Accessibility statement
A statement in the government's model format: how accessible the website is, which parts are not and why, how to ask for another format and how to give feedback. Every school and academy trust website must have one.
Check this on my websiteWho it applies to
- Published on
- School and trust websites
- School type
- Academies and maintained schools
- School stage
- All stages, from early years to sixth form
- Does not apply to
- No school types are excluded
When is it due?
- Renewal
- No fixed date
The official sources set no renewal date. Keep it accurate whenever it changes.
What's needed
Publish an accessibility statement on its own page, linked from the footer of every page, reviewed and dated within the last 12 months.
What it must contain
9 parts- Provides an accessibility statement in line with the model accessibility statementMust
- Explains which parts of the website are not accessible and whyMust
- Dates when the accessibility statement was last reviewedMust
- Links to the enforcement procedure for accessibility complaintsMust
- Links to a contact form for accessibility feedbackMust
- States that the site meets WCAG 2.2 AAShould
- Describes any accessible alternative formats providedMust
- Explains which accessibility requirements were not met, when fixing them was a disproportionate burdenMust
- Explains, through the contact form, how to ask for details of content excluded from the accessibility requirementsMust
What the official sources say
Set out in 2 official sources:
Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies
The accessibility regulations came into force for public sector bodies on 23 September 2018. They say you must make your website or mobile app more accessible by making it ‘perceivable, operable, understandable and robust’. You need to include and update an accessibility statement on your website.
Must§ GDS guidance, section 'Meeting accessibility requirements'
Public sector bodies must publish an accessibility statement and review it regularly.
Must§ GDS guidance, section 'How the accessibility regulations will be monitored and enforced'
Show 4 more from this source
The accessibility regulations apply for public sector mobile apps. The apps must be accessible and publish an accessibility statement.
Must§ GDS guidance, section 'Mobile apps'
Your website or mobile app will meet the legal requirements if you: – meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA accessibility standard – although there may be valid legal reasons for not meeting accessibility standards – publish an accessibility statement that explains how accessible your website or mobile app is
Expected§ GDS guidance, section 'Meeting accessibility requirements' (bullet list)
Partially exempt organisations would need to publish an accessibility statement on their website or mobile app.
Expected§ GDS guidance, section 'When you may be exempt from accessibility regulations'
If you decide that fixing something would be a disproportionate burden, you’ll need to say so in the accessibility statement you publish on your website or mobile app.
Expected§ GDS guidance, section 'When complying with accessibility regulations might be a disproportionate burden'
Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (SI 2018/952)
1 A public sector body must provide an accessibility statement in accordance with the model accessibility statement, and keep that statement under regular review.
Must§ SI 2018/952 reg 8(1) (definitions of 'accessibility statement' and 'model accessibility statement' in reg 3)
4 If, following the assessment, a public sector body determines that compliance with the accessibility requirement would impose a disproportionate burden, it must— a explain in its accessibility statement the parts of the accessibility requirement that could not be complied with; and b where appropriate, provide accessible alternatives to documents held by that public sector body that are not available on their website or mobile application.
Must§ SI 2018/952 reg 7(4)
Show 3 more from this source
2 For a website, the accessibility statement must be— a provided in an accessible format; and b published on the website of the public sector body.
Must§ SI 2018/952 reg 8(2)
3 For a mobile application, the accessibility statement must be— a provided in an accessible format; and b available on the website of the public sector body or alongside other information available when downloading the mobile application.
Must§ SI 2018/952 reg 8(3)
4 The accessibility statement must include— a an explanation of those parts of the content that are not accessible and the reasons why; b where appropriate, a description of any accessible alternatives provided; c a description of, and a link to, a contact form which enables a person to— i notify the public sector body of any failure of its website or mobile application to comply with the accessibility requirement; and ii request details of the information excluded under regulation 4(2) and regulation 7(4); and d a link to the enforcement procedure set out in Part 5 of these Regulations to which recourse may be had in the event of an unsatisfactory response to the notification or the request.
Must§ SI 2018/952 reg 8(4)(a)-(d)
Questions schools ask
Does every school have to publish the accessibility statement?
The official sources we check set no requirement for academies. The official sources we check set no requirement for maintained schools.
When does the accessibility statement need to be published?
Renewal: No fixed date. The official sources set no renewal date. Keep it accurate whenever it changes.
What must the accessibility statement include?
Provides an accessibility statement in line with the model accessibility statement; Explains which parts of the website are not accessible and why; Dates when the accessibility statement was last reviewed; Links to the enforcement procedure for accessibility complaints; Links to a contact form for accessibility feedback; States that the site meets WCAG 2.2 AA; and 3 more parts listed above.
Where does the requirement for the accessibility statement come from?
It is set out in Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies and Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (SI 2018/952).
Changes to the official sources
Dated change notes published by the Department for Education on the sources above.
30 September 2024 · Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies
Section about when GDS is monitoring the new success criteria in WCAG 2.2 and some references to 2018 for accessibility regulations has been removed.
5 October 2023 · Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies
Updated guidance as result of the new success criteria in WCAG 2.2.
22 August 2022 · Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies
We've updated the guidance to reflect responsibility moving to Government Digital Service (GDS) from the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO).
9 July 2021 · Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies
Small updates to change the mobile apps guidance to highlight that the 23 June deadline has passed.
8 June 2021 · Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies
An update to the section: Meeting accessibility requirements to make the mobile app guidance more clear for public sector developed apps. An update to the section: How the regulations are monitored and enforced to cover other legislation including the Equality Act and DDA 1995.
8 April 2021 · Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies
Organisation change: Changes to all Government Digital Service (GDS) references to the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO)
8 earlier changes are listed on the source pages.
We last checked these sources on 21 September 2026.
Is this on your school's website?
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Official sources last checked 21 September 2026 · register version 1.0.4