate adjustments and preparations can be made for the pupil.

All disabled pupils follow a full and balanced curriculum, appropriately differentiated according to their needs and are encouraged to take a full and active part in school life, including extra-curricular activities and off-site visits.

Over the last three years, schemes of work have been reviewed to ensure that the curriculum at FS, KS1 & KS2 is appropriate and accessible for all learners. This has included maintaining breadth and balance, differentiation and motivational activities (including visits, visitors, drama and the creative arts).

We have a bank of resources to support teachers and teaching assistants and the SENCO/School Improvement Team monitor teaching to ensure that all work is appropriately differentiated and accessible to all pupils.

Support maps are in place to show the range of resources and support mechanisms in place for pupils with special educational needs across the school – see appendix 1.

The school is on one level. It is accessible to wheels chair users by the back entrance, however there is a slight step to the front entrance. We have one disabled toilet for pupils or adults.

OFSTED (October 2007) commented that, ‘Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who learn more slowly achieve outstandingly well because intervention programmes, for example, in reading and mathematics, support their learning very effectively….A further strength of the teaching is the very good use made of additional adults who are deployed highly effectively to accelerate the progress and boost the self-esteem of those pupils who need extra help in their learning….Their progress is promoted by very good tracking systems, which identify their needs at an early stage and resources are directed shrewdly to ensure maximum achievement for all pupils, including the most vulnerable.’

Provision for disabled pupils will be reviewed annually when classes and classrooms are organised.

Areas for Development:

Improve the accessibility to the school for wheel chair users, particularly the main entrance and doors throughout school.
Identification of disabled pupils in the school and the pattern of their participation in the life of the school
Monitoring and analysis of patterns of attendance for disabled pupils
Setting up a discrete grouping on the school data management system covering ‘Disabled Pupils’ to facilitate the detailed analysis of outcome data for disabled pupils – e.g. end of Key Stage outcomes, progress measured by optional SATs
Detailed information showing how well disabled pupils are accessing the curriculum, for example: lesson observations in different curriculum areas;
Monitoring and detailing achievements in extra-curricular activities, broader outcomes such as those set out in Every Child Matters
Reviewing resources in school

1C: Views of those consulted during the development of the plan

For pupils with a statement of SEN or those on School Action Plus of the SEN Register, the views and aspirations of disabled pupils are formally gathered annually through the Annual Review process. This seeks to establish what is going well and also any concerns or barriers to progress from the pupil’s point of view. Their parents also have the opportunity to express their views either in writing or simply verbally at the review meeting. This includes the opportunity to express any concerns or queries they may have regarding their child’s progress and the provision in place for them. All children with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) have review meetings twice a year to which parents are invited and both parents and child views are sought.

Over the Autumn Term 2007 a questionnaire was issued to our parents in order to establish more fully their views and opinions about provision for their children (See Appendix 2 and 2a). A working group was set up consisting of parents and a governor to discuss the plan. Both of these information gathering methods have been used to help write this plan. The plan is also reviewed by the Governing Body and this was last done in January 2011. Discussions have also been held with the school staff.

Making it happen

2A: Management, coordination and implementation

The governing body has responsibility for the school accessibility plan. The progress toward meeting the targets set in the plan will be reported on annually through the Head Teacher’s report to governors. This plan, together with the school’s SEN Policy, will be reviewed and revised annually, in consultation with disabled stakeholders and representatives and the Governing Body.

“Overall responsibility for the school’s accessibility plan lies with the Governing Body, but improving access for disabled pupils requires everyone at the school to understand the duties in the DDA and apply this knowledge in their own area of responsibility: the head teacher, SMT, teachers, SENCO, teaching assistants, administrative staff, midday staff, caretaker & cleaners and Governors themselves.”

2B Getting hold of the school’s plan.

The Disability Equality Scheme and the Accessibility Plan for Lane End School is available on request from the school and is also available on the school website. We have tried to ensure that the plan is readable and free of jargon. We would welcome your feedback if you feel that anything is unclear or if you have any queries.

Areas for development:

Continue to ensure that all school plans reflect priorities for developing access for disabled pupils, including the School Improvement Plan, Asset Management Plan, School Evaluation Form, Health and Safety Policies, Safeguarding Children Policies

Appendix 1

Lane End Primary School

Whole School Provision Map

Each class has a Support Map for the children in their class who require additional support. The following gives a broad overview of provision in the school:

Provisions common to all Year Groups:

