Archived decisions

Dear

Local Authority Accessibility Strategy

As you are aware, Local Authorities are required, by law, to produce an Accessibility Strategy for the schools for which they are responsible. The strategy focuses on:

· increasing the extent to which disabled pupils can participate in the school curriculum

· improving the physical environment of schools to increase the extent to which disabled pupils can take advantage of education and associated services

· improving the delivery to disabled pupils of written information which is provided to pupils who are not disabled.

We are, currently, working on a new, 3-year accessibility strategy and, as part of that process, we are very keen to gain the views and comments of children and young people who are likely to be affected by it. We have, quite deliberately, interpreted the phrase `disabled pupils' very widely so that it incorporates the majority of children and young people with special educational needs and/or learning difficulties and disabilities and, on that basis, have approached 19 schools (either special schools or mainstream schools with resourced provision and one mainstream school without resourced provision), including yours, to ask whether you would be prepared to participate in the process.

I have attached the following papers:

i) a parental letter and consent form with regard to those children taking part in the project.

ii) a questionnaire: this consists of a short briefing which provides the context and then broad questions referring to each of the 3 access areas mentioned in the legislation (ie access to the curriculum, access to the physical environment and access to information) as well as an additional area, access to participation in the life of the school, which we feel is equally important. Alongside each broad question are a number of `prompts' which might be used to stimulate or aid discussion and debate.

Our proposal is that a small but representative group of pupils (6-10 children, which may include both children with disabilities and/or SEN and those without) from your school meet with a facilitator (realistically this will almost certainly need to be a member of your staff. Regrettably, there is no additional funding available to support this activity and we are, therefore, yet again relying on your good will) who would use the questions and prompts, as necessary, and record the responses from the group I have also included some papers from West Sussex, who have recently undergone a similar exercise, as examples of how responses might be recorded. The responses would then be forwarded to the LA for collation and analysis.

It is important for me to stress that this exercise will be totally confidential in that neither the young people taking part nor their schools will be named or identified in any way and all responses would, therefore, be non-attributable. Once the responses from schools have been collated and analysed, all paperwork will be destroyed. It is likely however, that the final outcomes of the research will be used as the basis for further focus group discussion but by this time they will consist of a totally anonymous list of bullet points or statements.

As ever, the timescale for this piece of work is extremely tight and responses from schools will need to be returned to the LA no later than Thursday 20 March 2008 (earlier if possible). If, as I hope, you feel able to help us in this project, I would be grateful if you would:

· select a group of pupils from your school to take part in the research

· obtain parental consent to their participation through the attached letter/consent form to parents (NB: a copy of the questionnaire should also be attached to the parental letter/consent form so that they are aware of the questions being asked)

· arrange a facilitated meeting where the group can discuss the questions in the questionnaire and where their responses can be recorded

· forward responses to the Local Authority no later than Thursday 20 March, 2008.

I do recognise that I am asking you and your staff to undertake yet another piece of work, within a restricted timescale, but we do consider it crucial that children's voices are heard and we can think of no other way to obtain this important information. If, however, you would like to discuss any aspects of this request in more detail, please feel free to contact me (tel: 01962 846537 or e-mail: jack.cawthra@hants,gov.uk).

Yours sincerely

Jack Cawthra

Assistant Education Officer, SEN Policy and Resources

Children's Services Department

Ashburton Court East

The Castle

Winchester SO23 8UG

NB: All of this documentation will also be sent to you as hard copy.

Dear

Local Authority Accessibility Strategy

All Local Authorities (LA) are required, by law, to produce an Accessibility Strategy for the schools for which they are responsible. These strategies focus on:

· increasing the extent to which disabled pupils can participate in the school curriculum

· improving the physical environment of schools to increase the extent to which disabled pupils can take advantage of education and associated services

· improving the delivery to disabled pupils of written information which is provided to pupils who are not disabled.

