Additional Support for Learning review - action plan: third progress report

Recommendation 9: Assurance Mechanism and Education Scotland

4 Actions are Completed

Following the implementation of the ASL Action Plan in 2021, the Scottish Government and COSLA have introduced and embedded a refreshed approach to governance and accountability, as set out earlier in this report, to ensure that our joint work to support improved experiences and outcomes for children and young people remains on track and is being delivered.

A range of work is underway to drive improvements in processes, practice, and outcomes at all levels of the system. Since 2021, awareness raising sessions and discussions with all Regional Improvement Teams have taken place to support staff awareness and understanding of the recommendations within the ASL Review (2020) and the actions set out within the ASL Action Plan. The clear purpose of these sessions has been to identify and share good practice to help support new ways of working where this is appropriate, and these sessions will continue throughout the lifetime of the ASL Action Plan. In addition to this, HM Inspectors examine how well schools and centres meet the needs of children and young people requiring additional support in all inspection activity. In doing so, they take account of the findings of the Additional Support for Learning Action Plan. HM Inspectors are systematically reviewing their scrutiny frameworks and inspection activities to ensure they align closely with the expectations set out in the ASL Action Plan.

ASL Project Board members have continued to engage with teachers and ELC practitioners to ensure that they are able to access the support and expertise from other professionals when this is required. A good example of where this is working well, is the suite of ELC continued professional learning (CPL) modules which includes ‘Building confidence in identifying and response to additional support needs’ and Supporting the development and progression of children’s early language and literacy’. These resources are being embedded in the Social Services Council (SSC) Open Badge learning scheme and will continue to be available free of charge. A National Directory of Continued Professional Learning has also been established and provides a range of further learning materials. These resources, coupled with Education Scotland’s Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities Professional Learning Framework offer a suite of opportunities to enhance understanding, knowledge, and expertise in additional support for learning. The focus of the ASL Project Board will be the continued promotion of these resources and the direct impact on practice.

The opportunities offered by using improvement methodologies continues to be considered by the ASL Project Board. The methodologies employed by local authorities and schools is varied and Project Board members are currently considering how to draw these methodologies together, to consider how best to promote good practice where it exists. To support this work, Education Scotland continues to develop its knowledge on improvement methodologies.

Case Study – Integrating effective support for children with additional support needs into the expansion of early learning and childcare

Hillend Children’s Centre is an integrated and inclusive setting and offers placements to children with Additional Support Needs across Inverclyde, and mainstream provision to children residing in the local area. Hillend is run by Inverclyde Council and believes in a nurturing and inclusive environment where children will feel secure, happy and where their individuality will encourage them to play, grow and learn together. Respite support is also available for parents of children with Additional Support Needs from birth to age three, Hillend Children’s Centre is specifically targeted for children with the most complex additional support needs.

The wellbeing of children and their families is at the heart of everything staff at Hillend Children’s Centre do. This begins with a home visit and carefully planned setting visits. Recognising the impact Covid-19 had on the wellbeing of young children, home visits form part of the induction process for all children joining the setting. This allows staff to observe children in their own environment and start to establish strong relationships with families as early as possible, supporting a partnership approach to learning and development.

The setting has three playrooms, two of these playrooms have been specifically designed to meet the needs of children with additional support needs. The Sunflower room is the provision’s complex additional support needs room, it provides individualised curriculum for each child within the playroom. The Snowdrop room focuses on communication and language. Snowdrop supports children’s understanding of language through visual stimulus for their timetable and as a means of communication. Both rooms have an extensive range of equipment available to support children access all areas of the curriculum appropriately. The Bluebell room is an integrated mainstream room. It allows all children in the nursery to work together with consideration and plans to ensure that individual children’s needs and learning styles are met. The setting also has a quiet room and specially designed sensory room that enhances sensory experiences for children. Lunchtime is an opportunity for all the children at Hillend to come together, lunch is served in the dining room that is situated in a building within the vast outdoor garden area.

Sensory stimuli are present throughout the setting. Visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli are used on the door of the playrooms, and in other areas throughout the setting. For example, the word and a picture of a sunflower, a push button ‘sunflower’ audio recording and an artificial sunflower are placed at the child’s level. Visual stimuli are used by children in the Snowdrop rooms to independently plan their daily activities and as a means of communication.

Hillend also maintains close links with a range of specialists and professionals from a number of other agencies through an ASN Forum, including Educational Psychologists.

Leadership and ownership are also demonstrated across the entire staff team and staff feel empowered to develop and deliver training activities. All staff are allocated actions from the settings corporate learning plan and become the owner of this. During a recent open day celebrating the completion of the refurbishment, staff were confident and had a clear perspective when articulating the provision available at Hillend, and when leading tours.

The setting continuously worked closely with children and their families to ensure their wider support needs were met, this also includes a transport service. Using a dedicate nursery mini-bus, children can be transported to an address of a family member or blended placement within Inverclyde.

Staff within the setting are cognisant of the pace of the day, and the amount of time children can manage in the nursery environment. Children accessing ASN provision do so on a morning or afternoon basis, and in a different model to mainstream provision, with funded hours being spread across the full- year.

All staff at Hillend Children’s Centre encourage parents, carers, and families to become involved in the life of centre. Stay and Play sessions, workshops, Grandparents Days are just some of the activities used to engage parents and families in all aspects of their child’s learning and development. Handwritten two-way home link diaries are standard practice and, parents also formed part of a working group to develop the Values, Visions and Aims.

Staff know the children and families very well, which allows them to have a clear understanding and knowledge of children’s individual needs. The ethos of Hillend is based on honesty and trust. The centre listens to parent concerns or views of the delivery of provision, feedback