Page 15 - Gwyr Prospectus 2022-23

“We greatly appreciate the efforts made by the school to keep us fully informed of everything taking place that concerns our child.”
Additional Learning Needs
Additional Learning Needs (ALN) – are a pupil’s educational needs which arise from learning difficulties with communication and interaction, cognition and learning behaviour, emotional and social development, or sensory and/or physical difficulties which make the usual educational provision unsuitable for his/her needs. The school has an ALN co-ordinatior who can be contacted to discuss specific concerns. Mr. Jeffrey Connick is the ‘Looked After’ Children (LAC) Co-ordinator who is responsible for this area within the school.
The school’s objective is to ensure equal opportunities for all pupils. The school therefore accepts that all pupils, whatever their needs, should be given an opportunity to participate in a broad, balanced and differentiating curriculum within which they may develop to the best of their ability. To accomplish this, the school will:
• integrate pupils to ensure mixed ability classes in Years 7. However, there is an STF (Special Teaching Facility) at the school for children
with specific learning difficulties;
• expect every teacher to be an ALN teacher;
• accept that within a mixed ability class there will be special needs at each end of the ability range;
• provide as much support teaching as possible;
• maintain assessment methods across the curriculum which recognise ALN pupils’ strengths and weakness;
• from Year 8 onwards, sets will be used in order to create smaller groups in the core subjects for children with learning difficulties;
• maintain meticulous consultation and discussion with the primary schools in readiness for the provision in Year 7;
• utilise all external agencies available for further assistance and adjust provision to meet the needs of individuals.
Provision for More Able and Talented students (MAT)
We want to ensure that pupils fulfil their potential with regard to their ability and talents.The term 'more able' refers to pupils who are academically more able across the curriculum. In Wales, approximately 20% of the school population can be more able, whilst the highest 2% can be considered to be exceptionally able. The 'talented' refers to those pupils who show a special talent in one field or in more specific fields such as sports skills, musical ability as well as leadership and interpersonal skills. For the more able and talented within the school community, we offer opportunities, support and guidance, primarily lead by our MAT coordinator.
NACE
Ysgol Gyfun Gŵyr is one of 31 schools in Wales, to achieve the prestigious NACE Cymru Challenge Award for More Able and Talented Pupils. The Challenge Award is given for high quality work by the whole school, teachers and governors, in challenging all pupils, including those with high abilities,to achieve their best. The award was renewed in December 2019.
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