Arrangements For The Admission Of Students With Disabilities
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 defines a disabled person as one who has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a persons’ ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Most children with Special Needs will not be disabled within the meaning of the Act.
The admission of students with disabilities is considered in the first instance in the same way as non-disabled students. Further considerations are made in the light of need and accessibility. It is the Governors’ Policy to accommodate students with disabilities should parents wish. Steps are taken to prevent any students being treated less favourably than other students. In practice we ensure that classroom and extra-curricular activities encourage the participation of all students, including those categorised as having Special Educational Needs. Staff organise human and physical resources within the school to increase access to learning and participation by all students.
Batchwood School strives to ensure that the culture and ethos of the school are such that, whatever the abilities and needs of members of the school community, everyone is equally valued and treats one another with respect under the Equality Act 2010. Students should be provided with the opportunity to experience, understand and value diversity.
We aim to include all students, including those with disabilities, in the full life of the school. Our strategies to do this will include:
- having high expectations of all students
- finding ways in which all students can take part in the full curriculum including sport and music
- planning out-of-school activities including all school trips and excursions so that students with disabilities can participate
- setting admissions policy and criteria which does not discriminate against students with disabilities or treat them unfairly
- devising teaching strategies which will remove barriers to learning and participate for students with disabilities
- planning the physical environment of the school to cater for the needs of students with disabilities
- raising awareness of disability amongst school staff (teaching and non-teaching) through a programme of training
- providing written information for students with disabilities in a form which is user friendly
- using language which does not offend in all its literature and make staff and students aware of the importance of language
- examining our library and reading books to ensure that there are examples of positive images of disabled people
Existing facilities provided to assist access to the school by students with disabilities are:
- Wheelchair access at all entrances and sections of the school.
- Carpeted classrooms to aid hearing impaired students learning.
- Exterior lighting to improve evening access.
- A Disabled Toilet is offered close to reception (although we are awaiting a ramp to enable improved access)
- Disabled parking is available at the main entrance
Additional information
General adjustments
- Access to relevant school documents in your preferred format. For example, equal opportunities policy, evacuation and safety procedures
- Disability equality and impairment specific awareness training for staff
- Staff and students who know about your impairment should have sufficient information and awareness about the adjustments you need
- Staff should act as role models for students in treating you with respect and implementing the equal opportunities policy
- Adequate financial support to cover any extra costs
- Access to all school and school site facilities is planned (please see strand B)
- Support and information before and during the admissions process
- Additional time to complete coursework and possibly the entire course
- Study skills support
- Support using the learning resource centre or library, e.g. extended book loans, or help with locating and retrieving books and articles
General access arrangements
Adjustments to exams are called access arrangements. Listed below are some examples of the access arrangements you may need when you’re taking internal or external exams or assessments. Most education providers and examining bodies will have made exam arrangements for individual students before. But they may not have come across all possible arrangements as support needs vary from person to person.
- You may need extra time or opportunities to take rest breaks during exams
- You may need exam papers in your preferred format
- If you use assistive technology on your course, you should be able to use it for your exams e.g. computer equipment, specialist software, a reader or a scribe. It’s important that technical support on hand in case there are any problems with equipment
- You may need to use a separate room so that you’re not disturbed by other candidates, and they are not disturbed by you
- You may need assistance from another person as a prompter, a scribe (amanuensis) or as a reader
- Your assistant should have time before the exam to get used to their role, the style and format of the test and any subject- related issues.
Impairment-specific adjustments
Autism or Asperger syndrome
- Immediate access to pastoral support, e.g. particular staff member you can go to with any concern
- Staff to have awareness training
- Specialist tuition support, e.g. language skills or structuring work
- Materials in literal language, including exam papers
- Special photocopying arrangements
- Extra time to read, understand, and produce answers in exams
- Alternative ways of completing teamwork
- Support worker to act as a mediator for teamwork
- To have the same information conveyed in more than one way, e.g. verbally and in writing
- Time to get used to the school site or site
- Preparation for changes of routine, e.g. around deadlines and exam time
- Use of a separate room with an invigilator
- Exam paper written on plain paper in one colour
- Use of a prompter to keep you focused during exams
- Word processing facilities if motor control is impaired
- Use of peers, volunteers or a buddy system.
