Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru | National Assembly for Wales

Y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg | Children, Young People and Education Committee

Hynt y gwaith gan Lywodraeth Cymru wrth ddatblygu Cwricwlwm newydd Cymru | Welsh Government's progress in developing the new Curriculum for Wales

CR 17

Ymateb gan: Cynghrair Anghenion Ychwanegol y Trydydd Sector
Response from: Third Sector Additional Needs Alliance (TSANA)

I write on behalf of the Third Sector Additional Needs Alliance (TSANA) in Wales with regard to the Committee’s consultation on the curriculum reforms.

I am aware that some of the organisations represented by TSANA are also submitting their own responses, but I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight the following important points which affect ALN learners generally:

• Learners with ALN can face particular barriers in accessing the curriculum. Given that the emphasis within the reforms is on teachers and practitioners having the freedom to create and adapt the curriculum, it is imperative that awareness is raised of such access requirements. To this end, we strongly recommend that the Welsh Government develop ALN guidance to sit alongside each AoLE within the new Curriculum.
• In light of the above, we would also strongly urge the Welsh Government to ensure all teachers and practitioners receive ALN-specific awareness training.
• Many learners with ALN face difficulties with bullying and social isolation because their peers do not understand their needs. We believe the curriculum reform presents a good opportunity for the Welsh Government to require schools to cover awareness raising of specific disability types as part of the school curriculum. We would welcome the support of the Committee in calling for this.
• We believe it is important that data on the attainment of learners by ALN type is retained. These vulnerable learners are often not reaching their full potential and the publishing of attainment by ALN type provides a key monitoring measure of this attainment gap. Proposals to collate attainment data on a sampling basis jeopardises the availability of this valuable data.
• It is imperative that checks and balances are put in place to ensure that the move to progression steps does not exacerbate the potential to accept slower progress rates for vulnerable learners without first putting in place appropriate support.