WCAG 2.2 and Your School Website: What You Need to Know
From the end of January, the latest Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 will come into effect, introducing new requirements for improving website accessibility - you can read the full guidance here. These guidelines are designed to ensure that websites are inclusive and accessible to users with disabilities, covering areas such as navigation, readability, and assistive technology compatibility.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR SCHOOLS?
Schools are partially exempt from the full WCAG 2.2 requirements. This means that while you are not required to make all content fully accessible, any content that parents or guardians have to use to access your school’s services must comply - such as if parents have to upload menu choices for lunches through the website.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR WEBSITE'S ACCESSIBILITY LEVEL
Depending on when your school website was built, its level of accessibility may vary:
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Websites on our latest CMS version are fully responsive and built to meet WCAG 2.2 standards, ensuring a high level of accessibility.
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Older websites may not meet all WCAG 2.2 requirements and could require updates to improve accessibility.
WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT
Regardless of your website’s current level of accessibility, you are required to have a Website Accessibility Statement published on your site. This document should explain how your school is addressing accessibility, any areas that may not yet be fully compliant, and any steps being taken to improve accessibility.
To help you with this, we have provided a Website Accessibility Statement template, which you can download below:
Download Accessibility Statement Template
NEXT STEPS
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Review your website to assess its current accessibility.
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Complete the Accessibility Statement template with details specific to your school’s website.
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Upload the statement to your website in a visible location.
HOW WE CAN HELP
If you need assistance with writing or uploading your Website Accessibility Statement, we offer a service to do this for you by:
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Writing a tailored statement for your school site, ensuring it reflects your website’s specific accessibility measures.
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Creating a dedicated page on your website to host the statement.
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Adding a permanent link in your website footer so it is easily accessible to users.
If you’d like us to discuss this service and get a quotation then please get in touch.