Additional Learning Needs

Y Pant is a fully inclusive school. Our aim is to ensure that each pupil is supported in order to achieve their potential and that for some, may mean a little bit of extra help along the way.

Mr Richard Young, Additional Learning Needs Coordinator and Assistant Headteacher, leads a team of staff who provide this bespoke support. Mr Young regularly visits the primary schools to meet families who have children with statements and to understand pupil’s additional learning needs ensuring that the correct provision is put in place for each pupil when they join Y Pant.

For parents of pupils with ALN starting ‘big’ school can be an especially anxious time.  To this end, each pupil is allocated a mentor from the ALN department to help them settle in. The mentor will contact parents to ensure pupils are settling and chat through any concerns they may have. Parents can contact their child’s mentor directly or go through the usual channel of contacting the Head of Progress.

Our ALN department is set in the ‘Drama Block’ away from the hustle and bustle of the main school building. Here pupils experience a calm friendly environment. There are pre-school and lunchtime clubs which pupils can attend and a nurture garden where pupils can make friends and play. Nurture is open at lunchtimes to any pupil who might feel that they would like to attend. Most pupils use nurture as a way of developing friendships which they then carry through school. Some use it at the start, some all the way through and some call in when the mood takes them. The main thing is that pupils know it is there and there is always a friendly and welcoming atmosphere for them when they visit.

The ALN team offer a wide range of intervention: literacy, numeracy, dyslexia support, behaviour support, nurture lessons, and basic skills to name but a few. Where needed Individual Education Plans are drawn up to provide staff with guidance on individual needs. Teachers will then adapt and differentiate the learning in lessons to those needs.

Please contact [email protected] if you need further information or support.

Fully Inclusive

At Y Pant School, everyone works together to ensure all of our learners feel valued and listened to so that they get the right support to help them learn, develop their talents and achieve their goals. Our universal provision ensures that all learners can access common opportunities in ways relevant to their needs.

ALN Code (2021) sets out its aims that underpin an inclusive ALN System.​

‘To support the creation of a fully inclusive education system where all learners are given the opportunity to succeed and have access to an education that meets their needs and enables them to participate in, benefit from, and enjoy learning. ’ 

What is Universal Provision?

Universal Provision is the responsibility of all teachers and staff within a mainstream school to make learning and the environment as accessible as possible for all learners.

Targeted Provision is initiated when a learner is identified as having an ALN and Additional Learning Provision (ALP) is needed. This ALP is identified and detailed in the learner’s Individual Development Plan (IDP).

Specialist Provision will be in place for those learners with severe and complex ALN. There will be a need for Local Authority and multi-agency involvement to support the IDP.

Accessibility

The school is an accessible building for almost all learners and there are a series of disabled toilets, changing rooms and washing facilities. Parents of pupils with disabilities should contact Mr Young at the school so that we can discuss individual needs. Similarly, parents of pupils who have a temporary healthcare need which affects their mobility should contact the relevant Head of Progress so that suitable arrangements can be made.

(Educational Psychology Service) EPS Support Line:

As ever, this remains available to anyone (staff, parents or professionals) wishing to have a supportive, anonymous conversation with an EP. Please contact [email protected] providing a name and telephone contact, as well as a very brief overview of the issues. The support line is running on Monday and Wednesday afternoons this year from 1pm.

ALNET Act

New ALN Guidance for parents, families, children and young people.

https://www.gov.wales/education-changing-additional-learning-needs 

These guides have been published to support understanding of how and when children, who were not included in the arrangements during the first year of implementation, will move to the ALN system:

For parents and families:

Implementing the additional learning needs system between September 2021 and August 2024: a guide for parents and families

For children and young people:

Moving to the additional learning needs system: information for children

Information about when young people will move onto the additional learning (ALN) system

Easy read:

Putting in place the new additional learning needs system between September 2021and August 2024 (easy read)

To support parents and families to further understand their rights under the ALN system, an overview guide and an easy read version have been made available.

A guide for parents about rights under the additional learning needs (ALN) system

Rights under the additional learning needs (ALN) system (easy read)

Support

Please consult the RCT ALN Access and Inclusion Service Webpage (below) for more information, advice and guidance.

https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/EN/Resident/SchoolsandLearning/AccessandInclusiontoEducation/EqualityInclusionandAdditionalLearningNeeds.aspx

www.rctcbc.gov.uk