Resource	Time/Cost	Accessed By
Whole-school target setting for Writing and maths	3 x per year	All pupils.
IEPs drawn up and issued as appropriate	Admin / monitoring time	All children on SEN register
Speech and language provision and integration	School budget	Targeted pupils
Information on students with Statement and SAP to staff	SENCO Time
Individual/ paired teaching with LSS (Statement and SAP)	LSS buy back	Targeted pupils
Differentiated materials and resources	Subject Leaders budgets
In-class/lunchtime support for Statemented students	TAs - School budget	Targeted pupils
General in-class TA support		Benefits all classes
Support from SEN specialist TA	School budget	Targeted pupils
Small group support from SENCO	School budget	Targeted pupils
Small group support from TA	School budget	Targeted pupils
KS1&2 Monitoring in Literacy and Numeracy
Use of signs / symbols / Visual Timetables etc
Referral to Outside Agencies	Admin Time / Agency time	Targeted pupils
Access to Speech and Language Advice / Programme	TAs - School budget	Targeted pupils
Access to Physiotherapy Advice / Programme	TAs - School budget	Targeted pupils
Access to Occupational Therapy Advice / Programme	TAs - School budget	Targeted pupils
Access to Advice / Programmes from Educational Service for the Sensory Impaired	TAs - School budget	Targeted pupils
Whole-school rewards and sanctions policy		All pupils

Additional Provision for Transition

	Provision / Resource	Time/Cost	Accessed by
Transition	Primary Liaison – SENCo attends transition Reviews	SENCo Time	Year 6 pupils with Statement or SAP
	Parental visits – Year 5 parents – prior to making choice of High School		Year 5 parents
	Pupil Induction Day at CHHS		All pupils due to transfer
	Additional visits to CHHS for targeted pupils	SEN staff time	Targeted pupils
	Visits during the year to CHHS (for sport/music/french etc.)	Teacher time	All Y5/6 pupils
	Work with Transition Learning Mentor	Currently provided by CHHS	All Y6 pupils
	New Intake Evening – information for parents of new intake. 1 ½ day in class for Reception children in summer before start.	1 Evenings	All parents of reception children
	2 weeks of half days for new Reception children. Meeting for parents with reception teacher.	2 weeks of 2 teachers in Reception	Reception children. All parents of reception children
	All teachers discuss current class/needs/targets with subsequent teacher	Staff meeting	All teachers
	Transition arrangements from Reception to Year 1 – children introduced to teacher and class in Summer Term through a variety of activities. Meeting for new Year 1 parents in September		All reception children

Appendix 2 - Letter to parents/carers to accompany questionnaire

Lane End Primary School

Dear Parents/Carers,

In line with new statutory duties, we are required to consult with families about the way we manage the provision in our schools for children and adults with disabilities. You will find a brief and thought-provoking questionnaire attached to this letter and we ask that you will help us by spending a few moments to consider the statements and questions it contains and then give us your response.

Asking questions about our provision for disabled adults and children will enable us to make real improvements where possible, based on the needs of our community. The findings will enable us to review our accessibility plan and to make school more inclusive and barrier free for all children, staff, parents and visitors. At Lane End Primary School we strive to provide access to the wider experiences of school life for all our pupils. With your help we seek to further enhance the 7 years pupils spend at Lane End.

As well as the questionnaire, we would like to set up a working party, consisting of myself, representatives from the staff, governors and members of our local community to look at this issue.

If you feel that you would be able to contribute to this working party, please indicate this at the end of the attached questionnaire.

Once you have completed the questionnaire please return it to either your child’s class teacher or myself here at school. Alternatively, if you feel you would rather come into school and discuss your response then I would be more than happy to do so.

Thank-you for your help.

Yours sincerely,

James Twigg

(Headteacher)

Appendix 2a Lane End Primary School Parent / Carer Questionnaire

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) requires schools to have both an equality scheme and an accessibility plan to improve access to education for its pupils. We would like to seek your views and would ask you to spend a little time reading the following definition and then responding to the questions. This questionnaire is being sent to all parents/carers. If you do not feel that this questionnaire applies to your child or family you do not have to repond or can respond with ‘Not Applicable’ to any of the questions – thank-you for your help.

The definition of disability has recently been amended by the DDA. The DDA defines a disabled person 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.”

‘physical impairment’ includes sensory impairments;
‘mental impairment’ includes learning difficulties and an impairment resulting from or consisting of a mental illness;
‘substantial’ means more than minor or trivial; and
‘long-term’ means has lasted or is likely to last more than 12 months.

The definition covers a broad spectrum of impairments including: mobility difficulties (which include physical co-ordination and manual dexterity), diabetes, epilepsy, cancer, speech, hearing or eyesight, autism, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder and people with mental health conditions or disabilities. A significant number of pupils and adults are therefore included in the definition.

Name: Child’s Name: Class:

Is there any further information that you would like to share with us about your child?

Is there any information you feel we need to know regarding your family and their ability to access all aspects of school life?

How do you feel the school has responded to your son or daughter’s needs?

Do you feel that the nature of your son or daughter’s disability/learning difficulty has caused him or her to be excluded from any aspect of school life?

I would like to be involved in the working party Yes/No

If yes, please give your phone number : Thank-you.

