Catrin Rhys – ALNCo – Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator
RhysC4@plascrug.ceredigion.sch.uk
What are Additional Learning Needs?
About one in five children will have Additional Learning Needs at some time during their school life.
The law states that a child has Additional Learning Needs ( ALN) if he or she has learning or behavioural difficulties that require special help.
Your child has learning difficulties if they :
- find it harder to learn than most children of the same age
- have a disability which makes it difficult to use the local school
Learning difficulties may be caused by:
- a physical disability
- a problem with sight, hearing, speech and language
- a developmental delay
- emotional and or behaviour difficulties
- a medical problem
- specific difficulties with reading, writing or mathematics
The child’s class teacher, ALNCo or the Headteacher will always discuss any concerns parents may have about their child.
Most of the needs can be met in the mainstream school by the child’s class teacher. Sometimes, support will also be given by other specialists.
These are some examples of areas of difficulties a child with special educational needs may experience.
- reading, writing, number work
- understanding information
- expressing themselves or understanding what others are saying
- making friends or relating to adults
- behaving appropriately at school
- organising themselves
- difficulty in hearing, seeing, or moving around which may affect their learning
Autism Awareness
Plascrug School is also an autism friendly school after completing the Learning with Autism Primary School programme, which is accredited by ASDinfoWales. Thank you to all the teaching and support staff, admin team, lunchtime supervisors and school governors who have undertaken the autism awareness training and certification scheme and to the pupils who have taken part in the autism aware lessons and signed the charter.
Useful information:
Please see below a link to a very useful toolkit for parents and carers:
Additional learning needs (ALN): parent and carers toolkit | GOV.WALES