Additional Learning Needs

Additional Learning Needs

Christ the Word Catholic School is an inclusive school. Our Additional Needs Learning Coordinator is Jackie Glover. We provide care and support for all our learners, including those with Additional Educational Needs. We ensure that everyone can fulfil their potential and be active as members of our learning community.

Learners with Additional Learning Needs are members of mixed ability tutor groups. Teachers and teaching assistants provide extra help in class and additional help is provided outside mainstream lessons when it is needed, for example literacy and numeracy. At other times individual programmes are helpful. Teachers work with the Additional Needs Co-ordinator to monitor progress and learning interventions for learners who need extra help and encouragement.

Less abled learners and those with disabilities are welcome at Christ the Word Catholic School. The new school building has been designed to ensure access to school by all, with two lifts provide full access to the first floor. Our Equality Plan outlines the steps that we take to avoid less abled children being treated unfavourably.

Links with a variety of outside agencies and the Local Authority ensure that all the help on offer is used effectively and appropriately. This includes the SBC (School Based Councillor), BSS (Behaviour Support Service), CAMHS (Child and Adult Mental Health Service), TAF (Team Around the Family), Action for Children, Careers Wales and many others.

NEW ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUPPORTING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES

The system for supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disability in Wales is changing. From September 2021, the Welsh Government is bringing in a new, simpler and more responsive system of meeting the needs of children with special educational needs or disabilities. The new system puts the learner at the heart of everything that happens. It will be brought in gradually over the next few years (2021 -2024). I would like to share with you some of the key messages about these changes and what they mean for you.

• The term Additional Learning Needs (ALN) will replace the terms Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (LDD). It is when additional learning provision (ALP) is required to support their education that a child or young person will be identified as having ALN.
• Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCos) in schools will now be called Additional Learning Needs Coordinators (ALNCos)
• The new Code for the new system will cover children and young people aged 0-25. This means that early years, further education colleges and further independent specialist colleges will now also be included (but not higher education or apprenticeships.)
• Emphasis will be on high aspirations and better outcomes for children and young people with Additional Learning Needs (ALN).
• The current graduated system of Early Years Action, Early Years Action Plus and Statements is being replaced. All children and young people thought to have ALN will have an Individual Development Plan (IDP). The IDP will replace all other individual plans. IDPs for children under compulsory school age will be maintained by local authorities.
• The current phased system of School Action, School Action Plus and Statements will disappear, and all children and young people thought to have ALN will receive an Individual Development Plan (IDP). The IDP will replace Individual Education Plans (IEPs), Individual Behavior Plans (IBPs) or Individual Play Plans (IPPs).
• Most Individual Development Plans will be maintained by the school, but where it is considered unreasonable for the school to do so, the Local Authority may maintain them.
• There will be more opportunity for children, young people, parents and carers to contribute to the creation and maintenance of Individual Development Plans through Person Centred Planning.
• It is hoped that working together more closely should help to avoid disagreements.
• All reasonable steps will be taken to ensure Welsh language provision if required
• All children and young people who have an Individual Development Plan will have an equal right to appeal to tribunal.

This year, agencies will be working together to share further information with parents and carers and provide reassurance about the transformation programme and implementation. If you require additional information, follow this link.

If you would like any additional information or advice, please contact the school’s ALN Co-ordinator Mrs. Glover, or contact SNAP Cymru who offer free independent advice and support to parents and carers.