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

Introduction

We committed to publishing regular updates on our progress towards delivery of the actions set out in the ASL Action Plan. To date, reports have been published in November 2021, and November 2022 respectively.

This is the third Progress Report. The report sets out progress made towards delivery of the actions set out in the ASL Action Plan between November 2022 and June 2024 and has been developed in partnership with COSLA and ASL Project Board members. It also provides an indication of the key areas of focus that will be considered and delivered by the ASL Project Board members until the end of this Parliamentary term, in March 2026. To complement the Progress Report, an up-dated ASL Action Plan will also be published at the same time. This will include the most recent up-dates on the work that the ASL Project Board are taking forward to deliver on the specific actions agreed, to meet the recommendations set out in the ASL Review.

During the reporting period for this third Progress Report, the Scottish Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People’s Committee undertook an Inquiry into Additional Support for Learning. The Committee’s final report was published on 15 May 2024, and a formal response was provided by Scottish Ministers on 10 July 2024. The ASL Project Board welcomed the important work that was undertaken by the Committee, and on behalf of the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, agreed to give serious consideration to the asks, urgings and recommendations made in the Committee’s report, on the ASL Action Plan specifically.

It is important to note, that it was not possible to reflect the Committee’s recommendations, nor any progress made towards them, within this current Progress Report. As already stated, the reporting period is November 2022 to June 2024 and this report provides a retrospective up-date on the progress made during this time. However, the ASL Project Board have given careful considered to those recommendations that align with the scope of the work of the ASL Action Plan, and where appropriate have strengthened the content of the ASL Action Plan to reflect this focus. This will be reflected within the up-dated ASL Action Plan that will be published alongside this Progress Report.

The ASL Project Board will be cognisant of the wider recommendations made by the Education, Children and Young People’s Committee, to ensure that the focus, alignment, and delivery of both strands of work, continues to deliver meaningful change and supports our vision to improve the experiences of children and young people with an additional support need.

Progress Report Structure

In order to ensure ease of reading and visibility in progress towards the achievement of the recommendations of the Morgan Review, this report is structured to align with the 9 themes and recommendations of the Morgan Review report. This approach has also been taken within the updated ASL Action Plan to ensure a consistent approach.

Summary of progress

This third Progress Report sets out a summary of the progress made towards delivery in pages 9-27. The up-dated ASL Action Plan, sets out the full detail of progress made against each individual action, as considered by the ASL Project Board. There has been a consistent level of progress made towards delivering the actions set out in the ASL Action Plan. The table below highlights the total number of actions, those that have been completed and those that are still pending.

Actions List – Count Log

Total Number of Actions: 76

Actions Completed: 40

Actions Still Pending: 36

% of Actions Completed: 52.63%