Children with Additional Learning Needs 

At Caradog Primary School we aim to provide both a broad and balanced curriculum whilst meeting the needs of all our learners. All our staff employ a range of teaching and learning strategies along with high quality resources and a range of interventions to fully support our young people to participate in their mainstream education. At Caradog Primary School, we adopt a fully inclusive approach to education combined with universal learning provision that is able to meet a broad range of learning needs. Our well qualified and experienced teaching and support staff team have a wealth of expertise and are well placed to provide tailored support and challenge to all our learners. Through robust and careful planning, our teachers are able to provide a range of learning opportunities that respond to pupil's diverse range of learning needs. In doing so, we are able to provide learners with the help, support and challenge they need to overcome their barriers to learning without the need for external support. However, a learner may experience more complex barriers to learning that means their specific need is additional to and substantially different from their peers. In this instance we will work closely with you to develop an appropriate support pathway, possibly in conjunction with our external support partners. 

Additional Learning Needs Co-Ordinator: 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the progress of your child, the first point of contact is their class teacher.
Class teachers track learner progress regularly and are able to discuss the range of support already in place or create new support plans with you. Class teachers work closely with our Additional Learning Needs Co-Ordinator who is responsible for co-Ordinating the provision for learners with additional needs. The ALNCo is able to provide advice and support to both class teachers and parents on a range of support strategies and external partners to help learners. 

Additional Learning Needs in Wales
What's happening? 

The ALN system is the new statutory support system for children and young people aged 0 to 25 in Wales with ALN that is due to come into force in September 2021.

The legislative framework of the new system is created by the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 (‘the Act’), the ALN Code for Wales and regulations made under the Act. Through this statutory framework the Welsh Government aims to ensure that all learners with ALN are supported to overcome barriers to learning and can achieve their full potential, by creating:

• a unified legislative framework to support all children of compulsory school age or below with additional learning needs (ALN) and to support young people with ALN who are in school or further education (FE);
• an integrated, collaborative process of assessment, planning and monitoring of the support provided to ALN learners which facilitates early, timely and effective interventions; and
• a fair and transparent system for providing information and advice, and for resolving concerns and appeals.

The Act replaces the terms ‘special educational needs (SEN)’ and ‘learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD)’ with the new term ‘additional learning needs (ALN)’. All children and young people with ALN regardless of the severity or complexity of their learning difficulty or disability will be entitled to a statutory support plan called an ‘Individual Development Plan’ (IDP). Children and young people with ALN will receive support called additional learning provision (ALP) which will be set out in their IDP.

RCT Access and Inclusion Service 

Where our learners experience barriers to learning that mean their specific need is additional to and substantially different from their peers, the school maybe supported by external partners from RCT Access and Inclusion Services. 

The Access and Inclusion Service at RCT is a key element of the council's arrangements for the support of pupils with Additional Learning Need (ALN). The service consists of: 

- Educational Psychology Service 
- Learning Support Service 
- Behaviour Support Service  

The Access and Inclusion Service, alongside others, works towards achieving equality of opportunity and ensuring that diversity is celebrated. Access and Inclusion works in partnership with agencies, both statutory and voluntary, to ensure that all children and young people with Additional Learning Needs (ALN) have the opportunity to reach their potential in a supportive environment that prepares them well for adult life.  

The main function is to provide support for children and young people with a range of difficulties including sensory impairment, social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, speech, language and communication disorders including Autistic Spectrum, physical and medical disabilities and general complex and specific learning difficulties. 

For further information, visit the RCT Access & Inclusion Website: HERE

Information for parents/carers and those supporting Children and Young People with ALN. 

Information for Children and Young People