Disability Equality Scheme
At Halfway Houses Primary School we are committed to ensuring equality of education for all regardless of disability, ethnicity or gender. We believe that diversity is a strength to be respected and celebrated by all and actively encourage this to happen.
The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA) defines a disabled person as someone who
“has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial or long term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day to day activities”
Definition of Terms:
“Physical disability” includes sensory impairments
“Mental impairment” includes learning difficulties and an impairment resulting from or consisting of a mental illness.
“Substantial” means more than minor or trivial
“Long term” is defined as 12 months or more
The definition includes a wide range of impairments including hidden impairments such as dyslexia, autism, speech and language difficulties, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), dyspraxia. These are all possible to amount to a disability but only if the person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities is substantial and long term as defined above.
The effect on normal day to day activity is on one or more of the following:
- Mobility
- Manual dexterity
- Physical co-ordination
- Continence
- Ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects
- Speech, hearing or eyesight
- Memory or ability to concentrate learn or understand
- Perception of risk of physical danger
Those with cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV infection or a severe disfigurement are automatically covered by the definition. Special provisions are in place for those with recurring or progressive conditions.
The Duty
The DDA 2005 places a duty on schools who need to have due regard for:
- Promoting equality of opportunity between disabled people and others.
- Eliminating discrimination that is unlawful under the DDA.
- Eliminating harassment of disabled people that is related to their disability.
- Promoting positive attitudes towards disabled people.
- Taking steps to meet disabled peoples’ needs even if this requires favourable treatment.
There are also specific duties for schools and the DDA requires the governing body to:
· Promote equality of opportunity for disabled people: pupils, staff, parents, carers and other people who use the school or may wish to do so.
· Prepare and publish a disability equality scheme to show how they will meet these duties
Monitoring
To meet the Disability Equality Duty, it is necessary that all aspects of school life are monitored to identify whether there is an adverse impact on children and young people with disabilities. The following are monitored:
- Achievement of pupils by disability
- Disabled staff (including numbers, type of disability and satisfaction rates in staff surveys etc)
We are meeting the DDA in the following ways:
- The needs of individual children are discussed with parents prior to entry (where a disability has been formally diagnosed) or at times when a child’s disability begins to impact on school life. A care plan or individual pupil provision map is drawn up where needed and training and resources identified.
- Staff are trained to respond effectively to a range of learning styles and disabilities to enable all children to achieve.
- Any new buildings will be made accessible to someone with a disability.
- Measures are taken to meet the physical and academic needs of visually impaired children.
- Any children with disabilities are positively encouraged to participate in school trips.
- Children’s awareness of disabilities has been raised by supporting charities and inviting groups in to school to carry out workshops with the children.
- Some staff have been trained in using signing.
- Advice is sought from specialist services such as the Specialist Teaching Service, school health or KAB in order to remove barriers to accessibility
- Disabled toilet facilities are available for children and adults
- Tracking to progress of all pupils including those with additional needs
- Providing support in class and on the playground where required to support children with disabilities.