The whole team at Llangyfelach Primary School is committed to providing a welcoming, attractive and stimulating environment to support the needs and develop the learning of the children and families in the community. Every child and family in our community is valued and diversity is celebrated. Our school is staffed by a team of qualified teachers and teaching assistants. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum in a safe, stimulating and caring environment which allows everyone to play, achieve, develop, learn and grow. 

All areas of school life are inclusive and the teaching is tailored towards individual learning providing challenge and support; encouraging everyone to reach their full potential. Staff provide a positive ethos to enable the children to work towards the development of ‘life skills’ and instill life-long learning aspirations for everyone through a range of activities which are fun and enjoyable.

We have a duty to provide appropriate ALN provision for children and young people in order to meet their needs. It is also our duty to 'make reasonable adjustments for disabled children and young people, to support medical conditions and to inform parents and young people if ALN provision is made for them.'

We believe that… 'Children have additional learning needs if they have a learning difficulty, which calls for specific provision to be made for them.

Children have a learning difficulty if they: 

• have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age: or

• have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in schools within the area of the local education authority

• are under compulsory school age and fall within the definitions above or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them.

Additional Learning Needs provision is 'additional to, or otherwise different from, the educational provision made generally for children of their age in schools maintained by the local authority, other than special schools, in the area.' (Education Act 1996)

When organising additional support it is very important that we provide children with additional learning needs (ALN) a broad and balanced curriculum with regular access to all subjects and areas of learning. We believe that children with ALN should not be routinely segregated from their class teachers and peers but included as much as possible within their class.

We will ensure that teachers and teaching assistants (TAs) are prepared for dealing with the challenges and complex difficulties posed by children with ALN by providing structured training on a variety of ALN issues. We believe teachers are responsible for children's learning and that teaching assistants will be used effectively to provide the necessary support for children with ALN within the classroom.

We are aware that depending upon their age and understanding we must discuss with pupils with ALN any decision that might affect them.

It is our intent to provide every child with the best education possible. Our objective in setting out the school's ALN policy is to make everyone aware that we want all pupils to benefit as fully as possible from the education provided within the school.

We cater for pupils who experience difficulties in: 

• communication and interaction

• cognition and learning 

• behaviour, emotional and social development

• sensory and/or physical and medical conditions

The school has full provision for pupils who are disabled.

We wish to work closely with the Health and Wellbeing Pupil Voice Group and to hear their views and opinions as we acknowledge and support Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child that children should be encouraged to form and to express their views.

We as a school community have a commitment to promote equality. Therefore, an equality impact assessment has been undertaken and we believe this policy is in line with the Equality Act 2010.

We believe it is essential that this policy clearly identifies and outlines the roles and responsibilities of all those involved in the procedures and arrangements that is connected with this policy.

LPS Changes to ALN Provision

At LPS, we are currently adapting our practice to meet the requirements of the new legislative around Additional Learning Needs provision. The Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 aims to create: 

• "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 which facilitates early, timely and effective interventions 

• a fair and transparent system for providing information and advice, and for resolving concerns and appeals.”

At LPS we are following the Act and will be fully implementing this over a three-year period. The implementation period is expected to run from September 2021 to August 2024. The objective of the changes is a fair system for ALL learners with ALN, putting the learner at the heart of everything that happens. 

The ALN Leader will be responsible for carrying out any changes, including the introduction of Individual Development Plan (IDP). It’s envisaged that an IDP will replace the existing Statements of Special Educational Needs and Individual Education Plans (IEPs) over the phased implementation period.

The ALN Leader will be responsible for ensuring that all learners who have ALN across the education setting have an IDP.  At LPS, our priority is to ensure that the learners receive the right provision at the right time to address their needs and that they are part of the planning and development of their IDP.

For further information on these changes, please see the document attached at the bottom of this page.

Aims and Objectives

• To have due regard to the Additional Learning Needs Code of Practice.

• To ensure the identification of all pupils requiring ALN provision as early as possible in their school career.

• To have in place systems whereby teachers are aware of such pupils.

• To achieve a level of staff expertise to meet pupil needs.

• To be an inclusive school.

• To provide all our children with a broad and balanced curriculum that is differentiated to the needs and ability of the individual.

• To have high ambitions and expectations for pupils with additional learning needs.

• To be sympathetic to each child's needs by providing a strong partnership between children, parents, governors, Local Authority and outside agencies.

