ALN & SEND Support at Crossroads
Additional Learning Needs Wales support for learners who need a different route to confidence
Yn Ymgynghorwyr Addysgol Crossroads, our Additional Learning Needs Wales support starts with a simple understanding: every learner is unique. Whether a child has a diagnosed additional learning need, is awaiting assessment, or simply requires a different approach to learning, our aim is to provide the right support at the right time.
We offer a comprehensive range of Additional Learning Needs (ALN) a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services designed to help children and young people reach their full potential academically, socially and emotionally.
Our specialist team works closely with families, schools and other professionals to provide personalised, evidence-based support in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
- Specialist ALN, dyslexia and learning support
- Assessment, tuition, consultancy and advocacy
- Support available in English and Welsh
For schools
Professional assessment, consultancy and recommendations that support inclusive practice and learner progress.
For families
Clear advice, practical next steps and specialist support that helps you understand what your child may need.
For learners
A strengths-focused approach designed to build confidence, independence and lifelong learning strategies.
Our Services
Additional Learning Needs Wales services around the learner
Crossroads brings together education, therapy and wellbeing support so families can access the right help at the right time. Explore the three core areas below.
Specialist ALN, Dyslexia & Learning Support
Led by our ALNCo, Kate Hillier, this Additional Learning Needs Wales service provides expert assessment, intervention and guidance for learners with specific learning differences and additional learning needs.
Services include:
- Exam Access Arrangement (EAA) Assessments
- Specialist Dyslexia Tuition
- Dyslexia Diagnostic Assessments
- ALN Consultancy
- Dyscalculia Screening
- Visual Stress Screening
Support is delivered using a multi-sensory, strengths-based approach and is available in both English and Welsh.
Occupational Therapy
We work alongside experienced Occupational Therapists to support children and young people who experience difficulties with everyday activities, sensory processing, motor skills, emotional regulation and independence.
Occupational Therapy can help learners develop the practical skills they need to participate successfully at home, in education and within the wider community.
Services may include:
- Sensory processing support
- Fine and gross motor skill development
- Handwriting intervention
- Self-care and independence programmes
- School and classroom strategies
- Environmental adaptations and recommendations
Counselling & Emotional Wellbeing
Positive mental health is fundamental to successful learning.
Our counselling service provides a safe, confidential and supportive space where children and young people can explore their thoughts and feelings with a qualified professional.
Counselling can support learners experiencing:
- Anxiety or low mood
- School-based anxiety (EBSA)
- Bereavement and loss
- Low confidence or self-esteem
- Friendship or family difficulties
- Emotional regulation challenges
- Life transitions and change
We believe that supporting emotional wellbeing enables learners to engage more confidently with education and everyday life.
Meet Kate Hillier
Qualified PATOSS Specialist Teacher and Assessor
Kate Hillier is the founder of The Dyslexia Detective and joins Crossroads as our Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator. She brings over 20 years of education experience, including leadership as an ALNCo, specialist teacher and mainstream class teacher.
Kate supports children, young people and adults through expert assessment, screening, intervention and consultancy. Her practice is evidence-based, multi-sensory, holistic and bilingual, helping learners build confidence as well as academic progress.
- Registered member of PATOSS
- Works in line with the ALN Code of Practice for Wales
- Support available in English and Welsh
Qualifications and professional training
- BA (Hons) History
- PGCE
- Graduate Diploma in ALN
- Graduate Diploma in Leadership and Management
- MA Education (ALN)
- Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing (CCET)
- Graduate Diploma in Trauma-Informed Schools
- ILM Level 7 Certificate in Leadership and Management
- Diagnosing Dyslexia: Assessment Practice and Reporting (DDPR)
- Assessor Practising Certificate (APC)
- Makaton Level 2
Specialist ALN, dyslexia and learning support
Choose the right support route
For Additional Learning Needs Wales support, Kate will be based at the Crossroads Exam Centre every Monday from September 2026. Some services begin in September 2026, with diagnostic and screening services available from January 2027.
Services available from September 2026
Specialist Dyslexia Tuition (Welsh or English)
ยฃ75 per session
This is specialist intervention for learners with dyslexia or literacy difficulties, rather than general tutoring.
