Accessibility Statement

Accessibility

This website is run by Southend High School for Boys and this statement applies to www.shsb.org.uk. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website.

Using this website

That means you should be able to:

Change colours, contrast levels and fonts using browser or device settings
Zoom in up to 400% without the text spilling off the screen
Navigate most of the website using a keyboard or speech recognition software
Listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)

We have also made the website text as simple as possible to understand.

AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

Accessibility features

Responsive design. Our website is designed to work on various devices and screen sizes, including desktop computers, tablets and smartphones.
Keyboard navigation. The website is navigable via keyboard to accommodate users who cannot use a mouse.
Text readability. We use clear and legible fonts, sufficient colour contrast and adjustable text size to enhance readability.

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

School exemption

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the exemptions listed below.

Primary and secondary schools or nurseries are exempt, except for the content people need in order to use the school's services.

Non-compliant content

We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:

Most older PDF documents are not fully accessible to screen reader software
Embedded Google Maps are not accessible within the site
Any forms with bespoke styling on the site may not be accessible

Images. We endeavour to include alternative text for any images where needed. If any images do not have a text alternative, we will rectify this if notified. This fails WCAG 2.2 AA success criterion.
Video. We endeavour to include frame titles, captioning and transcriptions for any videos. If any do not, we will rectify this if notified. This fails WCAG 2.2 AA success criterion.
Links. We endeavour to ensure that links are descriptive. If any are not, we will rectify this if notified. This fails WCAG 2.2 AA success criterion.
Tables. We endeavour to ensure tables have the appropriate headings set. If any tables do not, we will rectify this if notified. This fails WCAG 2.2 AA success criterion.
Brand colours. We endeavour to ensure our brand colours meet the contrast ratio for the corresponding text size. If any text does not, we will rectify this if notified. This fails WCAG 2.2 AA success criterion.

Ongoing efforts

We are continually working to improve the accessibility of our website by:

Screen reader compatibility. Whilst our website has been built to include functionality that works with screen readers, we may need to make some improvements by working with our website provider.
Regular audits and user testing. We commit to annual audits and user testing.
User feedback. We will incorporate feedback from users to enhance accessibility.
Keeping up-to-date. We will endeavour to keep up to date with evolving accessibility standards and best practices.

Third-party content

While we aim to ensure all content on our website is accessible, some third-party materials or linked resources may not fully meet accessibility standards. We encourage you to contact us if you have difficulties accessing external content.

Requesting content in an accessible format

If you need information from this website in a different format, such as a large print or plain text version of a PDF, please contact us and we will consider your request and get back to you within 10 working days.

Email enquiries@shsb.org.uk
Phone 01702 606200

Reporting accessibility problems and expected timelines

We are always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems that are not listed on this page, or think we are not meeting the requirements of the accessibility regulations, please let us know using the contact details in the "Need assistance?" section below.

The known non-compliant items above will be addressed on the following schedule:

Old PDF documents — reviewed and re-issued in an accessible format on request within 10 working days. New PDFs published from January 2026 will be produced as accessible PDFs.
Alternative text on images — checked and corrected across the site on notification, and reviewed as part of the school's annual audit.
Brand colours and contrast — reviewed at the next brand refresh, and addressed on individual pages on notification.
Embedded third-party content and bespoke forms — reviewed alongside the responsible department each academic year.

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). If you are not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

Technical information about this website's accessibility

Southend High School for Boys is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Compliance status

The website is partially exempt with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard due to the exemptions and non-compliances listed above.

Need assistance?

If you encounter any accessibility barriers or have suggestions to improve your experience, please contact us:

Email enquiries@shsb.org.uk
Phone 01702 606200
Mailing address Southend High School for Boys, Prittlewell Chase, Southend-on-Sea, SS0 0RG

When reporting an issue, please include:

The webpage or feature you experienced difficulties with
Your contact information (optional, if you would like a response)

Commitment to improvement

Southend High School for Boys values diversity and inclusion and is committed to providing an accessible online experience for all members of our community. Your feedback is essential in helping us achieve this goal.

This statement was first prepared on 27 January 2025. It was prepared by Southend High School for Boys and our web provider. This statement was last updated on 7 October 2025.