To receive a copy of the Council’s Accessibility Strategy 2020 to 2022. 

The Executive Director of Children’s Services – Education, Early Help and Social Care, Brighter Futures for Children, submitted a report on the Council’s Accessibility Strategy 2020 – 2022.  A copy of the School Access Framework was attached to the report.

The report explained that the requirement to write an Accessibility Strategy was set out in Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010 and specifically related to pupils with a disability.  The sections relating to disability were different than those in the rest of the Act as they recognised that a person with a disability might have be treated more favourably than someone who did not, in order to avoid substantial disadvantage.  Where a school did something that might put a disabled child at a substantial disadvantage compared to those who were not disabled, they had to take reasonable steps to avoid that disadvantage.

Taking reasonable steps to avoid substantial disadvantage was often known as a ‘reasonable adjustment’ and both local authorities and schools had to adhere to the reasonable adjustment duty.  The Strategy set out the steps that needed to be taken to ensure disabled pupils could participate fully in the education provided by a school and that they could enjoy the other benefits, facilities and services that the school provided for its pupils.  Whilst the Strategy related to maintained schools, many of the support arrangements that were made by the local authority would also benefit disabled pupils attending academies and free schools in the Borough.

All local authorities therefore had to have an Accessibility Strategy for the schools it was responsible for.  The Strategy did not apply to academies or free schools but, all schools had to have an Accessibility Plan which was based on the same principles as an Accessibility Strategy.  The Strategy explained how, over time, it would support the schools it was responsible for in order to:

·         Increase access to the curriculum for disabled pupils;

·         Improve the physical environment of schools to increase access for disabled pupils;

·         Make written information more accessible to disabled pupils by providing information in a range of different ways.

The report explained that the current Strategy had been refreshed and following the place based review of SEND services, which would take place at the end of June 2021, it would be the subject of a more thorough review in autumn 2021.

Resolved –    That the report be noted.