Additional Learning Needs -Anghenion Dysgu Ychwanegol

Here at Glyncoed Primary School we are an inclusive school where all staff are committed to the success of every pupil.  All children are valued, respected and welcomed to our school, whatever their additional educational needs may be. We support children’s learning and aim to ensure they are fully included in all school activities.  The new ALN Code has been rolling out since September 2021 for children who are newly identified as having additional learning needs. However, for those children who have already identified SEN via school action or school action plus, they will transfer to the new ALN system by the end of this year. Please see the information leaflet for parents about these changes. 

The transformed system will:

• ensure that all learners with ALN are supported to overcome barriers to learning and achieve their full potential

• improve the planning and delivery of support for learners from 0 to 25 with ALN, placing learners’ needs, views, wishes and feelings at the heart of the process

• focus on the importance of identifying needs early and putting in place timely and effective interventions which are monitored and adapted to ensure they deliver the desired outcomes.

For further information or advice, please speak to your child’s class teacher or contact Miss R Lane our Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator (ALNCo) and Assistant Headteacher. 

Provision for pupils with Additional Learning Needs (ALN)

Provision for children with Additional Learning Needs (ALN) is changing. How does this affect procedures at Glyncoed Primary School?

Most children’s needs can be met by ordinarily available provision. This may include:

• Completing work set at their level in class by their teacher

• Using resources available to all children to support their learning

• Receiving additional support through an intervention to boost their learning in an area of weakness Sometimes children may need a more personalised approach.

If this is the case the teacher will meet with the parents to come up with a Pupil Catch-up Plan. This PCP gives a pupil Small, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant Targets to work on over a short period. After it is reviewed by the teacher with the parents and pupil.

The pupil may receive another catch-up SMART plan, or no longer need a plan at all. This process can continue until the pupil’s needs have been addressed.

After two plans have been implemented, if a child is still struggling to make progress they may need to be investigated to see if they have Additional Learning Needs (ALN).

The definition of Additional Learning Needs

(1) A person has additional learning needs if he or she has a learning difficulty or disability (whether the learning difficulty or disability arises from a medical condition or otherwise) which calls for additional learning provision.

(2) A child of compulsory school age or person over that age has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she— (a) has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or (b) has a disability for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities for education or training of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream maintained schools or mainstream institutions in the further education sector.

(3) A child under compulsory school age has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she is, or would be if no additional learning provision were made, likely to be within subsection (2) when of compulsory school age.

(4) A person does not have a learning difficulty or disability solely because the language (or form of language) in which he or she is or will be taught is different from a language (or form of language) which is or has been used at home.

Pupils with ALN will usually have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age.

A 35 term-time day (7 term-time week) process will begin. The teacher will work with the Additional Learning Needs Coordinator, other professionals, the parents and the pupil to decide whether the child does have ALN. A Person-Centred Meeting (PCM) will be scheduled for week 4 where evidence will be assessed and a decision will be made whether a learner has ALN.

If an ALN is identified an Individual Development Plan (IDP) will be written and the Additional Learning Provision will begin at the end of the 35 days.

If ALN is not identified then the pupil will continue with the PCP and parents will be directed on how to best support their child at home.

A parent may appeal the decision with the local authority. Who have 4-weeks to respond. For further information read the information on our website or visit the ALN section of the Welsh Government website.

Miss Lane

ALNCo / Assistant Headteacher

Glyncoed Primary School