Pupils with Additional Learning Needs.

 ALN, or Additional Learning Needs, is the term used in Wales for pupils who need extra support in school. A new Additional Learning Needs (ALN) system is due to replace the previous Special Educational Needs (SEN) system between September 2021 and August 2024.

During the three-year implementation period, to make sure children continue to receive the support they need, the ALN system will operate alongside the SEN system. 

This means until a child moves to the ALN system, the SEN legislation and the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice for Wales continues to apply, and children will continue to benefit from the support available via the existing SEN system.

Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 states that:

(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.

Additional Learning Needs provision within Pengam  Primary School is the responsibility of all staff – an Additional Learning Needs Policy has been formulated by the Governing Body.  Children are registered according to their needs following the requirements of the New Additional Learning needs Code of Practice.

Where necessary a one page profile or individual development plan (IDP) is drawn up and reviewed regularly to support progress. 

We liaise with a range of support agencies including the educational psychology service; occupational therapists; speech therapists, advisory teachers for the visually impaired and others.

If a child needs to be referred to the Educational Psychology Service you will be asked first and kept informed. The Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator is Mrs N. Rooke and the Governor responsible for overseeing these procedures is Mrs L Clargo.

You may inspect a copy of the school’s Additional Learning Needs policy by applying to Mrs S. Witchell the Head teacher.

The school has access to a number of other agencies and LA Support Services including: Behaviour  Support Services, Educational Psychology Service, Speech Therapists, Physiotherapists and  Advisory  teachers.

Support and Guidance for Families, Parents and Carers