ACCESSIBILITY PLAN 2013 - 2016
Revised: Autumn 2013
Approved by Board: Autumn 2013
To be reviewed: Autumn 2016
Note:
This Accessibility Plan has been reviewed to reflect new legislation and to ensure that
actions taken to improve accessibility are reflected and plans developed to address
future actions.
Since the Equality Act 2010 came into effect in April 2011 there is no longer a
requirement for Rosemead to publish equality schemes or policies. However the
School believes that it is good practice to make a statement about its reviews to work
towards equal accessibility.
SCHOOL AIMS & OBJECTIVES
To provide pupils aged 3 - 11 with an education and experience for them to realise
their full potential at Rosemead Preparatory School (the School) and in future life, in a
safe and friendly environment.
Key principles
The School aims to provide a positive atmosphere and stimulating environment in
which to develop the whole child. We seek to ensure that each child has the
opportunity of achieving his or her own academic potential.
The School aims to offer the highest quality of teaching and learning and support to all
pupils in the pursuit of academic and personal excellence. We have high expectations
of all of our pupils and we strive to ensure that each and every pupil can take part in
the whole school curriculum. We value the diversity of our school community and
appreciate the contribution that pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and/or
disabilities can bring to school life.
We have an admissions policy and criteria (available to view on our website) which
seek to remove barriers to entry to our school for pupils with special needs and/or
disabilities. We strive to be a fully inclusive and welcoming school within the limits of
our premises.
We regularly review and take steps to improve the physical environment of the school
in order to increase the extent to which disabled pupils are able to take advantage of
education and associated services offered by the school. Recently we have enlarged
our Enrichment Department and undertaken physical improvements to provide
improved lighting in our stairwells and some classrooms, a more accessible front
entrance is planned and improved ICT equipment with accessibility options built in, is
now provided in all classrooms on both of the school sites.
We can provide written information to pupils with disabilities in ways that are userfriendly and fully support the pupils in their learning experience. For example, at both
school sites we have installed Interactive Whiteboards in all of our classrooms.
Our staff regularly review their teaching strategies to ensure that any potential barriers
to learning and participation by disabled pupils are removed. We support our teaching
and non-teaching staff with training to raise their awareness of disabilities and to
enable them to minimise any potential difficulties for pupils. We promote the
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Revised: Autumn 2013
Approved by Board: Autumn 2013
To be reviewed: Autumn 2016
ACCESSIBILITY PLAN
importance of using language that does not offend amongst both our staff and our
pupils and ensure that, wherever possible, positive examples of disability are
portrayed in teaching materials.
The School Education Committee and Property/Health and Safety subcommittees of
the Board, with membership of Parent Governors, Parents and members of staff
support this policy through:
1.
Reviewing the school's policies, procedures and facilities as they are likely to
affect pupils and prospective pupils.
2.
Make recommendations with a view to improving the accessibility of its
education by means of reasonable adjustments and by planning for the future.
3.
To prepare and review the school's accessibility plan
As part of the current review we have undertaken a review of our action plan to identify
where previous actions have been achieved and where further action might be taken.
The results of the audit have informed our accessibility plan for 2013 – 2016. The plan
and targets will be widely circulated to all teaching and support staff, pupils and made
available to parents.
We will regularly monitor the success of the plan and it will also be reviewed annually
by the School's Education Committee and the Property/Health and Safety Committee.
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Revised: Autumn 2013
Approved by Board: Autumn 2013
To be reviewed: Autumn 2016
ACCESSIBILITY PLAN
Rosemead Accessibility plan 1st September 2013- 31st August 2016
Rosemead Preparatory School has been assessed to identify both physical and operational barriers to extending provision and
access to disabled people. The review follows the guidance set out in “Accessible Schools: Planning to increase access to schools
for disabled pupils” and supports the schools accessibility strategy.
The survey has identified a number of areas where action is required both in the short term to improve access to information and
curriculum materials and longer to address those physical barriers which prevent wheelchair access and egress. These findings
are summarised below, set against short, medium and long term planning needs.
Short
term
Identification of physical /
operational barriers
Lack of availability of written
and oral communication
materials in alternative formats
preventing access to certain
categories of disabled pupils and
carers.
Strategies to overcome
barrier
The school has identified a
number of translating and
printing services to provide
alternative formats as
required to include Braille, and
audio versions.
Pupils with specialist physical or
educational requirements may
not be able to fully access the
curriculum.
The school employs dedicated
enrichment staff to support all
children.
External support is available as
required
The school will train existing
staff to aid in an evacuation
process and assist those with
impaired hearing of
emergency situations.
Review school application
form and data collection.
Those with impaired hearing
may not receive notice of fire
alarms and other emergency
situations.
Lack of application process to
actively seek information about
prospective pupils to ensure our
capability to meet their
requirements.
Unsuitable toilet and wash
facilities for those with physical
Toilet facilities require
upgrade to provide disabled
Goal
Timeframe
Responsibi
lity
SENCO /
ICT Coordinator
and SBM
Goals achieved (sign off)
If needed the school can
provide information in
alternative formats.
