Reform of education for children with additional learning needs is inconsistent and there’s too much “variability” across Wales, school watchdog Estyn has warned. Although there has been progress there are “significant challenges”, inspectors said in a report today (DEC 11) evaluating the new system.
The new ALN system replaced the Special Educational Needs (SEN) system in September 2022. It applies to all learners, from birth through to college, regardless of their level of need.
But the Welsh Government’s own Children Young People and Education Committee has looked at concerns about what lies behind a fall in numbers of children judged as having ALN compared to SEN under the old method. The number of pupils recognised as having ALN has decreased by 44% since the new system started being rolled out in 2023-24 compared with 2020-21), which was not expected. You can read about how one special school has made a big difference to its pupils here
The Welsh Government’s explanation for the decrease has been that schools have reviewed their SEN/ALN registers and removed learners whose needs can be met through “holistic” or ‘universal’ provision. Also, a previous category of “general learning difficulties” is no longer included in SEN/ALN recording.
Regardless of numbers or reasons for them Estyn has now looked at how the reforms are working in schools. Estyn found there are three main “challenges” for ALN reform. These are:
The report 'The additional learning needs system: Progress of schools, settings and local authorities in supporting pupils with additional learning needs' highlights the “strong commitment and resilience of staff in schools, settings, and local authorities in supporting pupils with ALN”. But it points to inconsistencies in how effectively reforms have been implemented.
Inspectors found that “where ALN reform has been implemented successfully, many pupils are making suitable progress from their starting points”. But success isn’t universal and implementing ALN reform “has been a significant undertaking for local authorities, schools and settings,” Estyn adds.
The report goes on to warn that: “Based on our discussions with school leaders, as part of this review, local authority guidance for improving the quality of inclusive teaching and learning was variable across Wales. Even in the most effective cases, schools acknowledged that this support and guidance was at an early stage of development.”
Estyn's findings are based on eight funded non-maintained settings, 11 primary schools, seven secondary schools and two all-age schools Estyn worked with. It makes a series of recommendations including that schools “ensure that high quality teaching and learning meets the needs of all pupils and supports inclusive education” and that all ALN co-ordinators are “fully involved” in influencing the strategic direction of ALN reform and decision making of the school.
Estyn recommends the Welsh Government should work with all local authorities to ensure that they have common understanding of the definition of additional learning provision and that councils and schools “apply this consistently”.
School leaders told Estyn they are concerned about continuing provision once extra funding for the initial roll out ends and the inspectorate also said Cardiff Bay should “evaluate the impact of implementation and the demand for additional and specialist provision for pupils with ALN; this evaluation should guide future funding arrangements, ensuring that resources meet identified needs”.
Estyn Chief Inspector Owen Evans said: “It is encouraging to see the dedication of school staff and local authorities in implementing ALN reform. However, our findings show that more needs to be done to ensure consistency and equity in provision, especially for Welsh-medium learners and in clarifying the application of the ALN Code.
“We hope this report will support schools, local authorities, and the Welsh Government in building on the positive practices identified and addressing the remaining challenges, particularly in strengthening inclusive education across all settings.”
The report includes recommendations for school leaders, local authorities, and the Welsh Government. It highlights effective practices and provides suggestions for improving ALN provision, including strengthening professional learning, enhancing Welsh-medium support, and improving quality assurance processes. Join our WhatsApp news community here for the latest breaking news.