• To ensure all pupils make effective progress and realise their full potential.

• To ensure all pupils take a full and active part in school life.

• To work with other schools and the Local Authority to share good practice in order to improve this policy.

Role of the Governing Body

• responsibility for ensuring the Additional Learning Needs Coordinator is allocated time to undertake the demanding role of ALN Leader;

• delegated powers and responsibilities to the Headteacher to ensure all school personnel   and visitors to the school are aware of and comply with this policy;

• to ensure that provision of additional learning needs is of a high standard;

• responsibility for ensuring pupils with ALN have access to all activities;

• responsibility for ensuring pupils with ALN have access to all school facilities;

• due regard to comply with the ALN Code of Practice when undertaking its responsibilities;

• responsibility for having in place an admissions policy;

• responsibility for admitting any child whose statement names the school;

• responsibility for publishing a ALN information report;

• responsibility for having in place an accessibility plan outlining what improvements need to be made to the school facilities so that disabled pupils can access the curriculum;

• responsibility for regularly reviewing funding for resources;

• responsibility for ensuring that the school complies with all equalities legislation;

• nominated a designated ALN Governor to ensure that appropriate action will be taken to deal with all prejudice related incidents or incidents which are a breach of this policy; 

• responsibility for ensuring funding is in place to support this policy;

• responsibility for ensuring this policy and all policies are maintained and updated regularly;

• responsibility for ensuring all policies are made available to parents;

• the responsibility of involving the Health & Wellbeing Pupil Voice Group in the development, approval, implementation and review of this policy;

• to make effective use of relevant research and information to improve this policy;

• nominated a link governor to visit the school regularly, to liaise with the Headteacher and the ALNCO and to report back to the Governing Body;

• responsibility for the effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this policy.

Role of the Headteacher

• ensure all school personnel, pupils and parents are aware of and comply with the school's procedures for identification and provision for pupils with ALN and the development of inclusive practice and policy;

• ensure that the daily management of ALN provision is effective;

• work closely with the ALN team, the link governor and the teaching and support staff;

• keep the governing body informed of all matters relating to its responsibilities for the provision of ALN;

• ensure that all relevant school personnel receive the appropriate information regarding the additional learning provision for pupils with ALN; 

• inform parents/carers when ALN provision has been made for their child;

• be responsible for supervising the identification of ALN, the development of a school based IDPs statutory assessment, statementing and the annual review process for pupils with ALN;

• ensure all pupil records are sent to and received by schools that pupils with ALN transfer to;

• monitor the quality of teaching for all pupils including those identified with ALN;

• monitor the progress made by all pupils, including those with ALN;

• publish ALN information report on the school's website updating stakeholders of how the school's inclusive practice and procedures for identification and provision for pupils with ALN offer is administered;

• provide leadership and vision in respect of equality;

• make effective use of relevant research and information to improve this policy;

• provide guidance, support and training to all staff;

• monitor the effectiveness of the school's procedures by checking to see if: 

  • pupils with ALN are making sufficient progress appropriate to their ability

  • school personnel have high expectations of pupils with ALN

  • appropriate provision is in place

  • differentiation is put into practice

  • the pupil tracking system is effective

• annually report to the governing body on the success and development of its inclusive practice and identification of and provision for pupils with ALN.

Role of the Additional Learning Needs Leader (ALN Leader)

• ensure the detailed implementation of support for children with ALN;

• ensure the implementation of this policy;

• ensure all school personnel understand their responsibilities to children with ALN;

  • work with the Headteacher to oversee the day to day provision for pupils with ALN within the school including those with education, health and care plans;

• identify the barriers to learning and what special educational needs provision that a pupil requires;

• provide advice and teaching strategies to teachers and support staff;

• inform parents of their child's special educational needs;

• arrange meetings for parents with the school nurse, external support teachers or the educational psychologist;

• organise in-house and external support for a pupil with ALN;

• monitor this support;

• keep parents up to date with the additional learning needs provision for their child;

• ensure pupils with ALN have full access to the curriculum;

• ensure pupils with ALN are included in all school activities and events;

• ensure pupils with ALN take part in extra-curricular activities;

• arrange for key workers to be allocated to pupils with ALN so that pupils can talk about any difficulties or concerns that they may have;

• lead the development of ALN throughout the school;

• arrange in-service training for school personnel and governors;

