Accessibility Statement

<h2 id="our-commitment">Our Commitment</h2>

<p>At C&G Education, accessibility is at the heart of everything we do. As a provider of specialist alternative education for young people with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) and SEMH (Social, Emotional and Mental Health) needs, we understand the importance of inclusive design and accessible content.</p>

<p>We believe that everyone deserves equal access to information about our services, regardless of ability or the technology they use. This accessibility statement explains what we're doing to make our website accessible and how you can get in touch if you encounter any barriers.</p>

<p>Our commitment to accessibility extends beyond our website to all our communications and services. We strive to ensure that:</p>

<ul> <li>All users can navigate and interact with our website effectively</li> <li>Content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust</li> <li>We continuously improve based on user feedback</li> <li>Our staff are trained in accessibility best practices</li> </ul>

<h2 id="accessibility-standards">Accessibility Standards</h2>

<p>This website aims to conform to the <strong>Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA</strong>. WCAG is the internationally recognised standard for web accessibility, providing guidelines that make web content more accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities.</p>

<p>WCAG 2.2 is based on four principles. Websites should be:</p>

<ul> <li><strong>Perceivable:</strong> Information and user interface components must be presented in ways users can perceive (not invisible to all their senses)</li> <li><strong>Operable:</strong> User interface components and navigation must be operable (users must be able to operate the interface)</li> <li><strong>Understandable:</strong> Information and operation of the user interface must be understandable (users must be able to understand the information and operation)</li> <li><strong>Robust:</strong> Content must be robust enough to be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies</li> </ul>

<div class="accessibility-feature"> <h4>Compliance Status</h4> <p>We regularly test our website against WCAG 2.2 Level AA criteria. While we strive for full compliance, some areas may be partially conformant as we work to address identified issues. See the "Known Limitations" section for details.</p> </div>

<h2 id="accessibility-features">Accessibility Features</h2>

<p>Our website includes the following accessibility features:</p>

<h3>Navigation and Structure</h3>

<ul> <li><strong>Skip to main content link:</strong> A hidden link at the top of each page allows keyboard users to bypass navigation and jump directly to main content</li> <li><strong>Consistent navigation:</strong> Navigation menus are consistent across all pages</li> <li><strong>Logical heading structure:</strong> Content is organised using proper heading hierarchy (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to help screen reader users understand page structure</li> <li><strong>Breadcrumbs:</strong> Where applicable, breadcrumb navigation helps users understand their location within the site</li> <li><strong>Descriptive page titles:</strong> Each page has a unique, descriptive title</li> </ul>

<h3>Visual Design</h3>

<ul> <li><strong>Colour contrast:</strong> Text and background colours meet WCAG AA contrast requirements (minimum 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text)</li> <li><strong>Colour not sole indicator:</strong> Information is not conveyed by colour alone; we use additional visual cues such as icons, patterns, or text</li> <li><strong>Resizable text:</strong> Text can be resized up to 200% without loss of content or functionality</li> <li><strong>Responsive design:</strong> The website adapts to different screen sizes and orientations</li> <li><strong>Focus indicators:</strong> Visible focus indicators show which element is currently selected when navigating with a keyboard</li> </ul>

<h3>Content and Media</h3>

<ul> <li><strong>Alternative text:</strong> All meaningful images include descriptive alternative text for screen readers</li> <li><strong>Decorative images:</strong> Purely decorative images are marked appropriately so screen readers skip them</li> <li><strong>Link purpose:</strong> Links are clearly labelled to indicate their destination or purpose</li> <li><strong>Plain language:</strong> We write content in clear, simple language and explain technical terms where necessary</li> <li><strong>Readable fonts:</strong> We use legible fonts (Roboto for body text) with appropriate line spacing</li> </ul>

<h3>Forms and Interactivity</h3>

<ul> <li><strong>Form labels:</strong> All form fields have visible, associated labels</li> <li><strong>Error identification:</strong> Form errors are clearly identified and explained in text</li> <li><strong>Error prevention:</strong> Users have the opportunity to review and correct information before submission</li> <li><strong>Keyboard accessible:</strong> All interactive elements can be accessed and operated using a keyboard alone</li> <li><strong>No time limits:</strong> There are no time limits on completing forms or tasks</li> </ul>

<h2 id="assistive-technologies">Assistive Technologies</h2>

<p>Our website is designed to work with a variety of assistive technologies. We have tested with:</p>

<ul> <li><strong>Screen readers:</strong> NVDA (Windows), VoiceOver (macOS/iOS), TalkBack (Android)</li> <li><strong>Voice recognition software:</strong> Dragon NaturallySpeaking</li> <li><strong>Screen magnification software:</strong> ZoomText, built-in browser zoom</li> <li><strong>Keyboard-only navigation:</strong> Full site functionality without a mouse</li> </ul>

