Childhood, Education and Society: Additional Learning Needs (ALN)

BA (Hons) Childhood, Education and Society: Additional Learning Needs is a distinctive interdisciplinary degree that combines early childhood studies, education and sociology with a focused specialism in Additional Learning Needs. It offers a comprehensive understanding of how children and young people develop and learn, while placing inclusion and equitable practice at the heart of the curriculum.

You will explore how social, cultural and political contexts shape educational experiences and outcomes, with particular attention to the rights, identities and voices of learners with additional needs. Drawing on current legislation, research and professional frameworks, the programme develops your knowledge of inclusive pedagogy, partnership working and leadership in diverse settings.

From your first year, you will build a strong foundation in human development, wellbeing, safeguarding and professional identity. As you progress, you will deepen your expertise in areas such as specific learning differences, neurodivergence and collaborative approaches to supporting learners with ALN. You will examine how educators, families and multi agency teams can work together to remove barriers to participation and achievement.

The course also develops your understanding of research methods, enabling you to engage critically with evidence and apply it to practice. In your final year, you will undertake an extended independent research project with a strong ALN focus, demonstrating your ability to investigate complex issues and contribute to inclusive practice.

Learning is enhanced through specialist resources and innovative technologies, including immersive virtual reality facilities that support experiential and reflective learning. You will have opportunities to undertake a relevant placement to strengthen your practical experience and professional networks, and you may also choose to study abroad for a semester.

Graduates are well placed for roles in schools, early years settings, specialist provision, local authorities and community services. The degree also provides a strong pathway into postgraduate study, including teacher training, ALN coordination, social work and research focused on inclusion and equity.

Course Modules

You will develop an in depth understanding of human development, inclusive practice and the legislative and ethical frameworks that underpin Additional Learning Needs provision. The course equips you to recognise and respond to diverse learning profiles, including specific learning differences and neurodivergence.

You will explore partnership working with families and professionals, leadership in inclusive settings and the role of learning environments and digital technologies in supporting access and engagement. Through research training, you will learn to evaluate evidence and apply it critically to practice.

Placement experience and your final year research project will enable you to specialise further in ALN, strengthening your confidence, advocacy skills and professional identity within inclusive education.

In the first year, you will explore the foundations of human development and wellbeing, children’s rights, and inclusive learning strategies. You will also develop key academic and professional skills, engage with creative pedagogies, and understand safeguarding principles and additional learning needs. These modules prepare you for reflective, inclusive, and ethical practice in early years and educational settings.

Thriving through the Years: Human Development and Wellbeing (20 credits)
Who am I? Exploring Professional Identity (20 credits)
Voice, Choice and Rights: Empowering Young People (20 credits)
Ways of Learning: Creative Pedagogies (20 credits)
Connect and Protect: Building Safer Networks (20 credits)
Learning for All: An Introduction to ALN (20 credits)

In your second year, you will deepen your understanding of inclusive education through focussed ALN/SEN modules, leadership, and the role of environments and technologies in learning. You will explore research methods, social justice, and collaborative practices, preparing you to lead and innovate in diverse educational settings.

Cracking the Code: Understanding Research Methods (20 credits)
Design for Learning (20 credits)
Empowering Others: Leadership and Teamwork (20 credits)
Future Ready: Exploring Technologies (20 credits)
Learning Unlocked: Understanding SpLD (20 credits)
Unlocking the Potential: ALN and the Power of Partnership (20 credits)

In your final year, you have the opportunity to specialise further in Additional Learning Needs/Special Educational Needs (ALN/SEN). You will critically engage with contemporary issues in education, explore leadership in inclusive settings, and deepen your understanding of multilingualism, and neurodivergence. You will also undertake an independent research project, preparing you for professional practice and advocacy in diverse educational contexts.

Different Not Deficient: Rethinking Neurodivergence (20 credits)
Leading Learning in ALN (20 credits)
Beyond Words: Multilingualism and Cultural Belonging (20 credits)
Navigating the Now: Contemporary Issues and Social Change (20 credits)

https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/programme-courses/undergraduate/teaching-education-and-pgce/childhood-education-and-society-0