Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru | National Assembly for Wales
Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg | Children, Young People and Education Committee
Y Bil Drafft Anghenion Dysgu Ychwanegol a'r Tribiwnlys Addysg (Cymru) | The Draft Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Bill
ALN 14
Ymateb gan : Cymdeithas Athrawon a Darlithwyr Cymru
Response from : Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL Cymru)
About ATL Cymru – the education union
The Association of Teachers and Lecturers represents over 160,000 education professionals across the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom. It draws its membership from teachers and lecturers, leaders and support staff in maintained and independent schools, and Further Education Colleges. As well as campaigning vigorously to protect and enhance members’ pay and conditions ATL also believes that the education profession has a key role in developing education strategy and policy. ATL Cymru represents over 6,500 education professionals in colleges and schools across the whole of Wales.
Our response
We welcome the opportunity to respond to the proposals set out in the draft Bill.
We recognise that there are challenges with the current arrangements for children and young people with additional learning needs (ALN) in Wales. The current model can be process led and needs to focus more on the needs and outcomes for children and young people in order to insure that they reach their potential.
However, we believe the current proposals set out by Welsh Government in the draft Bill would be difficult to implement in practice. We have included within our response our concerns and also have illustrated some of the challenges posed by the recent reforms in England.
We believe that Welsh Government must closely examine some of the challenges which the English system is facing. Learning from the English system givers Wales the opportunity to create a system which makes best use of our expertise in order to support children and young people with ALN to fulfil their potential.
We have shaped our concerns around your questions, set out below.