This accessibility statement applies to Virtual School Kent, run by Kent County Council.
The content on this website is designed for everyone to find, read, and understand. It is compatible with assistive technologies and developed to meet the accessibility standards outlined in this statement.
View the site your way
There are a number of customisation options for your browser and device that could help you use this website and other websites more effectively.
AbilityNet provides advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.
Feedback and contact information
Please contact us if you have an accessibility query including:
- If you are experiencing issues with accessing information or using the website
- If you find an accessibility problem not listed on this statement
- If you have positive feedback on the accessibility considerations made.
When you contact us there is a process in place that will acknowledge your contact, tell you who is dealing with it and give you a timescale by which you can expect a reply.
Alternative formats
Translation tools
If you or someone you know needs information in a different language, browsers like Edge, Chrome and Safari can translate pages into over 100 languages.
Find out how to change languages and translate web pages in:
You could also download the Microsoft Translator app to have real-time translated conversations.
Other Formats
If you need information in an alternative format, such as braille or a language other than English:
Email: alternativeformats@kent.gov.uk
Call: 03000 421 553
An English-speaker will take details of what you need and arrange a translation or interpreting service for you.
We may not be able to meet your requirements immediately, but we will try to provide an interpreter (or translation service) to help you as quickly as possible.
Complaints process
Once you have reported a problem with our website or asked for an alternative format, but you are not happy with our response, you can use our complaints process to register your difficulty. This helps us improve our processes.
Enforcement procedure
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’).
f you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).
Technical information about this website’s accessibility
Kent County Council is committed to making this website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
Compliance Status
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.2 . The non-accessible sections are listed below.
Non-accessible content
We formally test the accessibility of key user journeys that represent the breadth of content across our website on a regular basis against WCAG 2.2 AA standards.
Some parts of the website may not work for everyone. Below are known issues that we either need to fix, cannot fix, or do not need to fix right now.
If you find something that does not work that we missed, remember to contact us.
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reason(s):
Website wide issues
Text within images
Some images contain text which cannot be read by assistive technology, such as screen readers.
Images that do not contain sufficiently descriptive alt-text are not compliant with WCAG guideline 1.1.1, and WCAG guideline 1.3.3.
We will correct insufficient alt-text over time as we review each page and we are reviewing how to to best display text within images.
Images with insufficient colour contrast
Some images contain text that does not meet minimum colour contrast requirements.
Images with insufficient colour contrast are not compliant with WCAG guideline 1.4.3.
We will correct the contrast on these images over time as we review each page.
Links with insufficient colour contrast
When viewing on a device 320 pixels wide, link text on our Twitter widget does not meet minimum colour contrast requirements.
This is not compliant with WCAG guideline 1.4.3 and WCAG guideline 1.4.10.
We are working to correct this issue.
Links indistinguishable from text
On some pages links may not be underlined and only identifiable by colour: Users with visual impairments cannot see these links.
This is not compliant with WCAG guideline 1.4.1.
We will correct these links over time as we review each page.
Image backgrounds
Images with text may be hard to see or understand, due to the colour contrast being affected when CSS is disabled.
Images with insufficient colour contrast are not compliant with WCAG guideline 1.4.3.
We will correct the contrast on these images over time as we review each page.
Documents and PDFs
Some PDFs and documents on the site published after 23rd September 2018 have accessibility issues. We are working to fix this. If you need support to access information within these documents and PDFs, please contact us via email or phone.
These documents were produced by a third party, which is out of our control:
- KS5 PEP Process: Designated Members of Staff/Designated Teachers
- PEP Process: Designated Teachers up to KS4
- Support for Children in Care and Care Leavers – How the Colleges, Universities and Virtual Schools in Kent and Medway support Children in Care and Care Leavers.
These documents contain some tables which are not fully accessible for individuals using screen reader technology. These will be corrected and published when they are next updated.
- Guidance for schools on the use of reduced timetables
- Post16 Pen Picture and Matching Tool Template
- Post16 Transition Resource Checklist for Social Workers and Foster Carers
- Kent Pledge Device Application Form
- Kent Pledge Sport and Leisure Application Form
- Additional Information Supporting the Care Leaver Offer
- Social Worker and Personal Adviser University Checklist
- Young Person’s Higher Education Resource Checklist
Disproportionate burden
Not applicable.
Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations
This section covers issues that we do not need to fix right now. The law calls these exemptions.
Documents and PDFs
The accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23rd September 2018 if they’re not essential to providing our services. Any new PDFs or documents we publish will meet accessibility standards.
Videos
We use YouTube and Vimeo to embed videos onto our web pages. We are not responsible for the accessibility of the YouTube or Vimeo platforms.
Third-Party Content
Our website contains third-party content. We do not have control over and are not responsible for the accessibility of this content, but we make best endeavours to work with the third party to improve its accessibility. This may include:
- Links to non-KCC websites
- Content/functionality on our website that we do not control, develop or fund
- Content hosted on other websites, such as social media sites.
Read our third party accessibility statements.
Preparation of this accessibility statement
This statement was prepared on 21/10/2020. It was last reviewed on 09/01/2025.
This website was last tested on 28/08/2024. The test was carried out by Kent County Council who tested a sample of the various web pages including the most visited pages. The tests were manual tests.