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

Recommendation 2: Mainstreaming and Inclusion (Integration of Additional Support for Learning into the Independent Review of Curriculum for Excellence)

2 Actions are Completed

As part of our commitment to ensuring that the work of the ASL Action Plan is linked to strategic educational developments, we have committed to ensuring clear line of sight to the Scottish Education Council. As part of this we have strengthened the approach to the governance of the delivery of the ASL Action Plan. Scottish Ministers and COSLA have a joint agreement in place for the delivery of the ASL Action plan, and in 2022, the ASL Project Board was established. The ASL Project Board, co-Chaired by the Scottish Government and COSLA, has oversight of delivery for the ASL Action Plan and has a wide stakeholder membership. This approach provides accountability through discussion, challenge, and delivery progress. This governance structure has been established to ensure transparency in the delivery of our work and to create accountability of Ministers and our partners, including COSLA, ADES and Education Scotland. It also allows regular scrutiny of the work plan and prioritisation of any areas of concern and progress on short, medium, and long-term actions. The ASL Project Board meets on a bi-monthly basis to consider progress towards delivery of the ASL Action Plan. This approach enables clear and transparent information about the delivery of the ASL Action Plan to be shared with strategic partners, and to inform our related policy work.

Professor Hayward submitted her final report from her Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment in June 2023. Scottish Government and COSLA have been working with all ASL Project Board members, their partners and stakeholders and all action owners, to provide opportunities for children and young people with additional support needs to be involved fully in the review process, helping to ensure that our qualifications and assessment approach meets the needs of all learners, and provides support for those children and young people with additional support needs. The proposals set out in the final report are still being considered, and ASL Project Board members are mindful that changing qualifications will have broad ramifications for the whole education system, including children and young people with additional support needs. The ASL Project Board will continue to support opportunities for engagement throughout the next stages of this work to help any change or improvements that we do make to enhance the learning and teaching and to create better outcomes for our children and young people with additional support needs.

Audit Scotland have recently confirmed that they will undertake an audit of Additional Support for Learning. This work relates to one of the sub-actions of this theme’s recommendations.