Sessions are individually tailored using evidence-based, multi-sensory teaching approaches to develop:
- Reading accuracy and fluency
- Spelling and writing skills
- Phonological awareness
- Memory and processing skills
- Confidence and self-esteem
- Effective learning strategies for school and everyday life
This service is also suitable for learners who are awaiting assessment or who have identified literacy difficulties but do not yet have a formal diagnosis.
ALN Consultancy
ยฃ50
Professional advice and guidance for families, schools and organisations navigating Additional Learning Needs Wales services.
Consultancy may include:
- Understanding assessment outcomes
- Advice on suitable interventions
- Support with educational planning
- Recommendations for reasonable adjustments
- Guidance on inclusive practice and learner support
Exam Access Arrangement Assessment (EAA)
ยฃ150
A specialist assessment to determine whether a learner may qualify for examination access arrangements, helping to ensure they can demonstrate their knowledge fairly and in line with awarding body regulations.
Services available from January 2027
Dyslexia Diagnostic Assessment
ยฃ650
A comprehensive specialist diagnostic assessment designed to identify dyslexia and provide a detailed profile of an individual’s learning strengths and areas of need.
The assessment includes:
- Standardised testing
- Detailed analysis of cognitive and literacy skills
- A comprehensive written report
- Practical recommendations for home, school or college
- Guidance on appropriate support and reasonable adjustments
Dyscalculia / Maths Screening
ยฃ100
A screening assessment to identify indicators of dyscalculia or significant number-processing difficulties.
The screening provides valuable information to help determine whether further assessment or specialist intervention may be beneficial.
Visual Stress Screening
ยฃ100
A screening assessment to identify symptoms associated with visual stress, sometimes referred to as Meares-Irlen Syndrome.
Where appropriate, practical recommendations will be provided to help reduce visual discomfort and improve reading comfort.
Book an Appointment
Kate will be available for appointments every Monday at the Crossroads Exam Centre.
- Available from September 2026: Exam Access Arrangement Assessments, Specialist Dyslexia Tuition and ALN Consultancy.
- Available from January 2027: Dyslexia Diagnostic Assessments, Dyscalculia Screening and Visual Stress Screening.
Assessment journey
A clear process from first enquiry to next steps
Families exploring Additional Learning Needs Wales support often arrive with questions, uncertainty and a need for clarity. The assessment pathway keeps the process simple, supportive and transparent.
- Make an appointment and choose a convenient time
- Complete a pre-assessment or screening questionnaire
- Attend the diagnostic assessment or screening appointment
- Receive a full report with findings and recommendations
- Book an optional follow-up meeting to plan next steps
Our approach
Evidence-based, personal and practical
Our approach to Additional Learning Needs Wales support is designed to improve outcomes while also developing confidence, wellbeing and independence. Everything is shaped around the learner, not a fixed programme.
Evidence-based
Grounded in professional practice and meaningful assessment.
Multi-sensory
Learning is supported through varied, accessible approaches.
Person-centred
Support is tailored to the learnerโs age, context and needs.
Strengths-focused
We build from what the learner can do, not only what feels hard.
Bilingual
English and Welsh support available where required.
When professionals work together, learners thrive
At Crossroads, our Additional Learning Needs Wales work brings together education specialists, therapists and wellbeing professionals to collaborate with families and schools. The aim is to recognise each learnerโs strengths while removing barriers to learning.
Whether you need an assessment, specialist intervention or ongoing support, our team can help you decide the most appropriate next step.
Helpful questions
Not sure what support is needed?
These quick questions can help parents and carers decide whether to get in touch.
Yes. Specialist dyslexia tuition and ALN consultancy may be suitable for learners who are awaiting assessment or who have identified literacy or learning difficulties without a formal diagnosis.
Specialist dyslexia tuition is targeted intervention. It focuses on literacy, phonological awareness, memory and processing skills, confidence, self-esteem and strategies for learning, rather than simply covering schoolwork.
Yes. Consultancy can support families, schools and organisations with assessment outcomes, suitable interventions, educational planning, reasonable adjustments and inclusive practice.
Contact Crossroads with a brief outline of your childโs needs. Our Additional Learning Needs Wales support can then be matched to the most appropriate service or next step.
Ready to discuss your childโs needs?
Get in touch with Crossroads Educational Consultants about Additional Learning Needs Wales support, ask a question, book an appointment or find out which service may be the best fit.
Supporting every learner to build confidence, develop independence and achieve their full potential.