Commentary on Sections of the Act Part 2 – Additional Learning Needs Functions relating to securing additional learning provision Section 52 - Children with additional learning needs in mainstream maintained schools
128.Section 52 requires that children with ALN educated in mainstream maintained schools take part in activities alongside their peers who do not have ALN, in so far as that is reasonably practicable and compatible with the matters listed in subsection (2). In particular, the matter in subsection (2)(a) (the child receiving the ALP called for by his or her ALN) is included because the nature of the child’s ALN or the ALP they require may be such that they should be, or even must be, educated separately from their peers for at least part of the time. For example, this might mean that a child needs to spend some of the school day allocated to classroom teaching time in a special unit attached to the school which is able to deliver specialist provision for the child’s needs, but at other times the child should be able to engage with the other pupils in school activities such as assemblies, breaks, sports days, trips and some classroom activities.