Accessible and Large Print Resources for SEND Pupils

For a pupil with a visual impairment, a worksheet in small type is not a minor inconvenience. It can be the difference between taking part in a lesson and watching it happen around them. Getting accessible print right is part of everyday inclusion.

This guide is for SENCOs, teaching assistants, reprographics staff and the business managers who fund the equipment behind them. It explains the main accessible print formats schools produce, what the published guidance says in general terms, where the print fleet helps or gets in the way and how to organise the work so that adapted resources arrive on time. Every pupil is different. The right format for any individual should always come from their plan, their family and the specialists who know them, such as a qualified teacher of vision impairment.

The duties behind accessible print

Schools in England work within two main frameworks here. The Equality Act 2010 requires schools to make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils. This duty has included the provision of auxiliary aids and services since 2012. Schools must also have an accessibility plan, which includes improving how information is made available to disabled pupils. The SEND Code of Practice 0 to 25 sets out how schools identify needs and put support in place, including through SEN support and education, health and care plans.

Neither framework tells a school which printer to buy. What they do mean in practice is that adapted materials are not an optional extra. If a pupil needs large print to access the curriculum, producing it reliably is part of meeting their needs.

Clear print, large print and modified materials

It helps to separate three ideas that often get blurred together.

• Clear print. Good design for everyone. UK accessible format guidance suggests a minimum of 12 point and ideally 14 point, a plain sans serif font, strong contrast and no text over images.
• Large print. Material produced at a larger size for readers who need it. The same guidance puts the minimum at 16 point, ideally 18 point, with 24 point sometimes described as giant print.
• Modified materials. Resources reformatted around an individual, with adjusted layout, simplified diagrams or enlarged images as well as bigger text.

In exams the same thinking appears in modified enlarged papers produced by awarding bodies, for example bold print at 18 point on A4 or 24 point on A3. Those are ordered in advance through the exams officer. Everyday classroom resources are the school’s own responsibility and that is where most of the workload sits.

Why enlarging on the copier is not always enough

The quickest way to make a bigger worksheet is to put it on the copier and enlarge A4 to A3. It works in a pinch and some pupils prefer A3. But accessible format guidance cautions that photocopied enlargements can be unwieldy, awkward to use on a desk and poorer in quality, especially for images and diagrams. An A3 sheet also stands out in a classroom, which some pupils find uncomfortable.

The best results usually come from changing the original file: increasing the font size, reflowing the layout and enlarging the key images. Where only a paper original exists, a modern multifunction device can scan it to an editable format using text recognition so staff can rework it properly rather than magnify a blurred copy.

Braille and tactile diagrams are specialist work. They are usually produced by trained staff with dedicated equipment or sourced through local sensory support services and national organisations. A managed print provider can make sure files move smoothly to that equipment but it should not claim a standard copier replaces it.

Coloured paper and overlays, handled with care

Coloured paper and coloured overlays are widely used for some pupils who report that text on white paper is uncomfortable or appears to move. They are often linked with dyslexia and with what is sometimes called visual stress. The research on how well they work is mixed and professional opinion differs, so it is sensible to base the choice on the individual pupil, their own feedback and advice from appropriate professionals rather than giving everyone a tint by default.

For exams, JCQ has revised its access arrangements guidance to encourage schools to consider alternatives such as coloured overlays or tinted glasses before relying on papers copied onto coloured stock. That is worth bearing in mind for classroom practice too. If an overlay suits a pupil, it can be used with any printed resource without special print runs.

• Record the preferred colour. Keep it in the pupil’s support plan so every member of staff uses the same shade.
• Stock the right paper. Keep small supplies of each colour in use near the devices staff actually use.
• Check print quality on tinted stock. Some colours reduce contrast, so test before printing a full set.
• Review regularly. Needs change as pupils grow, so revisit the arrangement at each review point.

Organising the work in school

Adapted resources are usually produced by a small group of people under time pressure. A few practical arrangements make a real difference.

• Get resources early. Ask teachers to share lesson materials in advance so adapted versions are ready before the lesson.
• Keep master files. Store adapted versions centrally so they can be reused next year rather than recreated.
• Place an A3 device sensibly. The device used for adapted work should be near the learning support base, not across the site.
• Protect personal information. Adapted resources often carry pupil names and needs, so use secure release for anything identifying.
• Adjust print quotas. Make sure staff and pupils who need extra or colour printing are not blocked by standard limits.

What to ask your print provider

When reviewing or procuring a print service, add accessibility to the specification. Ask whether the proposed devices can print A3 reliably and where A3 will be available. Ask whether scanning to editable formats is included and how it is configured. Ask how coloured stock can be loaded without disrupting the main trays. Ask whether the print management setup can give named staff and pupils different quotas or colour permissions. Ask how quickly an engineer will attend if the device used for adapted resources fails.

Language, dignity and pupil voice

Accessible print is about the pupil, not the paper. Where possible, involve pupils in decisions about the format they prefer. Some will want resources that look as much like their classmates’ as possible, which may favour large print on A4 over A3 sheets. Others will prefer a particular colour or layout. Talking with them and their families respects their experience and usually leads to better materials.

It also helps to think about accessible print as part of wider efficiency. Well designed master files reduce reprints and wasted copies, which supports sustainability goals as well as inclusion.

If you would like a print setup that makes adapted resources easier to produce, our Managed Print Services for Schools page explains how CopyBox Document Systems designs school print services around real classroom needs.

For more on costs, contracts, security and support, the Managed Print Services for Schools Guidance collection brings all of our school print guides together.

Accessible print is one of the most practical ways a print service can support inclusion. To discuss equipment that makes adapted resources easier to produce, visit our Managed Print Services for Schools page or call our Bedford team for a free review.