Learning Support

Rydal Penrhos School

Additional Learning Needs:

At Rydal Penrhos, our Additional Learning Needs (ALN) provision is designed to remove barriers to learning and help pupils thrive academically, socially and emotionally within our supportive mainstream school environment.

Our ALN Provision:

The School is registered with the Welsh Government to support pupils with less complex additional learning needs. In short, we provide specialist support within a mainstream setting. Our provision is delivered in line with the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 and the ALN Code for Wales, with Personal Development Plans (PDPs) used where appropriate.

We currently support pupils with needs including Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Dyslexia and Dyscalculia. We are not a specialist setting for severe or complex learning difficulties, or for needs requiring highly specialist therapeutic provision.

Identifying and Supporting Individual Needs:

Needs are identified through classroom screening, teacher observation and standardised assessment, sometimes alongside advice from external professionals. Support follows a graduated approach, beginning with high-quality classroom teaching and moving, where appropriate, to targeted interventions and personalised strategies.

What Support May Include:

Support may include structured instructions, visual scaffolds, assistive technology, small-group literacy or numeracy work, study and organisational skills support, social communication work, specialist teaching and sensory regulation strategies. Pupils may also benefit from approaches tailored to particular needs, including predictable routines and visual timetables for ASC, structured tasks and organisational coaching for ADHD, multisensory literacy teaching for Dyslexia, and carefully sequenced mathematical support for Dyscalculia.

Where evidence supports the need, examination access arrangements may include extra time, readers, scribes, rest breaks or the use of technology. Some specialist assessments or provision may carry an additional charge, which will always be discussed with families in advance.

Working in Partnership:

Our ALNCo works closely with teachers, pastoral staff, families and external professionals to coordinate support and monitor progress. Families are important partners in this process, with regular reviews helping to ensure that provision remains appropriate and that every pupil is supported to participate fully in school life and fulfil their potential.