Southend accessibility strategy
Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010 says that all local authorities in England and Wales must have a written accessibility strategy in relation to the schools they are responsible for. (This includes community and foundation schools but does not include academies or free schools).
The accessibility strategy should aim to:
- increase the extent to which disabled pupils can participate in the schools' curriculums
- improve the physical environment of the schools for the purpose of increasing the extent to which disabled pupils are able to take advantage of education and benefits, facilities or services provided or offered by the schools
- improve the delivery to disabled pupils of information which is readily accessible to pupils who are not disabled
The delivery of the strategy must be within a reasonable time and in ways which are determined after taking account of the pupils' disabilities and any preferences expressed by them or their parents.
A local authority must implement is accessibility strategy and keep it under review and revise as necessary.