Additional Support for Learning Network minutes: November 2024

Attendees and apologies

• Scottish Government (Chair)
• National Autistic Society
• Children in Scotland
• Scottish Qualifications Authority
• Connect
• Scottish Autism
• Health Visitor
• National Autism Implementation Team
• UNISON
• CALL Scotland
• AMASE
• Sight Scotland
• Scottish Traveller Education Programme
• Association of Principal Education Psychologists
• Scottish Network for Highly Able Pupils
• Dyslexia Scotland
• Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
• Sense Scotland
• Comann nan Pàrant

 

Apologies

• ENQUIRE
• Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
• Education Scotland
• Teaching and lived experience of Autism, Dyslexia and ADHD
• Children’s Health
• Association of Directors of Education in Scotland
• Additional Support for Learning Lead Officers
• Secure Care (Good Shepherd)
• Govan Law Centre
• The Scottish Sensory Centre
• 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.

Minute of last meeting

Minutes from the last meeting had been issued to members and comments had been sought. Members confirmed they were content the minute was an accurate record of the meeting.

An update was provided on the action from the previous meeting.

The Supporting Learners' team were to ask the ASL Project Board if the ASL Action Plan can be shared with the Network, the ASL Project Board were content with this ask.

The ASL Project Board were to consider the ASL Network’s input on priority action discussions, a standing item will be added to ASL Project Board meetings for the Network Chair to update on the Networks discussions and raise a priority action for discussion. 

The ASL Project Board to consider a mechanism to ensure the ASL Network’s views are accurately represented at Project Board meetings, a standing item will be added for the Network Chair to update on the Network’s views.

The Asl Project Board were to consider how the Network can be involved in specific work highlighted in the progress report. The Project Board noted this action and will consider ways to involve the Network when specific work over the next phase is identified.

Network members were to contact Supporting Learners’ with any further feedback on the progress report via correspondence, members were thanked for providing comments

An update on the NMF was to be provided via correspondence if ready before the Network meet next. An update from the sub-group leading on NMF is due to be provided to the ASL PB on 21 November – this will be passed onto the ASL Network for information.

 

ASL Action Plan priority areas

The Chair introduced this item to the Network. Members had been up-dated on the successful publication of the 3rd Progress Report and up-dated ASL Action Plan. Within the Progress Report there are 3 areas that have been highlighted by Project Board members as being they key priorities for the next phase of work. The 3 areas Identified were: National Measurement Framework (NMF); re-fresh of the ASL Code of Practice and communications. These identified strands will help address the majority of the remaining actions in the ASL Action Plan. The Chair confirmed that this Network meeting will focus on each of these areas, and the  comments will be fed back to the ASL Project Board, who will meet on the 21st November.

The Chair opened discussion on the NMF. ADES and SG have been liaising with various colleagues including ES, Inspectorate and SG analysts to consider what the NMF will look like and ensure it delivers Angela Morgans recommendation. There is agreement that the NMF will sit with SG and be aligned with the National Improvement Framework (NIF), which is due to have a re-fresh over the next 12 months, as a dashboard for ASL data. There is still further consideration that needs to happen around capturing more nuanced achievements for children and young people. The NMF aims to enhance existing data that is currently in the system to capture the broad definition of ASN.

Members were interested to hear to what extent they can contribute to the NMF, and the timescales associated with this work. A paper produced by ADES, ES and SG outlining progress, next steps and timescales on the NMF is due to be presented at Project Board on the 21st November. Once received, this will be issued to Network members for awareness and comment. ASL project Board will consider where Network members can contribute into the NMF as this work progresses over the next 12-15 months.

Members noted that it’s important that the NMF doesn’t give the impression that attainment is everything, and that it finds a way to capture data for young people who don’t sit exams. Gyspy/Traveller young people need to be considered too, as they often fall off other data returns. Wider Achievements matter for every learner, awards such as leadership, and citizenship should be captured to reflect a well-rounded achievement. Collecting data on access to different kinds of education, including academic education, with consideration of race, disability, poverty and other ASN can create opportunity to understand young people’s chances of attainment. Members also noted an interest in absence and exclusion data being captured in the NMF. It may also be useful to capture data for all of education, not just exams, including nursery and primary establishments. The Chair confirmed that SG Analysts and the Health and Wellbeing team are leading on some work around the data for absence and exclusion, and the Supporting Learners Team will work closely with them to ensure that both returns highlight that data.

Members queried what this will mean for Seemis and census data, noting these provide some of the largest data returns. It was noted that the NMF work will provide an opportunity to consider ASN data in one place, and will allow us to consider quality improvement of the data being gathered locally and then nationally.

Members also noted the importance of using the returns from the NMF to relate to the experiences of children and young people, to clearly demonstrate progress. The Young Ambassadors for Inclusion would be very keen to be a part of this work. The NMF needs to be flexible enough to work for the children and young people using it, schools, LA’s and organisations with interests in ASN.

Members were invited to contact SG with any further specific queries or comments they would like raised at the NMF discussion at the next meeting of the ASL Project Board.

Actions:

• NMF Paper to be shared with ASL Network following November ASL Project Board meeting
• Members to contacts SG if there are further comments or queries in relation to the NMF to be raised at ASL project Board

The Chair introduced the second priority, the ASL Code of Practice re-fresh. The re-fresh of the CoP will be updated within parameters of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004. No changes can go beyond existing legislation. This is the first up-date of the CoP since 2017, and provides educators with a guide to understand what the ASL Act 2004 asks of them. The new version of the CoP will be up-dated to enhance certain areas and will be clearer for the reader. SG have engaged with different policy areas that have made significant progress since 2017 including GIRFEC, the Promise, transitions to demonstrate and capture where other policy areas that link with ASL have developed and evolved. Work is still to be done with ADES and ES to refine the document for the people who will use it on the ground.

The CoP will go out for public consultation early 2025, and members of the ASL Network will be asked to disseminate to their own networks to ensure a wide breadth of views are incorporated. The original version of the CoP is over 200 pages long and accessibility of the document has been highlighted as a concern. However, Enquire are working on an up-date to their guide sheets for parent and carer awareness which is a condensed version, and helps with this challenge. The CoP will be a key discussion item at the ADES ASN network on the 22nd November, where ASN leads will have the opportunity to provide their input.

Members requested that when this is up-dated, that areas have been up-dated be highlighted for ease.

Action:

• Areas of the CoP that have changed significantly to be highlighted.

The Chair introduced the third priority of Communications to the Network. The ASL Project Board sub-group on communications has passed on ownership of communications to the ASL Project Board. The Chair noted there had been feedback from the Sector about the overwhelming amount of content being shared at the beginning of November following various publications. The Chair opened discussion on how we can improve information sharing, to help understanding and awareness in the sector.

It was noted that the Project Board recently sent a joint letter to Directors and Chief Executives of Education containing information to support their consideration and delivery of some key actions in the ASL Action Plan. Members noted it would be helpful to consider how more areas can be involved in work such as the joint letter, instead of only being able to provide retrospective feedback.

Members noted an interest in seeing the ASL Project Board’s communications strategy. It would be useful to highlight key times in the year where work of specific actions may be particularly relevant. Key publications and guidance should be highlighted also. Network members noted an interest in being involved in pulling together an up-dated communications strategy.

Any other business

No other business was raised.

Date of next meeting

The ASL Network will meet next in 2025, meeting dates will be agreed via correspondence.

 

 

Scottish Governmen