The definition of ALN and ALP
Get crystal clear on the two-test route to identifying ALN — and what actually counts as ALP.
Quick summary
Chapter 2 explains the legal definitions of Additional Learning Needs (ALN) and Additional Learning Provision (ALP), then shows you how to apply them in a simple, consistent way. It introduces the two tests: (1) does the learner have a learning difficulty/disability, and (2) does that difficulty/disability call for ALP? It also clarifies common grey areas like short-term learning disruption, disability, language acquisition (Welsh/English as an additional language), and medical conditions — so your decisions are calm, consistent, and defensible.
What's inside this Deep Dive
- Plain-English definitions of ALN and ALP (including under-3s)
- A practical two-test decision route (compulsory school age/young people vs under compulsory school age)
- What ALP can look like in real settings (in class, out of class, and sometimes delivered by external professionals)
- "Common trap" clarifications (language at home, short-term disruption, disability, medical needs, spiky profiles)
- ALNCo prompts to help you decide what support is called for and how to check impact
From the overview
If you've ever paused and thought, "Is this ALN… or can strong Inclusive Practice close the gap?" — this chapter is your starting point. It sets out the definitions of ALN and ALP, then walks through how to apply them for different age groups, including the important point that "significantly greater difficulty in learning" links directly to whether the learner needs ALP rather than the support generally available (for example, catch-up and differentiated teaching). It also clarifies that disability doesn't automatically mean ALN, that language difference alone isn't ALN, and that medical conditions only lead to ALN where they create a learning difficulty/disability that calls for ALP. Finally, it outlines the four broad areas of need and flags where later chapters pick up the practical duties around identifying ALN, IDPs, and securing provision.
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