Accessibility Plan

Info

Status: pending-signoff · Version: 05.26 · Last reviewed: 2026-05-21 · Next review: 2027-05-21 Owner: SENCo · Approved by: Proprietor + Governing Body

1. Purpose and statutory context

Under the Equality Act 2010, education providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled learners and to plan strategically to increase accessibility over time. This Accessibility Plan sets out how The Haven meets these duties in the context of an online provision and how we plan to extend accessibility for our learners over a three-year horizon.

The Haven serves a learner cohort whose disabilities and additional needs are predominantly neurodevelopmental, sensory, and mental-health-related, often co-occurring. Many learners are autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, or have associated conditions such as anxiety, PDA-profile presentations, hypermobility, or chronic illness. Our accessibility approach reflects this profile.

2. Scope and our model

The Haven is an online provision with no physical premises. The traditional physical-access duties of the Equality Act (ramps, accessible toilets, building modifications) do not apply. Our accessibility focus is therefore on three areas:

• Access to the curriculum.
• Access to information and communication.
• Access to the experience of learning, including sensory, demand, and relational accessibility.

3. Access to the curriculum

Curriculum accessibility at The Haven is achieved through:

• Differentiation built into lesson design as standard, not as an exception.
• Flexible pacing — full-time, part-time, and Back to Balance pathways available.
• Choice of subjects and the option to begin with interest-led content.
• Multi-modal delivery: visual, audio, text-based and recorded material.
• Access to lesson recordings and transcripts for revisiting at the learner’s own pace.
• Reasonable adjustments to assessment, including examination access arrangements.
• Mentoring as standard, included in every placement. Curriculum accessibility is monitored under the Teaching and Learning Policy and Quality Assurance Policy.

4. Access to information

All information for learners and families is provided in accessible formats:

• Plain English by default.
• Clear visual structure and readable fonts.
• Reduced text density where this aids comprehension.
• Alternative formats (large print, screen-reader-compatible, audio) on request.
• Use of visuals, diagrams and worked examples in instruction.
• Predictable structure across the learning platform, with clear navigation. Where possible, key documents — including the family attendance agreement, statement of purpose, and complaints procedure — are available in summary as well as full versions. Plans for further format improvement are listed in Section 7.

5. Access to the experience of learning

Accessibility for our cohort is as much about sensory, relational, and demand accessibility as it is about format. Practical measures include:

• Cameras and microphones never compulsory.
• Permission to step away from sessions without explanation.
• Chat-based participation accepted on the same footing as voice.
• Predictable timetables, staff and session structures.
• Low sensory load: educators are trained to manage their own visual and audio environment.
• Educators who are themselves neurodivergent and can recognise overload without it being named.
• Adjustment of demand level in real time.
• Use of breaks, scripts, and warning systems for transitions.

6. Reasonable adjustments — process

Reasonable adjustments are not contingent on a diagnosis or formal documentation. The process is:

• Discussion at point of admission to identify known needs and preferred adjustments.
• Ongoing review through the mentor relationship and learner voice mechanisms.
• Formal record in the learner’s plan, shared with relevant educators.
• Adjustments revisited each term and at transition points.
• Examination access arrangements applied for through the Examinations Policy.

7. Three-year accessibility improvement plan

Improvement actions are reviewed annually. Current priorities are:

Year 1 (2025/26)

• Continue Ofsted Online Education Accreditation process, which includes external scrutiny of accessibility provision.
• Complete digital accessibility audit of all learner-facing platforms.
• Publish a learner-friendly version of the Family Attendance Agreement.

Year 2 (2026/27)

• Implement findings of the digital accessibility audit.
• Develop accessible summary versions of all family-facing policies.
• Strengthen access-arrangements pathway for GCSE candidates.

Year 3 (2027/28)

• Review the impact of accessibility improvements against learner feedback.
• Refresh the plan based on three years of evidence and current cohort needs.

8. Roles and responsibilities

• Head: Overall responsibility for accessibility planning.
• SENCO / SEND lead: Operational responsibility for individual adjustments and access arrangements.
• Educators: Apply adjustments in practice and feed back on what is working.
• Learners and families: Identify needs and review the effectiveness of adjustments.
• Governors: Strategic oversight and review of the plan.

9. Related documents

• SEND Policy
• Equality and Anti-Racism policies
• Teaching and Learning Policy
• Examinations Policy
• Quality Assurance Policy
• Statement of Purpose
• Data Protection Policy

10. Review

This Accessibility Plan is reviewed annually by the Head and approved by the Board of Governors. A full refresh is conducted every three years.

Document version	1.0
Date issued	May 2026
Next review	May 2027
Document owner	Head
Approved by	Board of Governors