The TV Access Project Launches The Creating Accessible Courses Toolkit, Supported By The NFTS

The National Film and Television School (NFTS) is proud to support the TV Access Project (TAP) with the recent launch of the Creating Accessible Courses Toolkit for screen industry training and education providers.
 

A collective formed of nine UK broadcasters; BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Paramount, Sky, UKTV, STV, Disney+ and Britbox UK, the TAP aims to make decisive change and long-lasting positive improvements to access for disabled talent across the creative industries.

Alongside supporters  including ScreenSkills and Britbox UK, the NFTS have led the TAP Training and  Education working group over the past 12 months to help form the newly launched toolkit, designed with contributions from key organisations including ITV Academy, Sky Studios, Northern Ireland Screen, Screen Alliance North, BAFTA and Triple C. This resource will help training providers across the industry to ensure that upskilling opportunities are equally available to Deaf, Disabled, and Neurodivergent learners.

The toolkit was unveiled to key industry figures at Channel 4’s HQ on Wednesday 16th September and will be implemented into the formal validation process of all new NFTS courses. Jon Wardle, Director of the National Film and Television School expands; 

“This has the potential to make a huge impact on the accessibility of training and continued professional development for those working across the screen industries.”

The NFTS has an ongoing commitment to nurturing the next generation of filmmaking talent and ensuring that its unrivalled industry-focused education and facilities are accessible to everyone.

Alongside the School’s work with TAP, the NFTS are also proud to offer nine brand-new, fully accessible on-site rooms to support a range of physical access requirements. Housed in the school’s newest addition, The Cubby Broccoli Building which will open its doors in January 2027, these rooms address one of the biggest barriers to higher education faced by disabled students.

A new Accessible Living Bursary provides further support by covering the cost of rent and reasonable adjustments, helping to reduce the practical and financial barriers that can affect disabled students, enabling them to fully participate in life at the NFTS.

 

Addressing the importance of the toolkit at the launch event at Channel 4, Jon Wardle, Director of the National Film and Television School said, “The NFTS is incredibly proud to have played a part in developing this vital toolkit alongside ScreenSkills and partners from across the industry. If we encourage more educators, training providers and decision makers to anticipate rather than react to the needs of creatives with access requirements, to think about who might be excluded before they arrive, we can make a real difference. My ask is simple: read the toolkit, share it and get it into the hands of those designing and delivering courses. The TV Access Project has set an ambitious goal of full inclusion by 2030. A report on its own won’t get us there. Turning its guidance into direct access will.”

Lisa Opie, Executive Chair, ScreenSkills said of the resource: “Creating a genuinely inclusive screen industry means moving beyond good intentions and making accessibility part of how we recruit, develop and support talent at every stage of their careers. The TV Access Project is so important because it brings the industry together around practical, consistent action, helping to remove the barriers that too often prevent Deaf, Disabled and Neurodivergent talent from accessing the same opportunities to develop their skills and build sustainable careers.
“ScreenSkills is extremely proud to have played a part in developing this toolkit over the last two years, working collaboratively with TAP and partners from across the industry. It represents another important step towards embedding accessibility into the way our sector works and ensuring that everyone with the talent and ambition to succeed has the opportunity to do so."

Screenwriter, Jack Thorne who is also an NFTS Fellow, said: "The TV Access Project exists to change the condition for Disabled creatives in this industry. One of the problems we identified early on was the talent pipeline. This is an essential tool for all those who want to join with us in changing the pathway for Disabled creatives. Please use it, please elevate it, please celebrate the magnificent NFTS and ScreenSkills who have supported TAP and lead the way in fulfilling our collective vision of full inclusion by 2030."

The Creating Accessible Courses Toolkit can be accessed now via the ScreenSkills website here.