Accessibility Plan

 

Version Number	001
Status	Approved June 2026
Policy Owner/Author	Headteacher
Review Date	September 2026
Approved/Ratified by	Interim Executive Board (IEB)

---

1. Introduction

The Equality Act 2010 replaced all previous equality legislation such as the Race Relations Act, Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), and Sex Discrimination Act. It provides a single, consolidated source of discrimination law, covering all types of unlawful discrimination, simplifying the framework by removing historical anomalies.

Overriding Principle: While general equalities legislation relies on equal treatment, provisions regarding disability mandate that a school may, and often must, treat a disabled person more favourably than a non-disabled person to eliminate disadvantage.

Key Legal Parameters:

• No Justification for Failure: Failure to make a reasonable adjustment or engaging in direct discrimination against a disabled person can no longer be legally justified.
• Auxiliary Aids and Services: Schools are under a statutory duty to supply auxiliary aids and services as reasonable adjustments where these are not already supplied via a statement of SEND.
• Unlawful Treatment: Schools must not treat a disabled pupil unfavourably. Prohibited conduct includes direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, discrimination arising from a disability, and harassment.

---

2. Definition of Disability

Under the Equality Act 2010, a person has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to perform normal day-to-day activities.

• Substantial: Meaning more than minor or trivial.
• Long-term: The effect has lasted, or is likely to last, for at least 12 months.
• Normal day-to-day activities: Everyday practices such as eating, washing, walking, and shopping.

Scope of Impairments Covered:

This definition extends beyond visible physical difficulties to explicitly encompass:

• Sensory and learning difficulties.
• Impairments resulting from or consisting of mental illness.
• Hidden Impairments: Dyslexia, Speech and Language Impairments, Autism, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
• Progressive Conditions: Protection applies from the exact point of diagnosis for conditions including cancer, HIV, and multiple sclerosis.

---

3. Reasonable Adjustments

The school holds an active duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils when operational practices place them at a substantial disadvantage compared to their peers.

• Reasonable steps must be taken to avoid disadvantage, including the provision of auxiliary aids or services.
• Decisions regarding “reasonableness” are determined contextually based on financial resources, effectiveness, health and safety compliance, and existing provisions established through SEND pathways.
• While physical environment alterations are managed under the broader Accessibility Planning duties, the reasonable adjustments duty strictly applies to auxiliary, structural support for students lacking an EHCP/SEND statement.

---

4. Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED)

In accordance with Section 149 of the Equality Act, the school adheres to the PSED by considering how institutional decisions affect different individuals. This framework requires the school to complete the following tasks annually and quadrennially:

1. Publish relevant, proportionate information demonstrating compliance with the Equality Duty annually.
2. Set and publish measurable equality objectives at least every four years.

This information must show due regard for the three core aims of the Equality Duty: eliminating unlawful discrimination, advancing equality of opportunity, and fostering good relations across all protected characteristics.

---

5. Aims of the Accessibility Plan

Our strategic intent is centered on a commitment to equal opportunities, removing systemic barriers across four key statutory fields:

• Curriculum Participation: Increasing the extent to which disabled pupils can participate across all areas of the national curriculum.
• Wider School Curriculum: Increasing explicit access to extra-curricular activities, leisure/cultural opportunities, and off-site educational visits.
• Physical Environment: Improving the physical campus to enable disabled individuals to fully utilize the education, facilities, and services provided.
• Information Delivery: Improving the format and availability of accessible written information provided to disabled pupils and stakeholders.

---

6. Key Objectives

• Systematically reduce and eliminate barriers to access and integration within the school community for current and prospective disabled pupils.
• Maintain a differentiated, highly adjusted curriculum that addresses individual learning preferences, endorsement frameworks, and potential barriers to assessment.

---

7. Contextual Information & Facilities

Haydon Bridge High School operates as a small, inclusive rural comprehensive school hosting approximately 430 students across Years 7 to 13. To accommodate mobile and sensory requirements, the school utilizes the following infrastructure provisions:

• Ramp access to the main entrance, welcoming reception areas, and the main hall.
• Room Relocation Strategy: If a pupil, staff member, or regular visitor with mobility impairments joins the school, all corresponding scheduled lessons, assemblies, and activities are permanently relocated to ground-floor layouts.
• Dedicated small group rooms, accessible toilets, and sensory support suites.

---

8. Plan Development & Data Insights

At the start of the 2025/2026 academic year, the school register recorded 99 students matching the definition of disability under the Equality Act, catalogued across the following areas:

Impairment / Disability Classification	Registered Pupils
Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)	33
Mental Health (e.g., severe anxiety disorders)	20
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)	19
Hearing Impairments	3
Physical Mobility Problems (Non-wheelchair users)	2
Visual Impairments / Wheelchair Users	0

On-Site Specialized Spaces:

• Sensory Circuit Room & Sensory Room: Dedicated areas engineered to assist pupils with neurodivergence with self-regulation and emotional management.
• Quiet / Breakout Rooms: Separate designated spaces utilized for small group learning and providing sanctuary during break and lunchtimes for pupils with high anxiety.
• Reflection Zone: A structured environment designed to support positive learning behaviours and restorative practices without disrupting classroom delivery.

---

9. Scope of the Plan (Action Priorities)

The operational directives over the plan cycle are split into distinct focus areas, reviewed continuously alongside the Local Authority Strategy:

Curriculum Participation

• Investigate structural adjustments for curriculum modules traditionally difficult for disabled students to access.
• Partner explicitly with the Local Authority SEND Statementing and Provision Team to maximize educational pathways.

Physical Environment Adjustments

• Incorporate building adaptations (lighting, acoustics, colour contrasts, signage, and dedicated mobility storage) into routine campus refurbishments.
• Maintain outside environment safety parameters, such as designated disabled parking bays and sensory adjustments for hearing-impaired fire warning systems.

Written Information Formats

• Ensure standard communication media can be scaled to correct font configurations for visually impaired access.
• Collaborate with the Low Incidence Needs Team to format documents into alternative requested media within reasonable timelines.

---

10. Appendix: Action Frameworks (2026 – 2029)

A(i) Improving Access to the Curriculum

Target	Strategy	Intended Outcome
Revised Staff Training on ASD & Specific Learning Difficulties	Integrate whole-school HINT team training into the September 2026 planning sessions and the continuous professional development (CPD) calendar.	All staff are fully equipped to identify specific profiles and deploy best-practice classroom differentiation methods.
Inclusive Extra-Curricular Programming	Review out-of-school provision frameworks to verify absolute compliance with modern equality directives.	All clubs and off-site excursions occur within accessible environments with fully compliant external providers.
Continuous SENCo Data Distribution	Update student provision mapping according to Northumberland County Council parameters. Circulate registers half-termly and flag updates in weekly briefings.	Teaching staff possess real-time insights regarding classroom cohorts, ensuring adjustments are executed dynamically.

A(iii) Improving Access to Written Information

Target	Strategy	Intended Outcome
Alternative Document Formats	Review core corporate materials and research execution parameters for alternative communication channels.	School publications can be efficiently deployed across variant formats whenever requested.
Parent/Carer Communication Surveys	Distribute targeted digital surveys focusing directly on communication quality and barrier identification.	Generate tangible data indicators regarding outreach quality to actively improve messaging pathways.
Visual Impairment Document Compliance	Consult directly with the Low Incidence Needs Team on specialized layout adjustments and IT integration.	All vital document directories match accessibility specifications for visually impaired users.