Additional Support for Learning Network minutes: April 2024

Attendees and apologies

• National Parent Forum of Scotland (Chair)
• National Autistic Society
• Children in Scotland
• Scottish Qualifications Authority
• Connect
• Scottish Autism
• Education Scotland
• Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
• Scottish Network for Highly Able Pupils
• Health Visitor
• Additional Support for Learning Lead Officers
• National Autism Implementation Team
• UNISON
• CALL Scotland
• Govan Law Centre
• Teaching and lived experience of Autism, Dyslexia and ADHD
• The Scottish Sensory Centre
• Dyslexia Scotland
• Sense Scotland
• Comann nan Pàrant
• Sweetie Brae ELC
• Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
• Scottish Government

Apologies

• ENQUIRE
• Children’s Health
• CONNECT
• Sight Scotland
• Association of Principal Education Psychologists
• Secure Care (Good Shepherd)
• AMASE
• Children’s Health Scotland
• Allied Health Professions Federation Scotland
• Enable Scotland

Items and actions

Welcome and introductions

The Chair welcomed members to the meeting of the Additional Support for Learning Network, held virtually over Microsoft Teams, and noted apologies. Comann nan Pàrant and Sweete Brae were welcomed to their first meeting of the ASL Network.

Minute of last meeting

Minutes from the last meeting had been issued to members and comments had been sought. Following reflecting the comments received in the minutes, members were content they were an accurate record of the meeting.

The Chair then provided updates on the actions from the previous meeting. 

Action: (Children in Scotland): Inclusion Ambassadors to liaise with COSLA and the Operational and Communications su-group to reflect and feed in on the work that is currently ongoing

Update: CiS and COSLA have had discussions on planning for promoting the 3rd year success looks different award, created by the Inclusion Ambassadors – with the back to schools campaign noted as a key activity. An overview of the work of the Inclusion Ambassadors can be presented at a future Network meeting for members information

Action: (Children in Scotland): The agenda for the next meeting of the ASL Network to include and item on the evidence paper of the Inclusion Ambassadors published earlier this year

Update: An update on this action will be provided during any other business on the agenda

Action (Scottish Government): NMF (National Measurement Framework) to be one of the agenda items during the next meeting of the ASL Network in 2024.

Update: An update on this action will be provided during item 3 on the agenda.

Action (COSLA): COSLA will encourage Local Authorities to take steps to add the Enquire website information to their websites and have leaflets available in schools

Update: COSLA have engaged discussion with Enquire on this. This will be linked into work ongoing with the draft communications strategy in development from the ASL Project Board Operational and Communications sub-group.

Action (Education Scotland): More information on any ongoing work in relation to the creation of a flow chart to aid support and information will be sought after the next meeting of the ASL Network. 

Update: ES have created an early draft of the flow chart that can be shared with members. The flow chart links in with the ASL Project Board sub-group’s focus on communications and educators.

Action (Additional Support for Learning Officers): ASLO to provide further information on the centre of information being made available for parents and carers of children and young people with ASN once completed.

Update: ASLO are having an ASN review at the moment, so work on the new webpage has been paused and therefore is not yet live.

Action (Education Scotland): ES to share updates on the ongoing work from the sub-group they're chairing regarding access to support for education staff with the ASL Network

Update: An update will be provided during item 3 on the agenda

Action (Scottish Government): Updates on the ASL Action Plan to be part of the next ASL Network meeting agenda

Update: An update will be provided during item 4 on the agenda

Action (Scottish Government): Supporting Learners’ team to liaise with Gaelic Parental organisation Comann nam Parant to invite them to the ASL Network

Update: Comann nam Parant have been invited and are in attendance for this meeting

Action (Scottish Government): Include updates from the ASL Network in future meetings of the ASL Project Board

Update: This was accepted during the last ASL Project Board meeting. Updates from the ASL Network will be properly included in the agenda of the ASL Project Board meetings throughout the year

Action (Scottish Government): Set and confirm the dates for the ASL Network meetings in 2024

Update: Dates for all 3 meetings in 2024 have been issued to members

ASL Project Board sub-groups

The Operational and Communications sub-group, chaired by COSLA, has drafted a communications strategy that was shared with the ASL Project Board. Following discussion at the Project Board it was identified that the communications strategy needed to be more action focussed, this feedback was reflected and re-issued to the sub-group who are in the process of considering the draft.

The Training and Resources sub-group, chaired by Education Scotland, has had their focus on a mapping exercise to collate existing professional learning resources and guidance currently in place for educators. The sub-group have highlighted several next steps for improvement including the improvement of signposting and access of resources and the development of a national professional framework led by Education Scotland. A refresh of the inclusion, wellbeing and equalities professional learning framework focussed on 4 themes: rights and equalities, relationships, inclusion and wellbeing and care is in progress. Strategic meetings have taken place between Education Scotland and NES (NHS Education for Scotland) around professional learning for health care to ensure multi sector access to learning to support children and young people with additional support needs.

The Monitoring and Analysis sub-group, chaired by ADES, continue to work on progressing the NMF. ADES and SG have engaged in conversation with Education Scotland, Care Inspectorate, SG analysts and various other interested parties. The sub-group are currently at the stage where they have a draft business case ready of what the first iteration of the NMF will look like. It was noted this will be an iterative process. A paper will be drafted for the ASL Project Board to consider the next steps in how the NMF is taken forward.

Additional support for learning action plan and progress report

The Education Children and Young People committee launched an inquiry into additional support for learning following their earlier evidence gathering session in June 2023 to inform their thinking. The committee called for 5 in person evidence sessions with different panels and also sought written evidence. The committee engaged directly with the young ambassadors for inclusion and parents too. Using the evidence gathered by the committee, the Parliament Clerk will draft a report with recommendations on areas they propose are strengthened and identify gaps or possible adjustments to the ASL action plan.

It was noted that the publication date of the ASL Action Plan and Progress Report will be pushed back to allow time for meaningful discussions on how to reflect any potential suggestions coming out of the ECYP committee report.

Any other business

Children in Scotland provided an updated on the relationships and behaviour in schools work undertaken by the young ambassadors for inclusion. Following recent media interest CiS were keen to explore the impact this area has had on children and young people with the young ambassadors. The young ambassadors sought information on what is, and is not, working well in managing and supporting behaviour and how it could be improved moving forward.

The ASL Network’s terms of reference was updated following the previous meeting, confirming the increase the 3 meetings per year. It was noted that Network’s membership will be under regular review as we continue to seek views from interested parties.

The ASL Progress Report will include a section on case studies to demonstrate the journey on how actions have been delivered. If ASL Network members had examples they wish to be included in the Progress Report they could contact the Supporting Learners’ team.

The importance of continuing discussions around other reviews such as curriculum, OECD, inspections, education reform etc. was highlighted. ASL is threaded though all of these reviews so it’s important to be regularly reminded of their ongoing progress.

ACTION: Members to contact Supporting Learners’ team with case studies

Date of next meeting

The ASL Network will meet next on the 27 August 2024.

Scottish Government