Who is this document for?
This document is for all schools for which Essex County Council has responsibility, as well as parents and carers of disabled pupils.
It complies with the requirement within the Equality Act 2010 (Schedule 10) that all local authorities must, in relation to schools for which it is the responsible body, prepare and publish an accessibility strategy setting out how they plan to increase the following;
- The extent to which pupils with a disability can participate in the school’s curriculum
- Improving the physical environment of the schools
- Improving the delivery of information to pupils and their parents/carers
This accessibility strategy also provides a framework (Appendix 1) to help schools develop and implement their accessibility plans for disabled pupils and will be kept under review.
Academies, free schools, independent schools and other educational settings may also find this document useful in preparing their accessibility plan.
The overall aim of this strategy is to ensure that Essex County Council supports the schools for which it is responsible, in meeting the needs of disabled pupils and raising their attainment. The purpose of the strategy is to ensure that accessibility of the curriculum, the physical environment and information for disabled pupils is central to the delivery of services and supports schools with their accessibility plans.
Evaluation and Review
This Accessibility Strategy will be regularly reviewed by the contributors and revised/updated as required.
This Strategy will be published on the Essex Local Offer website – https://send.essex.gov.uk/