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.