Speak to a Student Advisor

Call Us 0844 357 7777

Call Us 0844 357 7777

20% OFF* All Courses this month...

£ GBP
  • £ GBP
  • $ USD
  • € EUR

Accessibility Policy

Open Learning College is committed to ensuring an inclusive learning experience for all, adhering to industry accessibility standards and continuously improving our digital content and platforms to cater to diverse user needs.

Visit our Support Centre

Student Support Centre

All the information and help you will need.
Click Here
Our Student Advisors are keen to help you, call us now on 0844 357 7777. Alternatively, fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you.
Contact Us
By completing this form you are expressing an interest in Open Learning College. We will send you information about our courses and any special offers we think will be useful to you. You will be able to unsubscribe at anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

General Statement & Aims

01. Statement

Open Learning College strives to be inclusive and welcoming to each and every student so they are able to participate as fully as possible in the curriculum and College life. The College is also committed to promoting positive attitudes towards disability and accessibility.

 


 

02. Aims

This policy sets out measures planned and undertaken by the College to ensure the fair access and treatment for students with SEND.

 

These include:

  • Improving the physical environment of the College in order to increase the extent to which disabled students are able to take advantage of education and associated services.
  • Increasing the extent to which students with SEND can participate in the curriculum.
  • Improving the provision of information for students with SEND.

 


03. Relevant legislation and guidance

  • Children and Families Act 2014
  • Equality Act 2010
  • Keeping Children Safe in Education
  • SEND code of practice
  • Working together to safeguard children

 

The Equality Act 2010 defines disability as: ‘A physical or mental impairment which has substantial and long term adverse impact on a person’s ability to carry out normal everyday activities’. This overlaps with the definition of ‘special educational needs’ in the Children and Families Act 2014, which includes students with significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of their age, or a disability which means that a student cannot make full use of the general educational facilities provided for students of their age.

Anti-discrimination considerations relating to students with SENDs are also included in the DfE’s Teachers Standards, outlining the professional expectations for all teachers in the UK.

 


04. Improving access and provision for SEND students

Open Learning College monitors the physical environment of its premises to assess what reasonable adjustments can be made to improve access and provision for SEND students so they are able to take full advantage of the College’s educational and associated provision.

 

4.1 Open Learning College Accessibility Plan
Accessibility Plan 2021-2024 (pdf) has been developed by members of the senior leadership team (SLT) to map out and monitor the College’s interventions, as required by the Equality Act 2010.

 

The Accessibility Plan is reviewed every three years by members of the SLT . The Academic Director is responsible for giving the final approval for this plan.

 

4.1.1. Terms of review

  • To review the College’s policies, procedures and facilities as they are likely to affect students and prospective students who are disabled.
  • To make recommendations with a view to improving the accessibility of Open Learning College’s  educational provisions to students or prospective students with disabilities by means of reasonable adjustments and future-planning.
  • To prepare and adjust as necessary the Accessibility Plan.
  • To review related plans and policies as necessary, and at least on an annual basis.

 

4.1.2 Areas of consideration

 

Admissions
Open Learning College’s commitment to removing barriers, wherever possible, to entry to the College for SEND students. Please refer to the Admissions Policy.

 

Attainment
Open Learning College’s commitment to supporting all students, regardless of any SEND or other personal circumstances, to attain the best outcome for their personal and educational development. Student attainment will be reviewed on an ongoing basis through half-termly mock exams and individual student reviews throughout the academic year.

 

Attendance
Open Learning College has high attendance expectations of all students, as laid out in the Attendance Policy. The College carefully monitors and supports students with medical and SEND issues with attendance in order to ensure they do not miss out on or are disadvantaged in their learning if they are unable to attend lessons.

 

Behaviour
The College has a clear code of conduct and works closely with all students to help them maintain good behaviour, as set out in the Student Behaviour and Exclusions Policy. In any situation requiring disciplinary action, including exclusion, any relevant aspects, including SEND, that would affect the behaviour or actions of a student would be taken into careful consideration.

 

Education
Open Learning College’s staff appraise their own teaching strategies and receive support from the SEND Team to ensure students with SEND are able to learn and participate to their full potential. This may include, for example, offering rest breaks if a student is experiencing anxiety or panic, giving additional time to complete assignments or providing more accessible or focused teaching materials.

 

The College does not tolerate offensive language or discrimination and actively promotes inclusion and collaboration.

 

Extra-curricular activities
All students are given the opportunity to get fully involved in College life and participate in extra-curricular activities, such as school trips, clubs and events.

 

Physical environment
The College regularly assesses and monitors the physical environment of its premises to ensure that all students are able to take advantage of everything the College has to offer.

Selection and recruitment of staff
Open Learning College aims to offer equality of opportunity and fair treatment in its recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion of staff at all levels. The Equal Opportunities and Safer Recruitment and Selection of Staff policies set out how the procedures work and are produced in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

 

Our staff are required to read and adhere to all College policies, which includes recognising the importance of accessibility for all students and respecting the needs and rights of students with SEND.

 

This policy is reviewed annually by the SLT.

 


05. Guiding Principles (Online)

  1. Compliance with Standards: We adhere to established accessibility standards, including the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, to create an accessible online environment.

  2. Continuous Improvement: Open Learning College is committed to ongoing improvement in accessibility. We regularly review and update our digital content and platforms to ensure compliance with the latest accessibility standards.

  3. Inclusive Design: Our design and development processes prioritise inclusivity from the outset. We aim to create content that is accessible to users with various disabilities, including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments.

  4. User Feedback: We actively seek feedback from users regarding accessibility issues. Feedback from the user community helps us identify and address accessibility concerns promptly.

  5. Training and Awareness: Our team members are trained on accessibility standards and practices. We promote awareness and understanding of accessibility principles throughout the organisation.

 


06. Accessibility Features (Online)

  1. Alternative Text: All images and multimedia content include descriptive alternative text to ensure comprehension by screen readers.

  2. Keyboard Navigation: Our platforms are designed to be navigable using a keyboard alone, providing an accessible option for users with motor disabilities.

  3. Consistent Structure: Content is organised in a consistent and logical structure, facilitating easy navigation for users relying on screen readers.

  4. Captioning and Transcripts: Videos and multimedia content include captions or transcripts to accommodate users with hearing impairments.

  5. Colour Contrast: We ensure sufficient color contrast for text and visual elements to enhance readability for users with visual impairments.

 


07. Feedback and Contact Information

Users encountering accessibility issues are encouraged to provide feedback to help us improve.

 

For assistance or to report accessibility concerns, please contact our support team at [email protected].

 


08. Employee Handbook