Appendix 3

Lane End Primary School Access Plan 2010 - 2013

At Lane End Primary School we are committed to an inclusive curriculum and we aim to increase access to the school’s facilities for all by:

a) Ensuring disabled pupils can participate in the school curriculum

b) Improving the physical environment of the school

c) Improving the delivery to disabled pupils of information, which is already in writing to pupils who are not disabled.

This Plan is underpinned by the following features of the school:

There is effective planning and liaison between appropriate school and support services working with individual pupils within school
The Special Needs Coordinator (SENCO) has sufficient liaison time for agencies, support staff and families and training
As a school we have high expectations of all pupils. We aim to establish a positive ethos within the school and within teams of staff within the school. We aim to adopt a ‘problem-solving’ attitude in order to overcome barriers to learning for individuals
We follow a whole-school positive behaviour management structure and reward scheme aimed at enhancing the self-esteem of all pupils
We have a robust system in place for transition, transfers and re-integration of pupils. This includes gathering and sharing accurate information on the pupils’ strengths, weaknesses and progress trends, together with strategies employed and evaluations of outcomes.

Audit of existing Achievement / Provision

1A Curriculum

We believe that we have made good progress in the following areas:

Clear focus on medium term planning at the level of schemes of work
Clear assessment of current curriculum levels in core subjects
Deployment of teaching assistants for learning, pastoral and inclusion support
Liaison with external services and agencies regarding individual pupils (physical, sensory, learning, behaviour)
Access to specialist advice and support
Organising Teaching assistant deployment to cover a mix of curriculum needs
Ensuring that Access Arrangements are made for SATs, (Extra time / Reader/ Amanuensis (scribe) etc)
Setting clear learning objectives in each lesson and making sure that these are clear to the pupils
Undertaking target setting for all pupils
Monitoring progress of all groups of children and of intervention support
Ensuring that pupils involved in target setting and IEPs
Encouraging and supporting the development of clear, well presented visual aids and word walls in many classrooms to support the learning of all
Encouraging the use of writing frames to give structured support with writing
Ensuring that school visits and trips are accessible for all pupils
Using a range of teaching methods and styles to facilitate access for all students – e.g. appropriate use of language; questioning techniques; pair work; group work; ‘mind-friendly’ learning techniques to suit all learning styles – visual/ auditory / kinaesthetic, etc.
Setting of pupils in mathematics in Year 6
Pupil grouping and use of peer support
The acceptance of all ability groups as part of the school community
Development of mutual support and understanding between colleagues in working with pupils with disabilities, assemblies and class work, to promote mutual respect.
Discussion of disability issues and discrimination with children – lessons for Year 5 and 6 with cerebral palsy society each year
Release time for the SENCO to work with groups of children
Accessibility of IEPs to staff working with the children
Specialist TA and training for non-specialists
Access to schemes and events for targeted children
Review of reading books to ensure disabled children and adults are portrayed positively
Access to specialist support staff from outside of school

To do:

How the school plans to develop awareness of disability through the curriculum - started
Establishing a bank of some Specialist resources available to support specific needs (Scissors, ruler, adapted computer mouse, large key calculator, etc)

1B Physical Access

We have made good progress in the following areas

Disabled Parking Spaces in car park.
Disabled toilet
Adequate space to meet with parents and carers available
Quality space for small group work and individual work for targeted learners (community room)
Development of a physical environment that is safe and welcoming. Each individual may see themselves reflected in displays around the school
Carpeting to facilitate favourable acoustics in classrooms
Speaker systems in Class 1 and 2 to aid hearing
Provision of shade areas in reception playground
Labelling of equipment and resources in classrooms so that pupils can find their way around more easily
Well set out library area
Electrical fittings (with the exception of light switches) at an accessible height
Good circulation due to modified open plan layout
Good auditory performance in teaching areas (despite open plan)
Adequate lighting
Cloakroom area with fittings at a reasonable height
Front entrance bell at accessible height for wheelchair users
Windows at the bottom of new doors
Increase ramped accesses to the school
- Accessible ICT suite (rise and fall table), colour coded keyboards
- Identifying children and parents/carers who may be disabled through admissions forms

To do:

Wheelchair access to reception – ramp
Adapted furniture to meet the needs of all learners
Colour contrast when redecorating corridors
Alarm pull, washbasin and paper towel to be accessible in disabled toilet from a seated position

Information Access

We have made good progress in the following areas:

Visual timetables
Regular discussions with parents about their children’s needs
Detailed information on Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and at review meetings
- Asking about any disability or health condition parents and carers might have in the first communication it has with them
  - Use of the school website and VLE
  - Collect specific information on disability about new staff via recruitment and selection procedures and about new pupils as part of school admission enquiries and communications.

To do:

Decide if information needs to be given in alternative formats
Report annually on progress being made to promote disability equality. Disabled people must be involved in this process and the report should include: information gathered during the year, how that information was used and action points completed during the year and those that are ongoing. This can be via the school prospectus or profile.