Our Overall Approach to Pupil Inclusion and Accessibility
Heathfield School depends upon a prospective pupil meeting the criteria required to maintain and, if possible, improve the educational and general standards of all its pupils commensurate with the ethos to which the school aspires. While the school does not wish to exclude any prospective pupil on grounds of special educational needs (SEN) and/or disability, it is important that the school must feel reasonably sure that it will be able to educate and develop the prospective pupil to the best of his or her potential and in line with the general standards achieved by the pupil’s peers, so that there is every chance that the pupil will have a complete, happy and successful school career. Once admitted, these criteria must continue to be met throughout the pupil’s time at Heathfield.
The school’s policy is to apply these criteria to all pupils and prospective pupils regardless of any SEN and/or disability of which it is aware, subject to its obligation to make reasonable adjustments not to put any disabled pupil or potential pupil at a substantial disadvantage for reasons relating to the pupil’s disability.
The school asks parents to disclose any known Special Educational Need (e.g. learning support , gifted and talented) or any disability in respect of a prospective pupil at the time of application. In assessing any pupil or prospective pupil the school may take such advice and require such assessments as it regards as appropriate. Subject to this the school will be sensitive to any requests for confidentiality.
Pupils with Special Educational Needs
If SEN relating to the Pupil are identified, we will advise parents if in the opinion of the School it is necessary for additional provision to be made to deal with those SEN. Any formal assessment or diagnosis that may be required for this advice must be obtained at your expense. Any additional SEN provision that is required will be charged for separately. If the Headteacher reasonably concludes after consultation with you that the School cannot provide adequately for the Pupil's SEN, you may be required to remove the Pupil in which case no notice or fees in lieu of notice will be required
Pupils with Disabilities
Heathfield is a traditional day school founded in 1970. Whilst seeking to be inclusive, it does not have the facilities to accommodate all forms or disability, in particular severe physical disabilities. The school covers a wide area and consists of separate buildings with varying levels of disability access. Where it is practicable to make reasonable adjustments, based upon the information given and advice received, to enable a prospective pupil to take up a place at Heathfield and to satisfy the admissions criteria outlined above, the School is committed to providing those reasonable adjustments. Where those reasonable adjustments involve additional cost the School may require that you meet all or part of that cost. If the Headteacher reasonably concludes after consultation with you that the School cannot provide adequately for the Pupil's disability or you are unwilling to pay your share of the costs of adjustments, you may be required to remove the Pupil in which case no notice or fees in lieu of notice will be required.
The school has set up a Special Educational Needs and Disability Policy Review Committee which consists of Mr. R. H. Brierly (Head), Mr. I. Wilson (Deputy Head), Mr. A. Baker (Facilities Manager) and Mrs Beryl Butler (SENCO)
The committee’s terms of reference are:
(a) to review the school’s policies, procedures and facilities as they are likely to affect pupils and prospective pupils who have SEN and/or are disabled;
(b) to make recommendations with a view to improving the accessibility of its education in its many aspects to pupils or prospective pupils with disability by means of reasonable adjustments and by planning for the future and to prepare this Disability Policy;
Health & Safety Committee
January 2008
Review: September 2009
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