• help select, train, organise and manage a team of teaching assistants (TAs);

• prepare and keep up to date Individual Education Plans (IEPs);

• undertake classroom observations;

• ensure differentiated teaching methods are being used;

• monitor and track the progress of children with ALN;

• maintain records of all children with ALN;

• use provision maps to give an overview of programmes and interventions that have been used with different groups of pupils and to monitor the levels of intervention;

• keep up to date with new developments and resources;

• make effective use of relevant research and information to improve this policy;

• liaise with parents;

• organise annual reviews;

• meet with outside agencies;

• work with feeder or transition schools;

• provide information for the ALN Information Report;

• review and monitor;

• annually report to the Governing Body on the success and development of ALN

Role of the Nominated Governor

• work closely with the Headteacher and the ALN coordinator;

• ensure this policy and other linked policies are up to date;

• ensure that everyone connected with the school is aware of this policy;

• attend training related to this policy;

• report to the Governing Body every term; 

• annually report to the Governing Body on the success and development of this policy

Role of Class Teachers

• have high expectations of pupils with ALN;

• be aware of the school's policy for the identification and assessment of pupils with ALN and the provision it makes for them;

• work closely with the ALN Leader;

• be well informed of the additional learning needs and medical conditions of the pupils that they teach;

• implement any advice and teaching strategies given by the ALN Leader;

• provide high quality teaching for all pupils;

• prepare and keep up to date Individual Education Plans (IEPs);

• develop IEPs for ALN pupils by working closely with support staff;

• deliver the individual programme for each ALN pupil as set out in their IEP;

• include pupils with ALN in all class activities;

• ensure their planning includes differentiated;

• set challenging targets;

• track and monitor the progress of all pupils in line with the school’s monitoring policy;

• inform the ALN Leader of any identified barriers to learning and lack of progress of pupils; 

• liaise with parents of pupils with ALN to update them of the progress of their children;

• suggest ways that parents can support their children at home;

• undertake appropriate training on induction;

• identify any additional training needs they require;

• comply with all aspects of this policy.

Role of Teaching Assistants (TAs)

• work closely with the ALN Leader and class teachers;

• provide support for individual or groups of pupils with ALN;

• provide in class and out of class catch up literacy and numeracy support for pupils;

• assist in the preparation of lessons;

• monitor pupils progress in line with the school’s monitoring policy;

• provide feedback to teachers and the ALN Leader;

• attend appropriate training;

• suggest training needs.

Role of External Agencies

• be line managed by the ALN Leader;

• work closely with the ALN Leader, class teachers and TAs;

• work with statemented pupils to meet the objectives of their statements;

• develop planning for teachers and TAs;

• undertake continuous pupil assessment;

• keep up to date pupil records;

• develop support materials;

• provide in-house training on specific topics;

• meet regularly with the ALN Leader, teaching staff and parents.

Role and Rights of Parents

• to work closely with the school in order to develop a partnership that will support special educational needs pupils.

• to be aware of their child's targets and their progress towards them;

• to take part in the review of IEPs;

• to attend and take part in annual reviews.

Role and Rights of Pupils

We encourage pupils with special educational needs to understand their rights and to take part in:

• assessing their individual needs;

• devising their IEP;

• setting learning targets;

• providing information for the annual review

Graduated Approach

We feel it is vital that pupils with additional learning needs are identified at an early stage. Every teacher in this school is responsible for identifying pupils with special educational needs. 

We will inform parents at the earliest opportunity of the school's concerns and to work in partnership with them to establish the support the child needs.

We will adopt a graduated approach coordinated by the ALN Leader and using the following four stages of action: Assess, Plan, Do and Review. 

Parents will be kept well informed of and involved in all four stages.

Assess

• Working with the ALN Leader and the child's parents an analysis of the child's needs will be undertaken when trying to identify what ALN support is required.

• Support is put into place and is reviewed regularly to ensure that the support is matched to need.

• More specialist assessment will take place if there is no improvement in the child's progress.

• This will be organised by the ALN Leader with the agreement of the parents.

Plan

• When it has been decided to provide ALN support all parties will decide:

  • the expected outcomes

  • what interventions and support that is required

  • the expected impact on progress, development or behaviour

  • on a review date

• Plans will take into account the views of the child.

• Parents will reinforce the provision by contributing to progress at home.

