Accessibility Policy Statement

Accessibility is fundamental to our website policy. We believe that everyone should be able to access our services and, in particular, are taking continual steps to improve our web provision to members and public users with disabilities, and those in places with slow or erratic internet connections.

Accordingly, these standards should be met in order that:

• web content is easy to find, appropriate, understandable and navigable - in short, usable
• pages are rendered properly in all the main browsers and small/handheld devices that conform to xhtml standards
• web content is accessible to people who have a technological, physical or other disability (10-20 per cent of the population has a disability that may make accessing web page harder).

Legal compliance

We must comply with the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) as this relates to the website. SENDA legislation states that all educational websites must be accessible to all and no one should be denied access to learning or information because of a disability.

People with disabilities (for instance visual or hearing, physical or cognitive difficulties, dyslexia) may need to use adaptive technologies such as screen readers, Braille displays, voice recognition software, alternative keyboard/mice, and the like to view web pages; these technologies require pages to be created in accessible HTML. Past Times aspires to an accessible website which will successfully communicate its information to anyone whichever of the main browsing device or adaptive technologies they use.

Changing font size

This website uses CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) which enables visitors to change the font size and style sheet to enhance their personal browsing experience. Changing the size of the font, and managing the style sheet, varies depending according to the type of browser and Operating System. Information of how to do this can normally be found in the browser's help section

Levels of accessibility

The W3C, the governing body setting standards for the Web, lists three levels of usability:

Priority One allows some users, whatever disabilities they may have, and whatever technologies they are using, to view the web page as intended.

Priority Two allows most users, whatever disabilities they may have, and whatever technologies they are using, to view the web page as intended easily. Some may find it harder to access the document.

Priority Three allows all users, whatever disabilities they may have, and whatever technologies they are using, to view the web page simply.

Policy statement

At present Past Times aspires to operate at Priority One, which complies with SENDA. Past Times will gradually move to producing pages at Priority Two. Where undue administrative or financial burdens may be incurred in achieving this standard, alternative formats may be used. Validation of all pages in the main hand-held and adaptive technologies devices will happen upon the introduction of a content management system.

Help us to improve

As a responsible company, Past Times acknowledges the needs of our customers and we are keen, not only to provide an accessible site today, but to continue to provide an accessible site in the future. We welcome any feedback regarding our accessibility policy and encourage users to alert us to section which could be improved.

If you have any feedback regarding the accessibility of this website then please contact us by email at service@pasttimes.com .