Wiltshire Ordinarily Available Provision for All Learners (OPAL)

Specific learning difficulties affecting one or more specific aspect of learning, e.g. literacy difficulties, numeracy difficulties or specific language impairment. For all areas of need any provision or support should be provided in line with the needs of the CYP and is not dependent on any formal diagnosis

• assessment through teaching to identify the areas of need in consultation with the CYP or observation if more appropriate
• metacognition approaches - learning to learn e.g. by trying to understand the CYP's difficulty and asking them what helps
• recognising and celebrating success in other areas of their life
• appropriate adaptations made e.g. font, coloured paper, line spacing, lighting, overlays, adaptation, technology - led by the needs of the CYP and what they find helpful
• staff will have been informed of what strategies or approaches to use in line with advice from assessments or consultation
• evidence based interventions to develop skills e.g., spelling, handwriting, literacy, numeracy (Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) (opens new window) or Evidence 4 Impact (opens new window))

Early Years Guidance

• Match learning and opportunities to child's interests, motivators and developmental stage. Extend learning opportunities where appropriate. 
• Identify and remove barriers to learning.
• All practitioners will consistently use and will have been informed of what strategies or approaches to use in line with advice from assessments or consultation
• Encourage repetition, rhythm and rhyme by using tone and intonation as you tell, recite or sing stories, poems and rhymes in books to gain children's attention and interest
• Use a variety of approaches to modelling, forward/backward chaining, demonstration etc.  Provide adult support at set times to model key skills such as sorting/matching and monitor progress.  Provide meaningful praise and reward.

Generalised learning difficulties, e.g. difficulties across the curriculum but with some areas of strength.
CYP with an uneven profile of skills and attainment

• adjustment, modification and differentiation of the curriculum, right across the board, to enable the CYP to fully access the curriculum
• active learning, concrete, pictorial and pragmatic approaches to learning
• emphasis on self-actualisation - activities designed to develop skills which will support them to become independent and resilient learners
• support to manage self-esteem - celebration of strengths, reinforcement of success 
• pre-teaching of content and subject-specific vocabulary
• reasonable adjustments to support slow speed of processing e.g., providing, thinking time, reducing the task
• support for homework e.g. support for accurate recording of homework, differentiated tasks as standard for all children, lunchtime drop in sessions using school online homework portals
• close monitoring of attendance

Early Years Guidance

• Increase opportunities for making choices between big/small, more/less in meaningful, supported contexts 
• Specific learning difficulties affecting one or more specific aspect of learning, e.g. 
• To help shift a child's attention from one task to another, make the differentiation between tasks more obvious by using multi-sensory signals; e.g. Music to indicate a transition time. Ensure that transitions are compatible and adjusted to meet the individual needs of the child.  
• Allowing the child time to finish their task and ensure there is pre-warning of transitions. 
• Provide a range of interesting objects with different functions; model how to use these and encourage imitation.  Monitor the child's understanding and adjust as appropriate. 
• Minimise stopping play and waiting times and offering a continuous provision approach.