What do we mean by making schools accessible?
When making schools accessible, this refers both to accessing the school premises and
accessing appropriate curriculum and learning opportunities. It is about considering the
changes schools may need to make to their premises in order to provide an inclusive
education for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities
(SEND) or offering additional support to them.
Under the Children and Families Act (2014), there is a presumption in law regarding
decisions about where children and young people with SEN should be educated, and the
Equality Act (2010) provides protection from discrimination for disabled people. This
legislation represents a commitment to inclusive education and the removal of barriers
to mainstream education for children and young people with SEND, as described in the
SEN Code of Conduct (2015).
What adjustments might schools need to make?
There are two main categories of adjustment that schools are expected to make for
children:
- Building adaptations - changes to the building or school premises, for example,
ensuring that doorways are wide enough for wheelchairs, installing lifts to access
different levels within the building, and providing care suites with hoists; and
- Equipment support - specialist equipment required to meet the needs of
individual children and young people; for example, specialist software for
students with visual or hearing impairments, specially adapted seats, and
standing or walking frames for students to use in school. This does not include
the provision of wheelchairs as this is the responsibility of the NHS wheelchair
service.
Any adjustments required are identified on an individual basis. SEN Casework
officers assess the support needs of individual children and young people, as well as
taking into consideration what the school has in place already.
What advice is available to schools?
Leeds has an Access Officer who provides support and advice on making educational
settings accessible for children aged 0-18. Referrals are received in a number of ways,
including directly from a school, from a SENSAP casework officer involved in developing
an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP); and from health colleagues either through
occupational therapy or following a paediatric medical. The Access Officer receives
notifications from Early Years practitioners and settings about the likely access needs of
very young children on beginning primary school.
How are children, young people and families included?
In order to understand what is needed for the child and what equipment and
locations they will be comfortable using and accessing, the Access Officer consults
with children and young people as well as their parents and families. They then
put packages of support in place for the child.
On visits to educational settings, the Access Officer will take the opportunity to
catch up with children or young people to ask their views on what has been put in
place and about any improvements which could be made.
When families are looking to apply for new schools, their casework officer can help
them to understand the accessible facilities that are already in place in schools
across Leeds from comprehensive information which is maintained and updated by
the Access Officer.
How do other practitioners contribute to this work?
The Access Officer works closely with SENSAP casework officers and health and
social care colleagues to understand the access needs of individual children and
young people.
When assessing what a child might need in a school, the Access Officer visits school
premises and takes advice from colleagues with expertise in health and safety,
building, occupational health and physiotherapy.
There is also a multi-agency group in place, which includes colleagues from health
and from education, to review the cases of children and young people with access
needs when: they are making transitions into new settings or key stages; they are
moving into school from an early years setting; when they are new to Leeds; or are
returning to school after a period of missing education.
Who are the key contacts?
The Access Officer for Leeds is Julie Lewis. Julie has a city-wide remit, and can be
contacted on tel: 0113 3786902 or by email at: julie.lewis@leeds.gov.uk.
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