At Dowlais Primary School we ensure that the needs of all children are met through high quality teaching and learning experiences.  Our Universal Provision includes:

• Encouragement and support for all to reach their full potential.
• Access to an enriched curriculum across the four core purposes and areas of learning.
• Effective differentiation.
• Established tracking of progress throughout the whole school.
• Early identification of children who may need additional support with their learning.
• Interventions where appropriate.

As part of our effective monitoring and tracking of children’s progress we recognise that for some children intervention within school is needed to help close possible gaps in learning.  Our intervention programs includes:

• Reading support
• Catch Up (Literacy & Numeracy)
• Toe by Toe
• Literacy & Numeracy
• Precision Teaching
• Power of Two
• Targeted RWI sessions

During their time spent at Dowlais Primary School, most children make the expected progress in learning from their own starting points. If a child is identified as not making the expected progress we will follow our process of investigating and identifying whether a child has an additional learning need. 

This is done collaboratively with school, home and any outside agencies that may be involved such as the Educational Psychology Service. We will gather information through discussion, questionnaires, assessment tools, observations and monitoring of progress over time.

A child not moving forward in their learning is characterised by progress which:

• is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline,
• does not match or better previous rate of progress,
• does not close, or widens, the attainment gap between the child and their peers, despite the provision of support aimed at closing that gap

Identification of Additional Learning Needs (ALN)

The school takes a comprehensive and evidence-based approach to identifying pupils with Additional Learning Needs (ALN). This includes drawing on a wide range of sources such as teacher observations, pupil progress data, standardised assessments, pupil voice, and parental input.

Staff work collaboratively to monitor learning behaviours, emotional wellbeing, and academic performance over time, ensuring that any concerns are explored thoroughly and consistently. Where appropriate, external agency advice is also considered to build a full picture of a pupil’s needs. This multi-layered process ensures that identification is accurate, timely, and rooted in a holistic understanding of each child.