Most children make good progress most of the time but if your child should encounter any difficulties in progressing, no time is wasted in acting promptly and notifying you. The school will use its Universal Learning Provision (ULP) to support your child quickly to make progress in any area of concern. This could be additional reading, specific short-term programmes, or other methods of support available to all children, if required. There is no need to fall within the definition of ALN to access support. For learners who have significant difficulty in learning, greater than the majority of children their age, or where ALP isn’t helping a child to make adequate progress, our ALN policy outlines the next steps. We follow Additional Learning Needs and Educational Tribunal Act (Wales) Act and all guidelines laid down by the Local Authority to ensure that we carry out our statutory duties to assess and make provision for children with Additional Learning Needs. See the school’s ALN policy for further detail.

Parents are involved in this process and we rely on their support from the very beginning. Parents who are concerned about their child’s progress should make an appointment to discuss this with their teacher at the earliest opportunity. They may then seek additional support and advice from Mrs A. Bibby, our Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator.

At Gwaunfarren Primary School we are committed to providing an education that meets the individual needs of all our children. We regularly screen and assess all pupils to identify areas of need and match our teaching to pupils’ abilities and progress levels. If we feel a child has a specific learning difficulty, we obtain parent consent to make a referral to an external support agency such as School Health, Education Psychology Service and other support services, as well as collaborating with parents and families.