In Hampshire we are, currently, working on a new 3-year accessibility strategy and, as part of that process, we are very keen to gain the views and comments of children and young people who are likely to be affected by it. We have, quite deliberately, interpreted the phrase `disabled pupils' very widely so that it incorporates the majority of children and young people with special educational needs and/or learning difficulties and disabilities and, on that basis, have approached 19 schools (either special schools or mainstream schools with resourced provision as well as one mainstream school without a resourced provision), including the one your son/daughter attends, to see whether they would be interested in helping us with this piece of research. The reason I am writing to you, therefore, is to ask whether you would be prepared to consent to your son/daughter participating.

We are proposing that a small (probably 6 - 12 children) group of pupils in each school meet with a facilitator (almost certainly a member of the school staff but, if not, then someone approved by the school) to discuss the questions on the enclosed questionnaire. These refer to the 3 access areas mentioned in the legislation (ie access to the curriculum, access to the physical environment and access to information) as well as an additional area, access to participation in the life of the school, which we feel is equally important. The facilitator will record the group's responses which will then be returned to the LA for collation and analysis.

It is important, at this point, for me to stress that this exercise will be totally confidential in that neither the young people taking part, nor their schools, will be named or identified in any way and all responses will, therefore, be non-attributable. Once the responses have been collated and analysed, all the paperwork will be destroyed. It is likely, however, that the final outcomes of the research will be used as the basis for further focus group discussion but by this time they will consist of a totally anonymous list of bullet points or statements.

If you are prepared for your son/daughter to take part in this piece of research I would be most grateful if you would complete the attached consent form and return it to the school.

Yours sincerely

Jack Cawthra

Assistant Education Officer, SEN Policy and Resources

Consent Form

Hampshire County Council - Accessibility Strategy

I give my consent for my son/daughter (name)..........................................................

who attends (name of school) .............................................................................

to take part in the facilitated discussion about the Hampshire County Council Accessibility Strategy on the basis that he/she will not be named or identified in any way.

Signed: ......................................................... (parent/carer)

Date: ...........................................................

Please return to..................................................at.................................School

Accessibility Strategy - questionnaire for use with pupil groups:

Briefing/context: (the facilitator should share this with the group of pupils, before moving on to the four main questions, so that they are very clear about why they are being asked those questions)

Hampshire County Council is working on a new, 3-year accessibility strategy for all schools in Hampshire. The accessibility strategy is a plan which tries to help pupils with special educational needs and/or learning difficulties and disabilities by:

· making it easier for them to learn

· making it easier for them to get around the school buildings and grounds

· making it easier for them to get written information

· making it easier for them to join in the life of the school.

In our meeting today, I am going to ask you some questions. They will be about things that already help you, so that we know that we need to keep those, but also about things which don't or aren't happening at the moment, which would make things easier for you so that we can see whether we can provide them. Please don't be afraid to speak up and put forward your ideas.

QUESTIONS:

1. Curriculum

i) What things have made it easy for you learn in school?

ii) What would make it easier?

(prompts which might be used to stimulate or aid discussion might include):

- how are support staff used

- is everyone aware of their disability/needs

- what classes work well, and why

- what classes don't work well, and why

- how do your teachers help you/ how could they help you more

2. Physical Access

i) What is it about the school buildings and grounds that make it easy for you to get around?

ii) What would make it easier? (prompts might include):

- are there any places you can't go and, if so, why

- can you reach everything you need

- is furniture/equipment suitably adapted for your use

- are you able to use the toilets easily

3. Access to information

i) When instructions or information is given out or used in the classroom, is it in a form you can understand?

ii) What could be done to make things easier?

(prompts might include):

- do you get the right level of information

- is there information you feel that you miss out on

- do you always understand written information

- who do you go to if you need extra information

- who do you go to if you need extra help.

4. Access to participation

i) What activities have you been able to join in with at school?

ii) What would have made it easier or helped you to do extra activities?

(prompts might include):

- what activities/clubs/teams have you joined

- are there things you can't join in with at school and, if so, why

- would you like more help to make friends at school and, if so, what.

