ALN
Cowbridge Comprehensive School aims to be a fully inclusive school. Our aim is to ensure that each pupil is supported in order to achieve or exceed their potential. For some pupils this may mean a little bit of extra help along the way.
Mr Griffiths, Additional Learning Needs Coordinator and Assistant Headteacher, leads a team of staff who provide this bespoke support. The ALN Team offer a wide range of interventions such as literacy and numeracy support, SpLD support, behaviour support, health and wellbeing lessons,visual impairment support, to name but a few. The ALN Team liaise regularly with classroom teachers, providing appropriate training to support individual pupils and provide guidance on how classroom provision can be differentiated.
Our ALN department is set on the lower floor of A-Block and is away from the busyness of the rest of the school. Here pupils experience a calm, friendly and supportive environment. Pupils can attend before school, during break and lunchtime for homework and wellbeing support. Pupils can also make use of the Wellbeing Garden where they can find a quiet space to help manage the hustle and bustle of a busy, mainstream school.
Mr Griffiths and his team regularly visit primary schools, virtually or face to face, to meet families who have children with Statements of Educational Needs and Individual Development Plans. This process assists us to understand pupils’ additional learning needs ensuring that the correct provision is put in place for each pupil when they join Cowbridge Comprehensive School.
For parents of pupils with ALN starting the ‘big’ school can be an anxious time. To this end, pupils with ALN receive support from the department to help them settle in. The department will contact parents regularly to ensure pupils are settling well and chat through any concerns they may have.
Accessibility
The school is an accessible building and we aim to accommodate all learners, regardless of their situation and background. There are a number of facilities to assist with access and this includes toilets in each of the separate blocks, changing rooms and washing facilities. However, we are mindful that each child may have different needs and we aim to accommodate and adapt accordingly. We will endeavour to provide resources and facilities to accommodate all pupils, where possible and reasonable. Parents of pupils with disabilities should contact aln@cowbridgecs.co.uk to discuss individual needs. Similarly, parents of pupils who have a chronic or acute healthcare need, which affects their mobility, should contact the relevant Achievement Assistant so that suitable arrangements can be made.
Additional Learning Needs Assessment
The Welsh Government has passed new legislation, called the Additional Learning Needs (Wales) Act, and Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Code, which will replace all of the legislation and guidance in relation to special educational needs.
As part of the Additional Learning Needs Educational Tribunal (ALNET) (Wales) Act 2018 the Welsh Government has replaced the term ‘special educational needs’ (SEN) with ‘additional learning needs’ (ALN).
However, the definition of ALN is different and you may find that your child currently has SEN but will not have ALN. This should not affect the support and help they receive in school to access learning.
ALN will cover those who:
- have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age
- have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream maintained school or Further Education Institution.
Should you have concerns that your child has Additional Learning Needs, please contact aln@cowbridgecs.co.uk to discuss this with the ALN Department.
Guides on the process for parents and pupils as well as information on the appeals process can be found at:
https://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/en/living/schools/Additional-Learning-Needs/Additional-Learning-Needs.aspx
Further information about the ALN Act can be found at:
https://gov.wales/additional-learning-needs-and-education-tribunal-wales-act