Accessibility plan
Co-op Academy North Manchester
Accessibility Plan [2022 -2026]
Introductory statement
This Accessibility Plan has been drawn up in consultation with the academy and covers the period from October 2022- October 2026. The plan is available in large print or other accessible format if required.
The plan takes account of the academy's public sector equality duty set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010.
We are committed to providing an environment which values and includes all pupils, staff, parents and visitors regardless of their educational, physical, sensory, social, spiritual, emotional and cultural needs. We are further committed to promoting inclusive approaches to disability and accessibility and to developing a culture of awareness, tolerance and inclusion.
Background
The academy's layout and facilities
The academy is committed to our legal responsibility to make reasonable adjustments to allow pupils with physical disabilities full access to educational provision. The academy occupies a three storey building erected in 2012, with separate new build single storey sports facility. Fully accessible toilets are available on all floors. The academy has a fully equipped hygiene suite. The upper floors house a cinema, theatre and dance studio which are all fully accessible to pupils with physical disabilities. The building is equipped with integrated adaptable furniture. A large indoor and outdoor reception provision is located centrally on the ground floor. The first, second and third floors are accessed by six sets of stairs at either end of the building or two fully accessible lifts. All sets of stairs are designed with pupils with visual impairments in mind. Facilities have been adapted to support specialist medical provision in the sports block. The academy also has a rise and fall bed for medical protocols. The school has accessible toilets, showers and changing facilities. The Evac chair is located on the ground floor behind reception for emergency access for pupils who are wheelchair users, there is also an Evac chair on the second floor. The academy is equipped with automatic doors to enter the building at ground level. The external provision for access is laid out to allow access for specialist transport vehicles and disabled parking spaces are provided. We also have access to a fully accessible school minibus. There has also been a new Muga that is fully accessible for all pupils to access. The Year 7 area has also been developed to allow full access to the Canopy and additional dining facility and outside space.
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the site is completely accessible to all, we acknowledge that further adaptations may be required as necessary to meet the needs of individual pupils over time. The academy will take a proactive approach to ensuring that, as far as possible, any adjustments to the building or site are made prior to the pupil’s admission to the academy and in response to the recommendations of professionals such as all our indoor structures are painted yellow to support our pupils who have visual impairments.
Attached are three action plans relating to the above. These will be reviewed as and when necessary. It is acknowledged that there will be need for ongoing awareness training for all staff in the matter of disability discrimination and the potential need to inform attitudes on this matter.
The Accessibility Plan should be read in conjunction with the following policies, strategies and documents:
• academy prospectus
• Disability equality scheme
• Equal opportunities policies
• Health and safety policy
• Special educational needs policy
The plan will be monitored by SLT. There will be a full review of the plan in the summer term of each year and a new plan will be produced to cover the next three years for the autumn term.
Welcoming and preparing for pupils with disabilities
Where it is practicable to make reasonable adjustments to enable a prospective pupil to take up a place at the academy, the academy is committed to providing those reasonable adjustments.
To meet the needs of pupils with disabilities, the academy requires a range of information. The academy will ask prospective pupils to disclose whether they have received any learning support in their previous setting. We will also ask if they have had an assessment or intervention from an external service, such as educational psychology, speech and language therapy or occupational therapy, or have any disability or other condition of which the academy should be aware. Where a pupil has an Education, Health Care Plan (EHCP) the academy will work with the Local Authority (LA) who makes and maintains the EHCP to ensure that the identified provision is delivered in accordance with Section of the pupil’s EHCP.
In assessing the pupil or prospective pupil, the academy may need to take advice and require assessments as appropriate. The academy will be sensitive to any issues of confidentiality.
Access to Curriculum | |||||
Target | Tasks | Timescale | Resources | Responsibility | Monitoring |
Access to Curriculum Create effective learning environments for all utilising feedback from pupil groups. Ensure a flexible approach to pupils with physical disabilities and increase in access to the National Curriculum. Success for disabled pupils in examinations. Appropriate use of specialised equipment to benefit individual pupils & staff |
to use with children with specific learning difficulties and cream/aqua/pink/yellow photocopying paper for reading activities with pupils and parents.
Promote elements of ‘dyslexia friendly’ classrooms Dyslexia-friendly Apply and maintain for Dyslexia – Friendly school and ELKLAN training for key staff and TA’s to support pupils needs.
updated as a resource library to support capacity building and teacher knowledge of a range of SEND needs. CPD and INSET -SEND needs of the school.
| Ongoing 2023 2023 2023 ongoing | Whole school CPD training schedule Staff Planners Access to Learning Plans/ Pupil Passports Resources provided by NHS physiotherapy teams School Nurse Rooms for therapists Boxall Profiles online Testing materials | SENCO Vice Principal Inclusion SENCO SEND Team Educational Psychologist Speech and Language Therapist School Nurse | SENCO through lesson observations and sampling lesson planning CREATE cycle Pathways Provisions Leadership Team and Governors SENCO Leadership Team and Governors SENCO Exams Officer |
Access to wider curriculum | |||||
Target | Tasks | Timescale | Resources | Responsibility | Monitoring |
Increase participation in school activities. |
| Spring term 2022 | Update training needed on risk assessments for trips and extracurricular activities. | PE Head of Department SENCO Governors | Leadership Team Governors |
Impact AnalysisEnsure all policies consider the implications of Disability Access. |
| Spring Term 2022 | Leadership Team and SENCO time to review policies. | Leadership Team and SENCO | Governors |
Improving the physical environment of the school to increase access to education for pupils with physical disabilities. | |||||
Target | Tasks | Timescale | Resources | Responsibility | Monitoring |
PremisesIncrease site access to meet diverse needs of pupils, staff, parents and community users. |
around school
| Ongoing | Site Team SENCO | Site Team Governors SLT | |
Availability of documents in alternative formats. | |||||
Target | Tasks | Timescale | Resources | Responsibility | Monitoring |
Newsletters and Information |
| ongoing | Coloured paper and books Adapted font size resources for pupils | Admin. Manager IT Technical Team SENCO Communications Lead | SLT Governors Admin Team |