About Us

• Welcome Letter

• Aims & Values
• Disability Equality Scheme
• Exam Results
• Ofsted Inspection
• Online Prospectus
• Term Dates

School Policies

• Anti-Bullying Policy
• Bad Weather Policy
• Child Protection Policy
• Drug policy
• Internet Use Policy
• No Smoking Policy
• Teaching and Learning Policy
• Whole School Confidentiality Policy
• Whole School Food Policy
• Whole School Packed Lunch Policy

Disability Equality Scheme

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Mission Statement

The King Edward VI School will work to promote positive attitude to disability by enabling all people involved in the school community to contribute to and gain full access to all activities.

The Definition of Disability is:

"A person suffers a disability if he or she has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long term adverse affect on his or her ability to carry out normal day to day activities."

Physical or mental impairment can include sensory impairments (such as those affecting sight and hearing) and learning difficulties. The definition also covers certain medical conditions when they have a long-term and substantial effect on students’ everyday lives.

The SEN and Disability Act 2001 extended to Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) to cover education. Since September 2002, the Governing Body has had three key duties towards disabled students, under Part 4 of the DDA:

• not to treat disabled students less favourably for a reason related to their disability;
• to make reasonable adjustments for disabled students, so that they are not as a substantial disadvantage;
• to plan to increase access to education for disabled students.

This plan sets out the proposals of the Governing Body of the school to increase access to education for disabled students in the three areas required by the planning duties in the DDA:

• increase the extent to which disabled students can participate in the school curriculum;
• improving the environment of the school to increase the extent to which disabled students can take advantage of education and associated services.
• improving the delivery to disabled students of information which is provided in writing for students who are not disabled.

Strategic Priorities

The King Edward VI School aims to include all students, including those with disabilities, in the full life of the school. Our strategies to do this will include:

• having high expectations of all people involved in the school community
• finding ways in which all students can take part in the full curriculum including sport, music, and drama
• planning out-of-school activities including all school trips and excursions so that students with disabilities can participate
• setting admissions policy and criteria which does not discriminate against students with disabilities or treat them unfairly
• devising teaching strategies which will remove barriers to learning and participation for students with disabilities in all subject areas
• planning the physical environment of the school to cater for the needs of all people involved in the school community
• raising awareness of disability amongst school staff (teaching and non-teaching) and students through a programme of training
• by providing written information for all involved in the school community in a form which is user friendly
• eliminate harassment related to a disability for all persons involved in the school community

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:	Learning Support, strong pastoral links, Student Voice, Student Leadership
Weaknesses:	See Accessibility Plan 2006-2009

The General Duty

Every public authority shall in carrying out its functions have due regard to:

• the need to eliminate discrimination that is unlawful under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005;
• the need to eliminate harassment of disabled persons that is related to their disabilities;
• the need to promote equality of opportunity between disabled persons and other persons;
• the need to take steps to take account of disabled persons’ disabilities, even where that invites treating disabled persons more favourably than other persons;
• the need to promote positive attitudes towards disabled persons; and
• the need to encourage participation by disabled persons in public life.

Specific Duty – How we will meet the General Duty

The King Edward VI School will meet this duty by:-

• setting up a Working Group which includes a senior staff member, a parent of a student with a disability, a member of staff with disability, students with disabilities and members of Learning Support
• undertaking a disability audit using the medical register, the Special Educational Needs Register and meetings with Year Leaders
• write an accessibility action plan which includes targets
• make the policy and targets known to all teaching and non teaching staff, students and parents through training and School Prospectus
• incorporate the Scheme into the School Improvement Plan and all other policies as appropriate
• monitor and evaluate the success of the plan annually through the Working Group and sending questionnaires to all involved parties.

Involvement of Disabled People in Developing the Scheme

Disabled people will be involved in developing the scheme through membership of Disability Working Group and School Council. (Students with HI, VI Physical disability and Dyslexia.) We will also consult with groups of students with AD/HD and ASD.

Developing a voice for disabled students, staff and parents/carers

• We will liaise with the Student Council in developing a forum for disabled students to express their opinions and nominate two new members with a disability to become part of this Council.
• A long term objective will be to provide a specific forum for all other members of the School Community ie staff, parents/carers.
• The Governing Body will appoint a named Governor with responsibility for the Disability Equality Scheme.

The Governing Body

The Governing Body will report on targets that have been met and what impact they have had on achievements of students with disabilities through the School Prospectus.

Removing barriers

We will endeavour to remove barriers by making reasonable adjustments as appropriate to the physical environments curriculum and any information provided by the school. (See Accessibility Plan)

Disability in the Curriculum, including teaching and learning

We will develop positive attitudes about disability by raising awareness with the school community through training, seminars and presentations.

Eliminating harassment and bullying

We will resurrect Peer Counselling and raise awareness of it via Year Leaders. We will restate our policy on bullying and harassment, through social skills groups, curricular activity and drama, RE, PLC and Assemblies.

Reasonable Adjustments

Will be made as appropriate to individual situations i.e. access to school trips, access to field work, materials for visually impaired. We will measure effectiveness by auditing attendance at these events.

School Facility Lettings

We will check disabled parking policy and evaluate the physical access of the school.

Contractors & Procurement

See Julie Collins, Business and Premises Manager

Information, Performance and Evidence

• Student Achievement –
  LS Co-ordinator to analyse data gathered on three occasions during school year for students identified on SEN and Medical Registers and through constant monitoring by year leaders and Learning Support Team.
• Learning Opportunities -
  Links with colleges are promoted through constant liaison between Connexions services, Learning Support and Year leaders.

Admissions, Transitions, Exclusions (including SEBD)

• The school will audit exclusions to access over – representation of children with disabilities. Admission forms for cohorts for 2007 will be revised. Phased transitions are monitored through meetings with agencies.

Social Relationships

• Circle of friends, Social Skills Groups, Anger Management, Lunch time Homework Club.

Employing, promoting and training disabled staff

• See Eileen Curtis, Human Resources Manager

Impact Assessment

We will measure the impact of new and existing policies by inviting feedback from students with a disability, their families and carers and also from the whole school community. The Disability Working Group will monitor the impact and report to the Governing Body every six months. The information will be published in the School Prospectus.

Reviewing/Monitoring

The Governors Social Inclusion Committee will formally evaluate the success of our Disability Equality Scheme, every year and undertake a full revision every three years.

Review Date

March 2008

Senior Members of staff Responsible

Deborah Reeman, Deputy Head

Designated Member of Staff

Susan Moore, SENCO

Governor Responsible

To be decided
Appendices

• Appendix 1 DES Accessibility Plan