Ian Richardson
Built hundreds of website and helped countless schools realise their potential online. Ian should be called upon for straight-talking advice and to make a difference to the way you present your school through every outlet.
HomeSchool Website BlogSchool Website RequirementsSchool Website Accessibility – Understanding Exempt Content
The accessibility regulations that affect your school website came into force for public sector bodies on 23 September 2018. The regulations say schools must make their website more accessible by making it ‘perceivable, operable, understandable and robust’. Also, schools need to include and update a school website accessibility statement clearly and prominently on their website. While this is not a school website requirement published by DfE, it is a government published requirement for all public bodies.
The accessibility regulations build on your existing obligations to people who have a disability under the Equality Act 2010 (or the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in Northern Ireland).
Your school website will meet the newer legal requirements if you:
At first glance, all public sector bodies have to meet the 2018 requirements. Unless they are exempt. Confused?
Here is the information published that outlines the exemption and why this is relevant to some schools:
The following organisations are partially exempt from the accessibility regulations:
Partially exempt organisations would need to publish an accessibility statement on their website or mobile app.
What is the key thing to consider here as a school? Firstly, ask yourself, what content do you publish that people need to be able to access to use your service, as a school? Then, think about how you would ideally go about implementing the content that needs to be accessible. This is where schools run into an issue.
We would argue that the exemption is something you should consider as wholly irrelevant. Think about the content you publish on your school website regularly. So, here's a very quick run down ...
Do any of these school website elements sound like things that you don't want to be accessible to all?
That's why all schools must approach school website accessibility with a whole-picture approach.
Your school website provider should be empowering you with the tools you need. Not only to meet the legal requirements for the sake of it. But, primarily because best practice says we should be taking an 'accessibility first' approach.
So, that's why we're built a range of features and integrations that do the heavy lifting for you.
Also, our team are always looking for the latest ways to ensure your website can be used by anyone. Be assured that every Schudio school website comes with everything you need to meet this vital need.
Simply add your email and you'll get expert advice weekly, direct to your inbox.
Built hundreds of website and helped countless schools realise their potential online. Ian should be called upon for straight-talking advice and to make a difference to the way you present your school through every outlet.