Do

• The ALN Leader and the practitioner oversee the implementation of the interventions as part of the agreed ALN support.

• The practitioner supported by the ALN Leader assesses the child's response to the action taken.

• The ALN Leader offers continuous advice on the effective implementation of support.

Review

• The effectiveness of the support and its impact on the child's progress is discussed at the review meeting which is attended by the ALN Leader, the practitioner and the child's parents

• The views of the child are also taken into consideration at this meeting.

• In light of the child's progress and development, changes to the outcomes and support will be agreed by all concerned.

• A cycle of review meetings will continue with all parties attending in order to identify the best way of securing good progress.

• All parties will agree to any specialist involvement if a child continues to make less than expected progress.

• An Education, Health and Care assessment may be requested if a child continues not to make the expected progress despite the amount of support and intervention that has been given.

• If a child has an Education, Health Care Plan the Local Authority must undertake a review annually.

• Detail records will be maintained by the ALN Leader, which will be available to the child's parents.

Medical Conditions

We have a duty under the Children and Families Act 2014 to support pupils with medical conditions. We are aware that individual healthcare plans will state the type and level of support required to meet their medical needs.

Record Keeping

Accurate and up to date records will be kept that provide:

• evidence tracking data of pupil progress;

• evidence of outcomes and planned next steps;

• details of additional support or different provision made under ALN support;

• details of the involvement of specialists;

• evidence of involvement with parents;

• evidence that shows a rigorous approach to the monitoring and evaluation of any ALN support provided.

Range of Provision

The school aims to provide a variety of provision by way of:

• in-class support either individually or in small groups with specialist teachers and/or teaching assistants;

• withdrawal support either individually or in small groups with specialist teachers or TAs.

Inclusion

Every effort will be made to include pupils with ALN into all school activities and we will monitor the number of extra-curricular activities that they take part in.

Partnerships

We believe that a close partnership with parents will enable children to progress. Parents have a key role to play in the partnership between home and school as they have an exclusive overview of the provision needed for the child.

Pupils with additional learning needs will benefit from the school's close working relationship with the numerous external support agencies, which offer advice and support.

We feel that the provision for additional learning needs in this school will benefit from the close links we have with other schools by the sharing of good practice and in making the transition between phases as smooth as possible for the pupils.

Admissions

We will:  

• treat all applications equally and we will not discriminate against pupils with ALN;

• admit those children with additional learning needs but who do not have a statement;

• not refuse admission to children with additional learning needs because we feel that we will be unable to provide the necessary support.

Curriculum

The school aims to provide for pupils:

• a broad and balanced curriculum;

• a curriculum which is differentiated to their needs;

• a range of teaching strategies to meet their needs.

Celebration of Achievements

We will regularly celebrate the achievements of all children not just in literacy and numeracy, but in all curriculum areas and in all aspects of school life.

Complaints Procedure

If there are any complaints relating to the provision for pupils with ALN these will be dealt with in the first instance by the Headteacher/ALN Leader. The Chair of Governors may be involved if necessary. In the case of an unresolved complaint, the Local Authority may be involved. 

The Local Authority must have in place 'arrangements with a view to avoiding or resolving disagreements between parents and certain schools about the special educational provision made for their child.' (ALN Code of Practice)

Training

All school personnel and governors:

• have equal chances of training, career development and promotion

• receive training on this policy on induction which specifically covers:

  • the ALN Code of Practice

  • the graduated approach

  • inclusion

  • differentiation

  • pupil tracking

  • working with pupils with ALN

  • Safeguarding and Child Protection

  • intervention programmes

• receive periodic training so that they are kept up to date with new information

• receive equal opportunities training on induction in order to improve their understanding of the Equality Act 2010 and its implications

Awareness training will be provided by the ALNCO and by support teachers on specific topics and concerns.

Equality Impact Assessment

Under the Equality Act 2010 we have a duty not to discriminate against people on the basis of their age, disability, gender, gender identity, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

This policy has been equality impact assessed and we believe that it is in line with the Equality Act 2010 as it is fair, it does not prioritise or disadvantage any pupil and it helps to promote equality at this school.

This policy will be reviewed annually

Next Review Date: May 2022

ALN Leader: Miss Carly Gaffney 

ALN Governor: Mrs Ruth Tancock

Chair of Governors: Mrs Michelle Kidwell

Headteacher: Mr Lee Burnell