Thumbs up for new specialist ALN bases at borough schools

Pupils with additional learning needs (ALN) will be given extra support at a series of “specialist resource bases” across Caerphilly County Borough.

It is hoped developing the bases within existing schools will help with inclusion, and also meet rising demand for ALN support.

The new bases will open at Idris Davies School, in Abertysswg; at Rhiw Syr Dafydd Primary School, in Oakdale; at St Helens RC Primary School, in Caerphilly town; and at Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni’s Gellihaf campus, in Fleur de Lis.

At a council cabinet meeting, on Wednesday December 10, members heard there had been two objections to the proposals – but officers were satisfied those issues had been resolved.

Cllr Carol Andrews, the cabinet member for education, said most of the new bases would be introduced in phases by the end of May next year.

Each base will be managed by the schools’ headteachers, she added.

Sarah Ellis, the council’s lead for inclusion and ALN, said the two objections were partly because of a “misunderstanding” about which pupils would use the new bases.

She said the council had “outlined very clearly that this is provision for children across the whole of the local authority”.

The objections also included a “strong sense of provision therefore being taken away from children at the school”.

Ms Ellis said it was “really important to highlight that the schools we chose for the provision… were schools with surplus places, and therefore we are not impacting on the provision for children who attend those schools presently”.

Cllr Jamie Pritchard, the council leader, said the schools hosting the new bases would ensure “a good spread across the borough”.

“It’s a very positive development,” he added.