Many children at St. Francis will receive a range of support and interventions for certain periods during their time with us.  This may be a reading catch up intervention or a wellbeing intervention for example.  This does not mean a child has an additional learning need.  Children are identified as having an 'additional learning need' (ALN) if they have a learning difficulty or disability and require additional learning provision that is not ordinarily available.  If this is the case, we will meet and discuss this at a person centred meeting with parents and professionals and then if we all decide that the child does have an additional learning need, we will create an individual development plan (IDP).  There is information about IDPs below but this is a legal document that will describe the difficulties a child is having and the support in place to help them with these.

Once it is agreed a child has an additional learning need and the IDP is completed, they will be put on the ALN register.  It is not uncommon for a child to come off this register if they have made progress and no longer require the additional learning provision.

We take great pride in St. Francis in supporting all our children and providing them with the best possible education, wellbeing support and experience while they are with us.  Our Estyn report of June 2022 stated:

"A notable strength of the school is its highly effective provision for pupils with additional learning needs."

If you have any concerns about your child and the progress they are making or think they may have a learning difficulty or disability please contact me and we can discuss this.

Mr D. Philp

Deputy Headteacher and Additional Learning Needs Coordinator