Amherst Primary School

Inclusion and Additional Learning Needs (ALN)

At Amherst Primary School, in line with UNCRC Articles 28 and 29, we believe that every learner has a right to an education that supports and develops their personality, talents, and abilities to their fullest potential. Every child, whatever their individual abilities or needs, is equally valued, safe, and welcome in our school community.

Amherst School has a dedicated ALNCo and Inclusion Lead, Mrs Angie Humphrey.

1. Our Core Principles of Inclusion

Inclusion is a universal human right. We aim to embrace all individuals irrespective of race, gender, disability, medical, or other needs, ensuring equal access by systematically dismantling barriers to learning.

Successful inclusion means that every pupil:

• Feels safe, confident, valued, and happy at school.
• Makes the best possible progress of which they are capable.
• Enjoys all aspects of school life, including lessons, playtimes, and extracurricular activities.
• Develops a strong belief in themselves as a learner.

2. The Continuum of Support (ALN Code of Practice)

We meet the diverse needs of our learners flexibly, using a tiered continuum of support as described in the ALN Code of Practice:

Level 1: HQIP ──> Level 2: Targeted ──> Level 3: Specialist ──> Level 4: Determination

• High Quality Inclusive Practice (HQIP):

The universal level of provision in place for all learners. Class teachers implement specific, everyday strategies and reasonable adjustments to meet individual needs within the classroom.

• Targeted Support:

The first level of additional provision is put in place when a learner is formally identified with ALN.

• Specialist Support:

Triggered when there is direct involvement from an outside specialist service (e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Educational Psychology, or outreach services).

• Determination:

At this level, a learner's ALN is assessed thoroughly through a 'Formal Assessment' process.

3. Communication, Identification, and Next Steps

We believe in early identification and work in close partnership with parents and carers. If you have concerns about your child’s progress or suspect they have additional needs, please follow our communication pathway.:

Class Teacher ──> ALNCo / Inclusion Lead Consultation ──> Referral to Outside Agency in conjunction with ALNCo if required and agreed.

Initial Concerns

Your child's Class Teacher is always the most appropriate first point of contact.

You do not need to wait for twice-yearly formal parent appointments; you can request a discussion at any time.

Escalation & Specialist Referrals

If further support is required, the class teacher will arrange a joint meeting with you and the Additional Learning Needs Coordinator (ALNCo) / Inclusion Lead.

The ALNCo can facilitate formal pathways, including:

• Referrals to the Autism Diagnostic Service or supporting families with ADHD assessment pathways and School Nurse, as well as Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy.
• Referrals to Speech and Language Therapy, CIAS (the Communication, Interaction and Autism Service), EPS (Educational Psychology Service) or Les Voies Outreach Team can be made with the agreement of these services. Children requiring this specialist level of support are discussed at termly MAP Meetings. MAP is Multi-Agency Professionals and involves a meeting with the ALNCo and professionals from these agencies.
• Liaison with external outreach services such as CAMHS, the Communication, Interaction and Autism Service (CIAS), the Reparative Care Team, and Les Voies Outreach.

4. Individual Learning Plans (ILPs)

Learners receiving Targeted or Specialist support will have a structured Individual Learning Plan (ILP).

What is an ILP?

A working document written by the class teacher with input from parents, staff, and outside services. It profiles the child's strengths, areas of difficulty, and specific high-quality inclusive practice strategies.

• Targets: It details precise, individual targets, outlining what is expected of the learner, what specific support will be provided, and who will deliver it.
• Review Cycle: Targets are set and reviewed termly. They are shared face-to-face during Autumn and Spring term consultations and are shared in the summer term as well.

5. In-Class Adaptations & Reasonable Adjustments

Many neurodivergent learners — including those with a diagnosis of Autism, ADHD, or Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) — do not automatically require targeted or specialist withdrawal interventions.

Instead, their needs are highly effectively met through classroom adaptations and reasonable adjustments, which may include:

Category	Practical In-Class Adjustments
Environmental & Sensory	Access to sensory resources, wobble cushions, theraband, fiddle toys, movement breaks, or time in a calm corner (every class has a dedicated calm corner with sensory toys to support regulation).
Routine & Structure	Visual supports, including things such as individual visual timetables, communication cards, now and next boards, task planners, and timers. Sometimes, screens are used by children who find movement or people in the class distracting and need support with focus.
Adaptations	Children may need adaptations in order to participate fully in the life of the school. These are discussed with parents and children as needed and solutions sought and arrived at together.

Furthermore, class teachers utilise flexible groupings to provide targeted scaffolding or short-term curriculum practice (such as phonics, reading, or mental maths) directly within the lesson framework.

Learning Support Assistants provide additional support for specific children either in the classroom or through targeted, evidenced-based programmes outside the classroom.

6. Targeted Intervention Programmes

When a learner requires explicit support beyond standard classroom differentiation, structured intervention programmes are deployed. These interventions have a specific focus, run alongside High Quality Inclusive Practice, and are reviewed regularly for impact.

Intervention Programme	Focus & Target Audience
LaLSIT Literacy Support	Amherst has two Language and Literacy Specialist Intervention Teachers (LaLSITS); one full time and one four mornings a week. They support children with specific difficulties in reading and/or spelling, including children with dyslexic tendencies. Teachers who are concerned about specific literacy difficulties can refer a child to the LaLSITs, who may then assess them depending on the difficulty. They will then either offer strategies or support them either 1:1 or in a small group. Please note, LaLSITs do not diagnose dyslexia; this is something that can only be done privately at this time.
Phonics Catch Up Sessions	This involves targeted extra sessions to develop the key skills of blending, segmenting and phoneme manipulation. This intervention supports learners who are finding reading challenging and need additional support to learn phonic sounds to support the development of their reading skills.
Paired Reading	This is an intervention whereby an adult is reading with a child. This is a proven way of supporting the development of fluency for young readers.
Speech Link	Specifically, it targets speech sound production difficulties.
Infant Language Link	This has a targeted focus on language difficulties, including attention/listening, language concepts (big/small, before/after), language structures (past tense, pronouns), and reasoning.
Word Aware and Elklan	Structured ways to support the teaching of language for children who are finding understanding of words challenging.  Word Aware support largely takes place in class; Elklan Strategies are used either in class or in small groups.
Talking Boxes	A Speech and Language activity to improve language skills.
Language for Thinking	Develops a child’s capacity to process visual and spoken stories using abstract language, prediction, and reasoning.
ELSA Sessions	Conducted by an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant to address self-esteem, emotional regulation, anxiety, friendship skills, or coping with change and loss.
Lego Therapy	A proven sensory and Communication-based intervention, designed to help children improve their ability to work co-operatively (as part of a team), initiate conversation and respond appropriately, and to communicate clearly and effectively.
Number Stacks	An evidenced-based intervention for children who need additional support with mathematical number skills. This is run in small groups of no more than four at a time.
Number Sense	This supports learners to develop a deep understanding of numbers and fluency in addition and subtraction facts and times tables fluency. This is done with every child in class, but additional groups are run for children who require additional support.
Precision Teaching	An evidence-based, highly structured, data-driven instructional method designed to build fluency and accuracy in foundational skills (like reading, spelling, and maths). This involves 1:1 sessions daily with an LSA trained in this method of instruction.
Therapy Dogs	Children who need additional support with emotions are able to read with the therapy dogs. The dogs come in two afternoons a week.

7. School Contact Details

For specific queries regarding your child, please contact your child’s class teacher or our school office in the first instance.

8. External Support & Guernsey Community Links

Click the links below to access (largely local) guidance, practical strategies, and support networks: