Decision details

Proposed decision

(a)  Approve the adoption and implementation of the Education Accessibility Strategy 2025-28.

(b)  Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children’s, Young People and Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, to refresh and/or make revisions to the strategy where changes do not require additional governance.

(c)  Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children’s, Young People and Education to take relevant actions, including but not limited to, entering into and finalising the terms of relevant contracts or other legal agreements, as necessary, to implement the above decision.

Background

Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010 (the “Act”) places a duty on the local authority to prepare a written accessibility strategy relating to the schools it is responsible for. It also places a duty on responsible bodies of schools (i.e. governing bodies and trusts) to prepare a written accessibility plan.

In general, accessibility is about making sure a person is not excluded from something because of their disability. It is about removing barriers so that someone with a disability can do what they need to, in a similar amount of time and effort as someone who does not have a disability.

This strategy must set out how the local authority and its maintained schools currently ensure education is accessible for pupils with SEND, and what steps will be taken to further improve accessibility in the three areas:

1.       increasing the extent to which disabled pupils can participate in the schools’ curriculums;

2.       improving the physical environment of the schools so that disabled pupils are able to take increased advantage of educational benefits, facilities or services provided or offered by the schools;

3.       improving the delivery to disabled pupils of information which is readily accessible to pupils who are not disabled.

Removing barriers empowers people with disabilities and helps them to be as independent as possible.

The Education Accessibility Strategy 2025-28 has been drafted.  This will be consulted on prior to presentation to the Children’s, Young People and Education Cabinet Committee.

How the proposal will support Framing Kent’s Future 2022-26:

The proposal will support:

Priority 1: Levelling Up

• To maintain KCC’s strategic role in supporting schools in Kent to deliver accessible, high quality education provision for all families.

Priority 4: New Models of Care and Support

• Respond to national policy changes in SEND provision, work with SEND families to rapidly improve the service provided to SEND children and work with mainstream schools so more can accept and meet the needs of children with SEND, increasing choice and proximity of school places.

How the proposal will support Securing Kent’s Future 2022-26:

The proposal will support:

Objective 2: Delivering savings from identified opportunity areas to set a sustainable 2024/25 budget and MTFP.

• By supporting schools to be as accessible as possible we will be seeking to ensure that there is accessible school provision in each of the 12 districts/boroughs. This will reduce the need for pupils to travel distances to access school places thus reducing the impact on the Home to School transport budget. In addition, by ensuring that we have up to date accessibility information we can strategically target capital funding, providing best value for money, support and budget sustainability.

Financial Implications

Capital:

Currently, £750,000 is allocated each financial year from the Annual Planned Enhancement Budget for School Access Initiative works. In 2024-25, the total budget for SAI works was £1.9m (including £1.2m roll forward from previous years). This budget has been fully committed to projects due to be completed in either 24-25 or 25-26.

Revenue:

Accessibility audits in KCC maintained schools have been completed between 22-23 and 24-25 at a total one-off revenue cost to the general fund of approximately £450,000 to inform the future strategy. These costs have been reported against the “other schools services” key service budget line. There are no specific roles within the LA dedicated to accessibility instead a range of staff currently advise schools on accessibility and curriculum access, many of whom are charged to the Special Educational Needs revenue budget, most of which are funded from the High Needs Block of the Dedicated Schools Grant. Staff in the infrastructure service also support when specific building works are identified/ scoped / planned or agreed.

There are no additional revenue costs expected with this proposal. Implementation of the policy will be administered through existing resources.

As Cabinet Member for Education and Skills I agree to:

(a)  Approve the adoption and implementation of the Education Accessibility Strategy 2025-28

(b)  Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children’s, Young People and Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, to refresh and/or make revisions to the strategy where changes do not require additional governance.

(c)  Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children’s, Young People and Education to take relevant actions, including but not limited to, entering into and finalising the terms of relevant contracts or other legal agreements, as necessary, to implement the above decision.