<h3>Browser Compatibility</h3>

<p>The website is tested on the following browsers:</p>

<ul> <li>Google Chrome (latest two versions)</li> <li>Mozilla Firefox (latest two versions)</li> <li>Apple Safari (latest two versions)</li> <li>Microsoft Edge (latest two versions)</li> </ul>

<h3>Tips for Using Assistive Technologies</h3>

<div class="accessibility-feature"> <h4>Keyboard Navigation</h4> <p>Use <strong>Tab</strong> to move forward through interactive elements, <strong>Shift+Tab</strong> to move backward, <strong>Enter</strong> to activate links and buttons, and <strong>Escape</strong> to close menus or dialogs.</p> </div>

<div class="accessibility-feature"> <h4>Screen Reader Users</h4> <p>Use heading navigation (H key in NVDA/JAWS) to quickly move between sections. Links and buttons are announced with their purpose. Forms include accessible labels and error messages.</p> </div>

<h2 id="known-limitations">Known Limitations</h2>

<p>While we strive for full accessibility, we are aware of the following limitations that we are working to address:</p>

<h3>Currently Being Addressed</h3>

<ul> <li><strong>PDF documents:</strong> Some older PDF documents may not be fully accessible. We are working to remediate these or provide alternative formats upon request</li> <li><strong>Third-party content:</strong> Some embedded content from third-party services may not meet all accessibility standards</li> <li><strong>Complex tables:</strong> Some data tables may have limited screen reader support; we are working to improve table accessibility</li> </ul>

<h3>Planned Improvements</h3>

<p>We are continuously working to improve accessibility. Our current priorities include:</p>

<ul> <li>Adding video captions and transcripts for any future video content</li> <li>Improving mobile accessibility for all interactive features</li> <li>Enhancing form error handling and validation messages</li> <li>Conducting regular automated and manual accessibility testing</li> </ul>

<h2 id="alternative-formats">Alternative Formats</h2>

<p>If you need information in a different format, we are happy to help. We can provide:</p>

<ul> <li><strong>Large print:</strong> Documents in larger font sizes</li> <li><strong>Audio format:</strong> Verbal explanation of content over the phone or recorded audio</li> <li><strong>Easy read:</strong> Simplified versions of key documents</li> <li><strong>British Sign Language (BSL):</strong> BSL interpretation for important communications (with advance notice)</li> <li><strong>Other languages:</strong> Translation of key documents where possible</li> </ul>

<p>Please contact us to request alternative formats. We will do our best to respond within 5 working days.</p>

<h2 id="feedback-and-contact">Feedback and Contact</h2>

<p>We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of our website. If you encounter any barriers or have suggestions for improvement, please let us know:</p>

<h3>Report an Accessibility Issue</h3>

<p>When reporting an issue, please provide:</p>

<ul> <li>A description of the problem you experienced</li> <li>The web address (URL) where the problem occurred</li> <li>The device, browser, and assistive technology you were using</li> <li>Your contact details so we can follow up</li> </ul>

<h3>Contact Information</h3>

<ul> <li><strong>Email:</strong> <a href="mailto:accessibility@cgeducation.com">accessibility@cgeducation.com</a></li> <li><strong>General enquiries:</strong> <a href="mailto:info@cgeducation.com">info@cgeducation.com</a></li> <li><strong>Phone:</strong> <a href="tel:+441234567890">+44 (0) 123 456 7890</a></li> <li><strong>Contact form:</strong> <a href="/contact">Online contact form</a></li> </ul>

<p>We aim to respond to accessibility enquiries within 3 working days and will work with you to find a solution.</p>

<h2 id="enforcement-procedure">Enforcement Procedure</h2>

<p>If you are not satisfied with our response to your accessibility concern, you can contact the Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS):</p>

<ul> <li><strong>Website:</strong> <a href="https://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">equalityadvisoryservice.com</a></li> <li><strong>Telephone:</strong> 0808 800 0082</li> <li><strong>Textphone:</strong> 0808 800 0084</li> </ul>

<p>The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.</p>

<h3>Technical Information</h3>

<p>This website is managed by C&G Education. We are committed to making this website accessible in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.</p>

<h3>Preparation of This Statement</h3>

<p>This accessibility statement was prepared on 11 January 2026.</p>

<p>The website was last tested on 11 January 2026. Testing was carried out by C&G Education using a combination of:</p>

<ul> <li>Automated testing tools (WAVE, axe DevTools, Lighthouse)</li> <li>Manual testing with keyboard navigation</li> <li>Screen reader testing with NVDA and VoiceOver</li> <li>Review against WCAG 2.2 Level AA criteria</li> </ul>

<p>We regularly review and update this statement as we make improvements to our website.</p>