- Provision of quiet room if there are sensory issues.
- Allowing students to present to academic staff or make a video presentation instead of written assignments.
- Access to mentoring and study skills support
Blind or visual impairments
- Mobility trainer to learn routes to place of study, accommodation, school site and surrounding area (County provided).
- Time to get used to the school site or site
- Making aware evacuation routes and/or drawing up Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan.
- Personal reader to read course material and exam questions
- Scribes, amanuenses or notetakers to take notes in lessons and dictate answers in exams
- Large print, tape or Braille transcription services (County provided)
- Handouts and booklists in advance for transcription
- Audio description of visual props used in lectures (or alternative methods of teaching)
- Arrangements for placements and field work
- Private study area and special arrangements for photocopying
- Exercise area for your guide dog
- Good lighting, adequate signs and good colour contrasts on signs and buildings
- Taking exams in a separate room with an invigilator
- Extra time to read, understand, and produce answers in exams
- All exam invigilators to be aware of your impairment so they can give time warnings and tell you when to stop writing
- Deadline extensions on assessments as and when needed.
- Alternative exam arrangements
- Modifying or adapting equipment to allow you to participate in practical classes e.g. handheld illuminated magnifiers, beakers with raised markings, talking thermometers.
Deaf or hearing impairments
- Note takers
- Remote captioning e.g. using Skype to access a palantypist
- Radio or infrared microphone system (County provided)
- For school staff to receive deaf awareness training
- All exam invigilators to be aware of your impairment so they can give time warnings and tell you when to stop writing
- Covering the cost of photocopying course materials
- Software to help with English, particularly grammar
- Use of a separate room, with an invigilator
- Extra time to read, understand, and produce answers in exams.
- Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan to ensure you can evacuate the building safely in an emergency.
Learning difficulties
- To be treated with respect as an individual, without staff being directive, patronising or making assumptions about what you know and what you can do
- Course materials in plain English or with symbols
- Extra time to put together responses
- Independent advocacy services
- Clear explanation of specific tasks and any changes of routine.
Medical conditions
You may not consider yourself to be disabled if you have a medical condition, but you may need additional support or special arrangements while studying. Medical conditions might include epilepsy, diabetes, ME, eczema, sickle cell anaemia, or asthma.
- Alternative arrangements for work and deadlines if fatigue, stress and effects of medication are an issue
- Timetable planning to avoid fatigue and problem environments
- Arrangements to meet specific dietary needs, e.g. use of a fridge
- Rest room on school site
- Medical support and emergency arrangements
- Place of privacy to take medication and assistance if required
- Ongoing dialogue with staff if you have a hidden and/or fluctuating condition
- Contact from staff during any periods of time away from studies
- Flexibility in attendance and punctuality if treatments or therapies are tightly scheduled
- Supplying notes or arrangements for catch up sessions if you miss lectures
- Designated parking space
- Awareness among staff of your condition
- Maintenance of confidentiality regarding your condition
- Specialist or adapted computer equipment, e.g. a screen filter or monitor without flicker if you have photosensitive epilepsy
- Provision of snacks during exams
- All exam invigilators to be aware of your impairment so they know what to do in a medical emergency
- Supervised rest breaks during exams.
- Extra time in your exams, for example, if you have difficulties with memory and processing information.
