Quantifying the Impact of Additional Learning Needs Identification in Wales

This project used data from over 200,000 children in Wales, born between 2002/3 and 2007/8 to explore the predictors of being identified with special educational needs (SEN)1 and the association of this identification on academic attainment. The research aims to provide insight into how the previous SEN system in Wales was identifying and supporting the attainment of children with SEN in mainstream schooling, along with providing a baseline from which to view the effectiveness of the new statutory additional learning needs (ALN) system which was rolled out from 2020.
In particular, the research aimed to answer the following questions:
1. What individual and environmental factors contribute to the identification of SEN/ALN?
2. How does being identified with SEN/ALN influence learners’ academic outcomes in mainstream schools?
3. How do learners’ educational outcomes differ by the type of need that is identified (i.e. ADHD, dyslexia, autism and BESD)?
4. How does the age of SEN/ALN identification influence educational outcomes?