Purpose

The Accessibility in Education and Lifelong Learning Strategy 2026-28 sets out Surrey’s aspiration to enable Surrey children and young people aged 0-25 with additional needs and/or disabilities to lead the best possible life.

The Strategy sets out the Council’s Education and Lifelong Learning (ELL)

responsibilities for ensuring education is accessible for pupils with additional needs and disabilities in the schools for which it is responsible (publicly funded schools), specifically the following aims:

1.    Increasing the extent to which all pupils can participate in the schools’ curriculum by an increased focus on relevance, modes of presentation and pupil involvement

2.    Improving the physical environment of the schools for the purpose of

increasing the extent to which all pupils can take advantage of education and benefits, facilities or services provided or offered by the school

3.    Improving the delivery to pupils of information which is readily accessible by an increased focus on relevance, modes of presentation and pupil involvement

The Surrey Accessibility Strategy 2023-25 was reviewed in academic year 2025-26, in order to publish a strategy from academic year 2026-27.  Minor updates were made to the title of the strategy, spelling corrections, service contact details and pupil data.

Decision

It was AGREED that:

1. The minor updates to the previous version of the Surrey Accessibility Strategy 2023-25 were appropriate and sufficient.
2. The updated Surrey Accessibility in Education and Lifelong Learning Strategy 2026-28 would be published on the Surrey Local Offer and the Surrey County Council website for the start of academic year 2026-27.

Reasons for the decision

• The Council has a statutory responsibility to publish an Accessibility Strategy for education settings for which it is responsible. As is good practice, it keeps strategies under review and updates them in a timely manner.
• The review of the Surrey Accessibility Strategy 2023-25 identified minor changes required to keep the strategy current and relevant, requiring an update of the strategy from academic year 2026-27.  There were no significant changes required to the vision, aims or governance of the strategy. 

Alternative options considered

For the Surrey Accessibility Strategy 2023-25 to be maintained without updates.