To the facilitator:

When you have finished the session with the children from your school I would be grateful if you could summarise them and forward them (no later than 20 March, 2008) to:

Jack Cawthra

Assistant Education Officer, SEN Policy and Resources

Children's Services Department

Ashburton Court East

The Castle

Winchester

SO23 8UG

Summary of responses from schools

Schools held facilitated discussions with groups of pupils in order to find out what is, or would be, helpful in supporting them to access the curriculum, the buildings and site, information and participation in the life of the school. A summary of responses is set out below.

1. Access to the Curriculum

· having a specific supply teacher attached to each year group (or not using supply teachers at all)

· only specialist teachers being used to cover lessons

· more adults (LSAs) in the classroom so that more children can be helped at the same time or more small groups can go out

· the same LSAs attached to each class so that children feel confident in talking to and working with them

· all staff to be aware of pupils' disabilities and needs so that they can all help, not just those staff working in the classroom

· have whole school assemblies focussed on `awareness of others'

· educate jokers and bullies (including teachers) on certain disabilities

· teachers to set work at different levels so that all children can succeed or are challenged

· teachers asking children whether they understand the work/what they are to do or need additional help

· teachers setting targets to help pupils learn

· adjusting the pace of the lesson to individual needs

· allow more time for completion of work in lessons

· worksheets adapted in ALL lessons (enlarged, reduced, etc)

· arrange more flexible transport arrangements for pupils who want to take part in after schools clubs and activities

· less noisy classrooms

· not putting pupils with behaviour issues in classes with pupils who have learning difficulties

· senior staff dropping into lessons to `give a presence'

· more control from teachers in disruptive lessons

· doors on all classrooms - they cut down noise and unnecessary movement (by pupils and teachers)

· more and better computers (one for each pupil)

· tables that rise and fall so that children in wheelchairs can sit with their friends.

2. Access to buildings and sites:

· wider corridors or more open plan circulation

· one way routes

· wider doors and more automated doors

· doors with delayed opening and closing

· the whole school to be on one level (or ramps installed)

· additional signs and mapping of the site: named buildings and numbered rooms

· furniture (chairs, tables, etc) and classroom equipment (storage, shelving, whiteboards etc) matched to individual needs

· accessible toilets in the right locations

· staff and pupil training on assisting wheelchair users

· clear classroom spaces to allow circulation and access to resources

· dedicated spaces in classrooms for `quiet time' and to manage behaviour

· more flexible transport arrangements to allow access to after school activities

· designated safe, appropriate play areas

· level paths with suitable surfaces and clear, safe routes

· lifts in all relevant areas; wider stairways and flexible timetabling so that ground floor only is used

· swipe card or key pad access to doors, for staff, to ensure pupils safety and security.

3. Access to information

· provide information through trusted peer mentors or adults

· ensuring that systems are in place to help bring pupils up to speed when they have missed lessons

· providing more information about or a different explanation of tasks

· teachers ensuring that the writing on the board is big enough for all members of the group to read

· clear written and verbal instructions using pictures and appropriate, pupil-friendly language which is not too complex

· appropriate pace of delivery and appropriate differentiation

· information and notices in text, pictures and symbols

· support from LSAs and teachers

· forums on the school website so that pupils can ask teachers about work that has been missed

· letters posted on the school website which could be read out when the speaker button is pushed

· lighting arranged to ensure that whiteboards are appropriately lit and avoid glare

· provision of a help table where pupils can ask for extra help and information to understand the lesson

· letters which are sent home be modified so that they are accessible to visually impaired pupils

· the contents of letters sent home are explained to pupils in advance

· being allowed to record information and instructions so that pupils can use earphones to access them during lessons

· when using diagrams on the board, also provide individual copies.

4. Access to participation

· teachers adapting activities or games to make them really inclusive

· extra adults available for school trips and/or sporting activities

· schools that follow the Rights, Respect and Responsibility agenda

· breakfast clubs

· clubs and activities that are initiated by pupils themselves

· clubs and activities that didn't `fold' within a week or two of starting up

· being given help on how to make friends

· help and support with anger management

· more flexible transport arrangements for after school clubs and activities

· teachers not having `favourites'

· all teachers having an understanding of disabilities

· being part of the school council

· a school counsellor being available to advise and support

· specialist equipment available, particularly for pupils with physical disabilities and sensory impairments.