Additional Learning Needs Department

Welcome and Vision

A very warm welcome to Y Gorwel where our vision is to provide the best support for pupils with ALN. We wish that our without exception learn to cope with social diversity. We take pride in our inclusive provision.

 

Y Gorwel (Horizon) is a great name for our Additional Learning Needs centre because of the stunning views from our beautiful department with its huge windows. But we as Gorwel staff would like to think that the name has a wider meaning - often we aim for the horizon and that is what we here at Y Gorwel aim to do - to ensure that the learners in our care have the support and skills to realise their full potential while pupils in Bro Dur and beyond.

Staff

 

Mrs Gwenllian Dooher is the school's Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator (ALNCo) whose work includes ensuring that pupils' additional learning needs are identified, that the most relevant ALP is in place for pupils and co-ordinating all the department work.

 

 

Miss Rhiannon Rees-Givelin is the school's Senior Teaching Assistant. Her role includes coordinating the post-covid intervention work in the department, coordinating and running our various intervention programs and supporting 1: 1 pupils in Y Gorwel.

 

The team also includes our enthusiastic learning support assistants Miss Cerys Thompson, Miss Chelsea Thompson, Miss Cerys Morgan and Miss Lucy Edwards.

Intervention Programs

All ALN Department intervention programmes take place in Y Gorwel, and we always aim to keep the numbers attending to a minimum to ensure specialist coverage for each individual. Pupils are grouped with other pupils with additional learning needs and similar skills.

The department provides a range of intervention programmes to support pupils and assist them in their academic progress including reading and spelling workshops in English and Welsh and numeracy workshops. To support pupils with additional social and emotional learning needs, we also provide workshops such as the Lego club, Talkabout Group and ELSA.

You will receive specific information on the most relevant intervention program for your child during the process of putting in place the Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Individual Development Plan (IDP).

 

Clwb y Gorwel

We understand that lunch times can be difficult for many of our learners - and that is why the Gorwel Club was set up. The aim of this club is to provide a haven for pupils who find the social aspect of lunchtime difficult, to offer further academic support to those who need it and to be a fun time for those who wish to compete with Gorwel teachers over a board game!

Out of school support

We understand that it is very difficult for some of our pupils with additional learning needs to complete their homework and that the process can be very frustrating for them. To assist such pupils, all pupils supported by the department have access to our departmental Teams.

Pupils are very welcome to use these Teams to contact us and to receive further help and instructions with their work. The learning support assistant who supports your child will share the name of the relevant Teams with your child during the initial intervention program session and make sure they know how to access it from home. You are also most welcome to use the Teams to ask a question if you need further help or guidance.

External Agencies

As a department we work very closely with a number of external agencies including the Educational Psychologist, ASD advisory teachers, specific learning difficulties, the County's Hearing and Visual Impairment, Speech and Language Therapists and the County’s Behavioural Support team. If your child needed specialist help, we could refer to these specialists for additional support.

Click on the 'JIGSAW' link below to contact the School Counselling service.

How to contact us

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your child's provision and support, please feel free to contact the department via the details below.

School Telephone: 01639 502895

Mrs Gwenllian Dooher: DooherG@hwbcymru.net