Accessibility features

We have provided the features set out below to improve navigation for screen reader users, keyboard navigation and users of text-only browsers.

Structured, semantic markup: headings and navigation menus

HTML heading tags are used to convey the document layout. H1 tags are used for main titles, H2 tags for subtitles, and so on. Navigation menus are marked up as HTML lists. This ensures that the number of links in the list is read out at the start and it can be skipped easily.

Images

Where an image conveys important information, alternative text will be provided. If the image is used for a decorative purpose the alternative text will be left blank.

Style sheets, fonts, colours

This site uses software called Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to control all of the presentation and layout. If your browser or browsing device does not support style sheets, the use of structured semantic markup ensures that the content of each page is still readable and clearly structured.

Font sizes and colours can be changed by using your own custom style sheets or browser settings. The BBC has an excellent guide on how to do this for various browsers and systems.

Scripting

The content on this site has been written and formatted to make it accessible and the site is fully accessible if scripting is unavailable.

Standards compliance

The pages on this site conform at a minimum to Level A compliance as specified by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. This site also meets the majority of Level AA and AAA requirements. Most of the pages validate as HTML 5 and use structured semantic markup and our CSS also validates the pages.