(Previously the school has used
signers and texting to
communicate with profoundly
hearing impaired parents.)
To ensure sufficient trained
staff are available to provide
tuition opening up
opportunities to a wider
audience at Rosemead.
Safe evacuation of Pupils or
those visiting the school.
Available as
required
Ongoing
dependant on
pupil profile
Head and
SENCO
Agreed on a case by case
basis.
Available as
required
Head/
Health and
Safety lead
Forms part of training
programme
School information
management system
populated with required
information
2013 academic
year
Head /
SBM
Enrolment form
identifies this
information
Better sanitary provision.
Summer 2014
SBM
Develop plan to convert
existing toilet .
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Revised: Autumn 2013
Approved by Board: Autumn 2013
To be reviewed: Autumn 2016
ACCESSIBILITY PLAN
Available as required
Medium
Term
Long
Term
Identification of physical /
operational barriers
disabilities at Thurlow Park
Road.
Strategies to overcome
barrier
access.
Goal
Timeframe
Responsibi
lity
Goals achieved (sign off)
The inability to clearly and safely
identify the positioning of edges
and certain steps / stairways
with ease.
The school cannot guarantee
that staff are fully trained and
aware of disability issues.
Incorporation of appropriate
colour schemes when
refurbishing to benefit pupils
with visual impairments.
To provide an ongoing training
programme to ensure all staff
are able to understand and
recognise disability issues and
the technological and practical
methods for addressing those
issues.
Ongoing
SBM and
caretaker
ongoing
Training and
Development
plan ongoing
Head
All staff training by
Lambeth E&D lead
Meeting the changing
requirements of pupils on an
individual basis to ensure that
the learning environment and
apparatus addresses their
specific needs.
Not all stairs and steps have
handrails provided.
(TPR)
The school has agreed that
furniture / apparatus will be
identified and sourced on a
reactive basis.
Classrooms and
communication routes are
made more accessible to
visually impaired children.
An increased awareness will
ensure needs are
systematically identified both
in advance and during contact.
To ensure that the school
maintains contact with
organisations who are able to
provide signers.
To provide the most suitable
physical environment to
maximise their learning
potential.
Ongoing
SENCO and
SBM
Equipment provided
where reasonable
A review has identified a
number of short step runs
have yet to be fitted with hand
rails.
All areas are accessible to
those with limited disabilities.
January 2010
SBM
The school has identified a range
of physical improvements
required to provide access to its
premises. These are being
addressed over successive
financial years.
The school has identified its
preferred access and egress
routes for disabled access and
is to identify and cost the
required works for inclusion
into its capital planning
arrangements.
A number of existing fire exits
are onto stairs the school will
To provide improved access for
all parties from street level to
the ground floor for both
Thurlow Park Road and
Elmcourt.
Ongoing
SBM
All complete except fire
exit onto South Circular
and front path
To be developed
Autumn 13.
Disabled access ramp to
TPR currently being
developed
Safe evacuation in the event of
fire or emergency situations
Ongoing.
SBM
Lack of access and egress from
ground floor fire exits.
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Revised: Autumn 2013
Approved by Board: Autumn 2013
To be reviewed: Autumn 2016
ACCESSIBILITY PLAN
EC new staircase access
point is threshold less
Identification of physical /
operational barriers
(EC and TPR)
Strategies to overcome
barrier
plan to reconfigure these
ramps and stairs to improve
access arrangements.
Goal
Timeframe
Responsibi
lity
and improved disabled access.
Goals achieved (sign off)
providing exit.
TPR new front entrance
ramp will improve
access.
Ramp for front entrance
to be sourced.
Reducing intrusion of alternate
oise sources causing distraction
to some children affecting
sensory Processing
Provide lighting which has
optimum flicker rates to support
partially sighted or light sensitive
children
Improved accessibility for those
with impaired hearing.
EC Oct 13
As identified and
as part of
regeneration
work
Increase sound proofing to
relevant class rooms.
Remove sources of noise
within class rooms (eg Boiler
in 1L – extract fans)
Phased replacement of
existing strip lights
Less intrusion of unwanted
noise into classroom
SBM
Uniform colour and type of
light
as part of
regeneration
work
SBM
Induction loop for main
reception.
Portable loop for selective
classroom use
Support for hearing impaired
children
In conjunction
with reception
review
SBM
Areas to note
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The school has a long term plan to develop a lift at TPR and will update this plan accordingly.
The school already has a policy to accommodate the use of laptops and printers in learning areas for children with identified learning requirements.
The school has an adapted desk, posture cushion and foot rest available for pupil use.
The school has contact and has used an occupational therapist to design work stations for individual staff requirements.
The school provides financial assistance for eye tests to those staff whose job requires long periods working at computer screens.
The school makes provision by timetable adaptations and room allocations for staff with medical, pregnancy or age related issues
The school is aware that the Equality Act 2010 adds other protected characteristics: gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity. Age, marriage
and civil partnership are not protected in the schools provisions but will apply to the school as an employer.
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Revised: Autumn 2013
Approved by Board: Autumn 2013
To be reviewed: Autumn 2016
ACCESSIBILITY PLAN