Disability Equality Scheme

‘Together we support, challenge and achieve’

Background

The Special Education Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) came into force on 1st September 2002. Its aims to outlaw discrimination against disabled pupils and prospective pupils in admissions procedures and in the provision of education and associated services. It is unlawful to treat a disabled pupil or prospective pupil less favourably for a reason related to his/her disability. It is also unlawful to fail to make reasonable adjustments to admission arrangements, and in relation to the provision of education. Its consequences are also in keeping with the Every Child Matters (ECM) agenda and the development of high quality personalised learning experiences for all pupils, and the duty placed on schools through the Education and Inspections Act 2006 to safeguard the psychological well-being and self-esteem of pupils.

Introduction

Duties in Part 4 of the DDA require the governing body to plan increase access to education for disabled pupils in 3 ways:
• increasing the extent to which disabled pupils can participate in the school curriculum;
• improving the environment of the school to increase the extent to which disabled pupils can take advantage of education and associated services;
• improving the delivery to disabled pupils of information which is provided in writing for pupils who are not disabled.
Duties under Part 5A of the DDA require the governing body to:
• promote equality of opportunity for disabled pupils: pupils, staff, parents, carers and other people who use the school or may wish to;
• prepare and publish a disability equality scheme to show how they will meet these duties.

The Disability Equality Duty

The duty requires King’s Park Primary School, when carrying out their functions, to have due regard to the need to:
• promote equality of opportunity for disabled pupils, staff, parents and other users of the school;
• establish with all staff overall vision of the duty to promote equality of opportunity for disabled pupils, staff and parents;
• eliminate discrimination that is unlawful under the Disability Discrimination Act;
• eliminate harassment of disabled people that is related to their disability;
• promote positive attitudes towards disabled people;
• encourage participation by disabled people in public life;
• take steps to meets disabled people’s needs, even if this requires more favourable treatment.

Definitions

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.’

Definition of these terms:
• ‘physical impairment’ includes sensory impairments;
• ‘mental impairment’ includes learning difficulties and an impairment resulting from or consisting a mental illness;
• ‘substantial’ means ‘more than minor or trivial’; and
• ‘long-term’ is defined as 12 months or more

The definition includes a wide range of impairments, including hidden impairments such as dyslexia, autism, speech and language impairments, Attention Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). These are all likely to amount in a disability, but only if the effect on the person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities is substantial and long-term, as defined above.

The effect on normal day-to-day activities is on one or more of the following:
• 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 or risk of physical danger.

Some people are automatically covered by the definition: those with cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV infection or a severe disfigurement. There are special provisions for people with progressive or recurring conditions.

Statement

The aim of King’s Park Primary School is to provide the best education for all pupils by creating a happy and secure environment where every child is encouraged to learn and achieve their full potential. It is a community that supports and challenges children to become resourceful and enthusiastic learners. We provide a safe and stimulating environment for our children to achieve their potential, to become independent learners and to value themselves and others.
Our aim is to build a strong partnership between ourselves, the family and community, to allow each child to grow in confidence and achieve their very best.
King’s Park Primary School recognises and accepts the needs to make all reasonable provisions for the admission of any prospective pupils who are disabled, any staff who are appointed, parents or any visitors to our school. The school has had pupils who suffer from Autism, Dyslexia, Global Delay, Downs Syndrome, ADHD and food allergies as well as those who have had impairments in hearing, speech, sight and physical movement, including wheelchair users. Provision for these pupils has always been made in terms of medication, resources, specialist support, curriculum, teaching support and the physical environment. We have a resource base on site which is adapted through the delivery of its curriculum and the physical environment, including a disabled toilet with changing facilities. King’s Park Primary School cooperates with parents in the administration of medication to those children with medical conditions whose education would be severely disrupted e.g. asthma, ADHD, epilepsy. Disability ramps and a disabled toilet allow for visitors and parents to access our school site. We are aware however that if we were to have a member of staff with a physical disability, we will need to make our staffroom more accessible.

Provision

The extent to which disabled pupils can participate in the school curriculum we consider:
• The impact the delivered curriculum has upon pupils with disabilities.
• The effectiveness of short term planning in identifying the range of reasonable adjustments being made.
• The appropriate deployment of adult and peer support and the effective training of adults involved.
• How the curriculum supports awareness of and positive attitudes towards, disability.
• Effective access to specialist advice and support in our resource base and any outside agencies.
• Resource development

In improving the physical environment of the school we consider:
• Improvements to or advice about lighting, signage, colour contrast, the acoustic environment, floor coverings.
• Improvements to and provision of toilets, washing and changing facilities.
• The layout of the playground and other common areas.
• The provision of ramps and lifts to improve doorways.
• The provision of particular furniture and equipment to improve access.

Impact Assessment
Impact assessment refers to the review of all current and proposed policies and practices in order to formally assess their impact on disabled people. Impact assessments will be an on-going process to ensure that our policies and practices develop and evolve and will be incorporated into the school’s planned review and revision of every policy. Every new policy or procedure will be drawn up with regard to our duty to promote disability equality.
Implementation
This scheme will be supported by detailed action plans and incorporated into our School Improvement Plan, with oversight of the governing body so that progress can be checked.
The action plan will show:
• clear allocation of lead responsibility
• clear allocation of resources
• an indication of expected outcomes or performance criteria
• clear timescales
• Specified dates and processes for review.
We will report annually on the progress made on the action plan and its effect on policy and practice within the school.
As part of the review of the scheme we will:
• revisit the information that was used to identify the priorities of the scheme; and
• Re-examine the information to see if actions that the school has taken have affected opportunities and outcomes for disabled pupils, staff and parents.

This scheme should be read in conjunction with our SEN policy and Disability Accessibility Plan
Written November 2010, using Wiltshire guidance by
Becky O’Brien, SENCO, in consultation with the governing body
To be reviewed November 2011