Accessibility Plan
RAINFORD CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL
AND RAINDROPS PRESCHOOL
‘Learning and growing together to achieve our best in the love of God’
Accessibility Plan
For approval by LGB: 5.12.23
To be reviewed on or before: Autumn 2026
Signed…………………………………………… Chair of Governors
Signed…………………………………………… Headteacher
Our Mission Statement
‘Learning and growing together to achieve our best in the love of God’
School Aims
In order to prepare today’s children for tomorrow’s challenges, Rainford CE Primary Schools aims to achieve the following:
- Every child will be encouraged to understand the meaning and significance of faith, experience God’s love and develop the spirituality to enable them to live out our Christian values of love, joy, peace, friendship, forgiveness, perseverance and justice
- Every child will achieve their full potential through being a highly motivated, resilient and independent learner who embraces new experiences, has confidence to tackle challenges and go onto develop a lifelong love of learning.
- Every child will value themselves as a unique individual with special qualities and strengths developing self-discipline and honesty; taking responsibility for their own actions and appreciating their ability to make a positive difference in the world.
- Every child will appreciate and respect others, celebrate differences between individuals and groups and respect and care for God’s creation and the environment.
- Every child will be encouraged to make healthy choices and appreciate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
In order to do this, we will constantly reflect the Christian ethos of our school in our relationships with our children, their families, our staff, the church and the wider community.
This plan also applies to Raindrops Preschool and Breakfast and After School Clubs.
Accessibility Plan 2023-2026
Rainford CE Primary School has been described a community working together, which enables every person to flourish and become the person God has created them to be.
We want all children to flourish, to be challenged to achieve their very best, within a caring and supportive community. We are committed to giving all our children every opportunity to achieve the highest of standards. We do this by taking account of pupils’ varied life experiences and needs. We offer a broad and balanced curriculum and have high expectations for all children. The achievements, attitudes and well-being of all our children matter.
Purpose of Plan
This plan shows how Rainford CE Primary School intends, over time, to increase the accessibility of our school for disabled pupils, staff, parents/carers and visitors.
Definition of disability
A person has a disability if he/she has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
Contextual Information
Rainford CE Primary School has been in its current location since 1990. Rainford C E Primary School was opened in September 1990 after an amalgamation of four local schools. The school caters for boys and girls from 4 to 11 years of age and each year can admit 45 children into reception classes. The school is a modern single storey building with eleven classroom bases, a Computer Suite and several smaller rooms for group teaching. Each class has close access to toilet and cloakroom facilities. The former Children’s centre has been adapted to house our Raindrops Pre-School.
The school has wheelchair access and is on one level. A disabled toilet is available. All classroom doors are wide enough for wheelchair access and ramps are in place for four external entrances at various locations around the school. There are disabled car parking spaces on the front car park. Any parent with a disabled child should contact the Head teacher for further information regarding admission arrangements. The school endeavours to promote equality of opportunity and positive attitudes to disabled people.
Current Range of known disabilities
The school has children with a range of disabilities to include moderate and specific learning disabilities. We have a small number of pupils and parents who have a hearing impairment
Increasing access for disabled pupils to the school curriculum.
Improving teaching and learning lies at the heart of the school’s work. Through self-review and Continuous Professional Development (CPD), we aim to enhance staff knowledge, skills and understanding to promote excellent teaching and learning for all children. We aim to meet every child’s needs within mixed ability, inclusive classes.
It is a core value of the school that all children are enabled to participate fully in the broader life of the school. Consequently, all children have been permitted to attend age relevant after school clubs, leisure and cultural activities and educational visits. The only exception would be when safety remains a significant issue after reasonable steps have been made to ensure access to the activity.
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Target |
Strategies |
Time-scale |
Responsibility |
Success criteria |
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School is aware of the access needs of disabled pupils, staff, governors, parent/carers and visitors |
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As required
Induction and on-going if required
Annually
Recruitment process |
SENCO
Headteacher |
IEPs in place for disabled pupils and all staff aware of pupils needs.
All staff and governors feel confident their needs are met.
Parents have full access to all school activities
Access issues do not influence recruitment and retention issues |
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Maintain signage and external access for visually impaired people |
Yellow strip mark step edges |
On going |
Site manager |
Visually impaired people feel safe in school grounds |
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Ensure all disabled pupils can be safely evacuated |
Put in place Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) for all pupils with difficulties. Develop a system to ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities |
As required Each Sept |
SENCO / SBM |
All disabled pupils and staff working alongside are safe in the event of a fire |
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Ensure accessibility of access to IT equipment |
Alternative equipment in place to ensure access to all hardware including hall Liaise with VI/HI on information with regard to the visual impaired and hearing-impaired pupils |
On-going and as required Software may be required as required |
SENCo |
Hardware and software available to meet the needs of children as appropriate |
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Equipment in classrooms to support hearing impaired |
Seek support from LA hearing impaired unit on the appropriate equipment if needed |
Ongoing |
GPs and LA |
All children have access to the equipment if recommended |
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All fire escape routes are suitable for all |
Make sure all areas of school can have wheelchair access
Egress routes visual check |
On-going and as required and as appropriate
Weekly |
LA SBM |
All disabled staff, pupils and visitors able to have safe independent egress |
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Information to parents/carers to ensure it is accessible. |
Provide information and letters in clear print in “simple” English School office will support and help parents to access information and complete school forms Ensure website and all document accessible via the school website can be accessed by the visually impaired. Website translates information for languages |
During induction On-going Current |
School Office
Website design team |
All parents receive information in a form that they can access All parents understand what are the headlines of the school information |
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Improve the delivery of information in writing in an appropriate format |
Provide suitably enlarged, clear print for pupils with a visual impairment |
As required |
Office |
Excellent communication |
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Ensure all staff are aware of guidance on accessible formats |
Guidance to staff on dyslexia and accessible information |
On-going |
SENCO |
Staff produce their own information |
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Annual review information to be as accessible as possible |
New Helping Hand IEP format under annual review |
On-going |
SENCO |
Staff more aware of pupils preferred method of communications |
This policy should be read in conjunction with our Equality Policy and Equality Objectives and our SEND Policy