ALN
Welcome to Ysgol Bryn Teg’s Additional Learning Needs page
Additional Learning Needs Coordinator (ALNCo): Mrs K Lewis kathryn.lewis@brynteg.ysgolccc.cymru
Additional Learning Needs Coordinator (ALNCo) for Canolfan Yr Ynys: Miss L Boswell Louisa.boswell@brynteg.ysgolccc.cymru
Don’t hesitate to contact Mrs Lewis or Miss Boswell if you have any concerns regarding your child’s development.
Additional Learning Needs in Wales
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 (SEN) and disability in Wales is changing. The Welsh Government is bringing in a new more flexible and responsive system of meeting the needs of children with SEN or disabilities and is striving to deliver a fully inclusive education system for the learners of Wales.
Update: The ALN implementation period has been extended to August 2025.
New document for parents: How a decision is made about a child having Additional Learning Needs (ALN): an introductory guide and checkpoint for parents with a child in school.
ALN - Latest updates from the Welsh Government.
Please use the link to the gov.wales website or view the documents below.
ALN in Carmarthenshire – How is ALN changing and how does it affect you?
The new system will ensure:
· Needs are identified early, addressed quickly and all learners are supported to reach their potential.
· Our professionals are skilled and confident in identifying needs and deploying strategies to help learners overcome their barriers to learning.
· That the learner is at the centre of everything we do and that they and their parents/ carers are equal partners in their learning (Person Centred Practice).
From September 2021 the new system will be brought in gradually over the next few years (2021 -2024). Here are some of the key messages about these changes and what they may mean for you and your child.
Key Messages
· The term Additional Learning Needs (ALN) will replace the terms Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (LDD).
· Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCos) in schools will now be called Additional Learning Needs Coordinators (ALNCos).
· The mandatory ALN Code for the new system will cover children and young people aged 0-25 years. This means that early years and further education colleges will have duties under the Act, but this does not include higher education or apprenticeships.
· The current graduated system of Early Years/School Action, Early Years/School Action Plus and Statements is being replaced over the course of the next 3 years.
· All children and young people with an identified Additional Learning Need (ALN) that requires Additional Learning Provision (ALP) will have an Individual Development Plan (IDP).
· The IDP will replace all other individual plans. IDPs for children under compulsory school age, who require them, i.e.in the early years, will be maintained by Local Authorities.
· Most Individual Development Plans will be maintained by the school but may also be maintained by the Local Authority for those learners with the most complex needs.
· The Act expects that all partners such as Education, Health and Social Care will work in collaboration to support children and young people with ALN.
· There will be increased opportunities for children, young people, parents/carers to contribute to the creation and maintenance of Individual Development Plans through Person Centred Practice (PCP).
· It is expected that working together more closely should help to avoid disagreements.
· All reasonable steps will be taken to ensure Additional Learning Provision (ALP) will be provided in Welsh, if required.
Additional Information
The interactive e-learning course giving an introduction to the new ALN system is now available on the Welsh Government’s Hwb platform. Here is a Hwb news article introducing the course, which is currently on the Hwb homepage: https://hwb.gov.wales/news/articles/20686965-8669-40ac-bdc5-599f4a4dfe8b
Here is the link to the course itself: https://hwb.gov.wales/repository/publishers/9fb2afc9-6408-%204aa3-9474-3c745006535b/resource/c8033263-aaa0-42fc-9511-ab7d33bd8084/en
Welsh Government website: https://gov.wales/additional-learning-needs-special-educational-needs
SNAP Cymru as our parent partnership service provides dispute resolution and advocacy support for children and young people. Information can be found at: www.snapcymru.org
Our Local Authority also has its own information on their website which can be found at: https://www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales/home/council-services/education-schools/additional-learning-needs/#