Support for Additional Learning Needs (ALN)

All children and young people learn at different rates and some may require additional support to achieve their goals and aspirations.

Those who learn at a different rate than the majority of their peers, may have an additional learning need.  This might be presented in one or more of the below:

• Reading and writing or maths
• Emotional difficulties
• Delays in their language development
• Physical or medical needs or difficulties with sight and hearing

With many children and young people these additional learning needs are not severe or can be temporary, such as learning a new language.  For some however, the challenges they face are going to be with them for some time and require the school, parents, the child/young person and the local authority, (sometimes with other agencies) to work together to plan, implement and review any additional support or provision they need. 

All Powys schools have access to a range of support services, so that they can identify learners who are having difficulties with their learning and provide them with the additional support.

If your child is not yet in school, please refer to our Early Years section

How to Access Support

Generally support for pupils with special educational needs follows a 'graduated response'. That means we build up the intensity of support if they are not responding as hoped to the work being done to increase progress.

• Special schools and specialist centres
• Local Authority Support

If you have concerns over the progress your child is making, you should first talk to the class teacher or the Additional Learning Needs Coordinator.

Alternatively the school or pre-school may contact you to let you know of their concerns.

If it is agreed that the pupil has special educational needs, the school will assess whether the provision to meet those needs can be provided at school or a request needs to be made for support from the local authority support services.

Schools and settings are increasingly trained in assessing and supporting children with additional needs.

Types of Support

Where a school or setting feels they need more support, they may contact the local authority support services and a consultation meeting agrees an action plan which may involve further work to be done by the school, and/or engagement of one of the support services:

• The educational psychology service
• Sensory Support team
• Support from the Pupil Referral Service
• Outreach from special school or specialist centre
• Behaviour support through the Youth Intervention service / Action for children
• In early years, support is provided through the setting asking for support through what is known as the Referral process for early years

Contacts

For information on current educational provision for children and young people with additional learning needs please contact:

• Email: tyfu@powys.gov.uk
• Phone: 01597 827108

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