Drighlington Primary School

Single Equality and Accessibility

A person has a disability if he or she has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

We believe that our Single Equality and Accessibility Plan is compliant with current legislation and requirements as specified in Schedule 10, relating to Disability, of the Equality Act 2010. The Governing Body is accountable for ensuring the implementation, review and reporting on progress of the Single Equality and Accessibility Plan over a prescribed period.

Our Single Equality and Accessibility Plan is structured to complement and support the school's objectives. At Drighlington Primary School we do not discriminate against anyone on the grounds of their sex, race, colour, religion, nationality, ethnic or national origins. We promote the principles of fairness and justice for all through the education that we provide in our school.

We ensure that all pupils have equal access to the full range of educational opportunities provided by the school. We constantly strive to remove any forms of indirect discrimination that may form barriers to learning. We ensure that all recruitment, employment, promotion and training systems are fair to all, and provide opportunities for everyone to achieve. We challenge stereotyping and prejudice whenever it occurs. We celebrate the cultural diversity of our community and show respect for all minority groups. We are aware that prejudice and stereotyping is caused by low self-image and ignorance. Through positive educational experiences and support for each individual’s point of view, we aim to promote positive social attitudes and respect for all.

We are committed to providing an environment which enables full curriculum access which values and includes all pupils, staff, parents and visitors regardless of their education, physical, sensory, social, spiritual, emotional and cultural needs. We are committed to taking positive action in the spirit of the Equality Act 2010 with regard to disability and to developing a culture of inclusion, support and awareness within the school.

Our aims include children, staff, governors, parents, carers and all those within our extended school community. We are committed to responding to all diversity related. In accordance with “Public Sector Equality Duty” we have adopted a proactive approach to equality. This means that we will:

• Take positive and proactive steps to identify areas of potential inequality before they have the chance to make an impact
• Make changes to ensure that any areas of potential inequality are eliminated. Potential areas are:
  • Disability
  • Gender reassignment
  • Race
  • Religion or Belief
  • Gender Sexual Orientation
  • Age

The school acknowledges and welcomes diversity among pupils, staff and visitors. We will not discriminate against anyone, adult or child, on the grounds of gender, race, age, colour, religion, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical or mental abilities. We provide the full educational entitlement which meets the individual needs of every child. We provide quality learning experiences and activities which are differentiated to cater for individual needs and celebrate success and achievement to promote positive self-esteem and aspirations. We have high expectations of children’s achievements and behaviour. We develop an environment in school which promotes a sense of community and belonging and where children can exercise personal and social skills of independence, teamwork, self-awareness, self-respect and respect for others.

We are opposed to all forms of racism and xenophobia including those that are directed towards religious groups and communities We respect the religious beliefs and practices of all staff, pupils, parents, carers and visitors, and comply with all reasonable requests to religious observance and practice. We ensure that all recruitment and employment are fair to all and provide opportunities for everyone to succeed. We will make reasonable adjustments, where required, in order to improve access to the school buildings, increase access to the curriculum and to improve delivery of information.

The education of our children is promoted through a partnership in which both the home and the school play their parts to the full in order to raise standards of achievement and develop every child as a successful individual.

Our Single Equality and Accessibility Plan shows how access is to be improved for disabled pupils, staff and visitors to the school in a given timeframe and anticipating the need to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate their needs where practicable. The Single Equality and Accessibility Plan will contain relevant and timely actions to:

• increase access to the curriculum for pupils with a disability, adapting the curriculum as necessary to ensure that pupils with a disability are as, equally, prepared for life as are the pupils without disability;
• improve access to the physical environment of the school, adding specialist facilities where possible – this covers improvements to the physical environment of the school and physical aids to access education within a reasonable timeframe;
• improve the communication of written information to pupils, staff, parents and visitors with disabilities; examples might include letters, timetables, books and information about the school and school events; the information will be made available in various formats within a reasonable timeframe

Key Aim

To increase and ensure for children with a disability that they have:

• total access to our setting’s environment, curriculum and information and full participation in the school community.

Principles

Compliance with the Equality Act is consistent with our setting’s aims and equal opportunities policy and SEN information report. Key principles:

• Our staff recognise their duty under the Equality Act:
• Not to discriminate against disabled children in their admissions and exclusions, and provision of education and associated services
• Not to treat disabled children less favourably
• To take reasonable steps to avoid putting disabled children at a substantial disadvantage
• We will do our upmost to make our school physically accessible for those children who require adjustments - we will work with parents / carers to establish the needs and requirements and do everything possible to be inclusive so that our children with SEND can take advantage of the educational benefits, facilities and services we offer
• To ensure that disabled pupils have equal access to all resources as all other children.
• To publish and regularly review an Accessibility Plan
• In performing their duties, Governors have regard to the Equality Act 2010
• Our setting recognises and values the young person’s knowledge/parents’ knowledge of their child’s disability, the effect their disability has on his/her ability to carry out activities and respects the parents’ and child’s right to confidentiality
• Our setting provides all children with a broad and balanced curriculum that is differentiated, personalised and age appropriate. 

Accessibility Plan

Our Accessibility Plan has been prepared under Paragraph 3 of Schedule 10 to the Equality Act 2010.

Complaints

If you have a compliant that relates to any aspect of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provision we would be very grateful to have a conversation with you to enable us to resolve any issues as quickly as possible to benefit all concerned. Please contact the school office to make an appointment to see the SENCo or one of the Senior Leaders. info@drighlingtonprimary.org.uk or call on 0113 2853000. Thank you.