All schools and settings – adaptations costing up to £2,500
In Dorset, all schools and settings are expected to fund accessibility adaptations to accommodate children and young people with disabilities, which cost up to £2,500.
Schools and settings should arrange for these adaptations to take place prior to child or young person’s admission to the school or as soon as possible if they are already on roll.
If a school belongs to the Building Maintenance Indemnity Scheme (BMIS), their Dorset Council Regional Property Surveyor will be able to advise and help with these works.
Dorset maintained schools – adaptations costing more than £2,500
If the school is a Dorset Council maintained school, including a maintained foundation or voluntary controlled school, the council is financially responsible for the full costs of adaptations which cost more than £2,500. The council will usually organise these on behalf of the school.
Dorset Council will use the Schools Access Initiative (SAI) budget, which is part of the council’s capital budget, to fund these works.
Where works are agreed as appropriate, the Dorset Council Assets and Property Team will usually lead on the project and liaise with the school or setting to agree what will happen and when. Works are typically undertaken during a school holiday period.
Academies and voluntary aided schools – adaptations costing more than £2,500
If the school is an academy or voluntary aided school, the academy trust or diocese is responsible for funding and organising accessibility adaptations that cost more than £2,500.
Department for Education (DfE) advice is that academies and voluntary aided schools may use their School Conditions Allocations (SCA) funding, bid for funding via the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) or use their Devolved Formula Capital (DFC) funding for this purpose.
The school’s Estates Manager or equivalent person should be able to manage this process on behalf of the school.
Early years settings
Dorset Council has no responsibility to fund adaptations at early years settings unless they are a statutory part of a maintained school.
FE colleges
Dorset Council has no responsibility to fund accessibility adaptations at FE Colleges.
FE Colleges are responsible for the buildings and space they use for education and training and their governing bodies are responsible for the management of their estates.
FE Colleges can use capital funding to repair, upgrade or expand their buildings, facilities and equipment.
Process
All schools and settings are expected to undertake general accessibility audits themselves; this is not the role of the Local Authority. The Dorset Council guidance for schools regarding Accessibility Plans contains an includes an audit tool for this purpose.
Where an individual child or young person with a disability requires adaptations in order to access a school or setting successfully, a site visit will normally be undertaken by someone already working with them.
This might be someone from NHS Children’s Therapy Services, the Hearing Support Service, the Vision Support Service or the Physical & Medical Needs Service. A representative from the Assets and Property Team may also attend.
An Accessibility Visit Report will be written by the relevant service following the visit. This will be shared with the school and the Assets & Property Team.
For maintained and voluntary controlled schools, the Assets & Property Team will determine whether the recommended works can be undertaken. Factors considered during this decision-making process include:
- evidence of need
- how effective the adaptation would be at overcoming disadvantage
- cost
- feasibility
- other alternatives
- whether it is the catchment school
- proximity of alternative accessible schools
- the impact on others
If SAI funding is agreed, the Assets & Property Team will manage the works and keep the school and relevant services informed of when these are due to take place.
If funding is not agreed, the Assets & Property Team will liaise with the services working with the child or young person about next steps.
Decisions for academies and voluntary aided schools will be made by the academy trust or the diocese.