Mental health condition
- Timetable planning and help with your work programme to deal with stress. This may include limiting the number of exams in a day or week
- Extra support and help with planning before or during exam and assessment periods
- Exam officers to be aware that problems may arise during exam periods
- Access to mentoring and study skills support
- Support from welfare and counselling staff
- Named contact to go to for support when necessary
- Academic staff to be clear about what they expect from you
- Flexibility in attendance and punctuality if treatments or therapies are tightly scheduled or during times when difficulties are worse than usual
- Computer equipment to enable you to study at home
- Quiet room to rest in
- Contact from staff during any periods of time away from studies
- Maintenance of confidentiality about your mental health condition
- Sufficient information and awareness among staff who do know about your difficulties, to prevent major misconceptions
- Supervised rest breaks during exams
- Prompter to keep you focused in exams
Physical impairments
- Adapted furniture for studying at home or school and use of these in exams
- Use of assistive technology in exams
- Scanner
- Typing or transcription services
- Scribes, amanuenses or note takers for lessons and exams
- Support for practical and field work
- Particular travel arrangements
- Parking space on school site
- Timetable planning to ensure accessibility and avoid long distances
- Additional time at mealtimes for medical needs
- Rest room on school site
- Well-ventilated classrooms if heat leads to discomfort
- Extra time for course work and exams, depending on your method of communication and working
- Use of a separate room, with an invigilator, if using equipment or taking frequent rests because of fatigue
- Supervised rest breaks during exams
- Alternative ways of demonstrating competency, for example through oral responses instead of written.
Specific learning difficulties (for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia)
- Specialist tuition support, e.g. language skills or structuring work
- Support with identifying the most relevant books and chapters to read
- Assistive technology such as a computer with dictionary explanations software or a screen reader
- Use of assistive technology in exams
- Use of a separate exam room, with an invigilator
- Handouts and booklists in advance of classes
- Handouts and exam papers in preferred format, e.g. on tape or on different coloured paper
- Special photocopying arrangements
- Scribes, amanuenses or note takers, proof-reader, support worker, and use of amanuenses in exams
- Extra time to read, understand and prepare answers
- Use of literal language and keeping oral instructions simple and concise
- Extra time after tutorials to check understanding
- Exam papers printed on coloured paper or printed in ink other than blue or black
- Use of coloured filters or overlays
- Use of coloured pens (other than blue or black)
- Oral examinations instead of, or in addition to, the written examination.
Speech, language and communication impairments
- Modified assessment arrangements for any oral exams and presentations or group work
- Timetables to include longer tutorial and seminar sessions
- Advice and guidance from a speech and language therapist
Accessibility Action Plan
Strand A: Increasing the extent to which disabled students can participate in the school curriculum.
| Targets | Strategies | Timeframe | Goals achieved | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short term | Continue to provide a more appropriate vocational curriculum at KS4 | Work in partnership with Alternative Providers in extending the range of provision | September 2021 on going | Yes |
| Short term | Improved training and communications with all staff | Regular daily meetings Information/advice to all departments Support/Inclusion Staff training CPD Literacy, Phonics and Numeracy CPD Assessment Whole staff training on specific disabilities when needed |
September 2021 on going | Yes |
| Short term | Improved access for students with ICT | Purchase a set of 6 Laptops | September 2021 on going | Yes |
| Medium term | Improve Disable accessibility throughout the school (Research & Planning) | Work with HCC to; audit building, and make recommendations regarding alterations | September – December 2021 | On going |
| Long term | Create improved Disability access throughout the school (Actual building) | Funding from HCC to put in place building alterations | September – December 2021 | Not yet |
Strand B: Improving the physical environment of schools
Short Term
- To improve disabled access to designated Main Hall area.
- Create Disabled toilet facility (completed June 2020)
Medium Term
- Improved ICT facilities for students
- Physical accessibility of school improves to all ground floor is possible
Long Term
- All appropriate entrances have ramps and handrails and nosing on steps
- Secure resources from the LA, over a three-year period improve all appropriate entrances.
- Physical accessibility of school increased along ground floor corridors
Strand C: Improving the Delivery of Information to Disabled Students
| Targets | Strategies | Timeframe | Goals achieved | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short Term | To ensure that all members of the school community are aware of the need to differentiate and provide for students who need information provided in alternative formats. | Staff meetings Awareness Training Distributing information / advice to staff when appropriate. |
September 2021 | On going |
| Medium Term | To enhance the fabric, resources and the buildings including the outdoor learning | To meet with whole school and departments to identify issues | Ongoing as different needs arise. | On going |
| Long Term | Redesign Curriculum to ensure more differentiation for all students to meet their needs with more vocational learning and the development of the outdoor curriculum | Continue to refine the KS3/KS4 Curriculum to ensure it meets the needs of all learners | On going | On going |