Executive acts on school access for disabled

ELIZABETH BUIE

DRAFT legislation aimed at imposing a "progressive duty" on education authorities and schools to provide access for disabled pupils has been published by the Scottish Executive.

The proposed Education (Disability Strategies & Pupils' Records) (Scotland) Bill would bring Scotland into line with similar legislation in England and Wales and would also restore parents' rights to have access to pupils' records - a right that was taken away by the 1998 Data Protection Act.

Jack McConnell, the education minister, said: "Too many schools in Scotland are still inaccessible to children with a wide variety of disabilities, and it is time for this to change.

"This legislation will ensure that education providers take positive steps to give children with disabilities the chance to attend a school near their home.

"It will help to give them the same opportunities as others to achieve their full educational potential."

He added: "This bill will also allow us to ensure that parents have proper access to their child's educational records, with appropriate safeguards for confidential information."

Under the proposed bill, education authorities and independent and grant-aided schools will be required to produce and implement accessibility strategies. These strategies will detail how they plan to increase access to the school environment and to school information and the curriculum for pupils with disabilities.

- Oct 10th