Additional Support for Learning review action plan: second progress report

Teacher & Practitioner Professionalism

Whilst recognising that progress has been made in the delivery of these recommendations, we acknowledge there is more to be done.

The Scottish Government worked with partners in ADES to scope out a proposal for research into effective workforce development and deployment for Pupil Support Staff. We had originally anticipated that this research would be commissioned by April 2022. However, due to difficulties in securing an appropriate research provider, we will revisit this in spring 2023.

Education Scotland began the Pupil Support Staff engagement programme in Autumn 2022 and will seek the views of pupil support staff and parents and carers to inform the vision, values and support for pupil support staff. The draft vision and values has been developed and will be shared with the workforce for consultation and feedback prior to publication. It is anticipated that the evaluation of the Engagement programme will be collated March 2023.

Initial discussions have taken place between the Scottish Government and local government to explore options to consider the development of an accredited qualification and registration programme for Additional Support Needs Assistants. This is one of the focus areas within the Pupil Support Staff engagement programme. Participants will have an opportunity to share their views and feedback will be included within the programme evaluation.

The Scottish Government and COSLA/ADES will work with the SNCT to ensure there is appropriate career progression and pathways for teachers looking to specialise in Additional Support for Learning, with the intention that this will result in an overall increase to the number of teachers who specialise in ASL in Scotland's schools, with particular emphasis on ensuring that the Lead Teacher structure delivers on this outcome.

"The importance of positive and trusting relationships with all our children and staff. How easy it is to ensure children with ASN can be included and involved in lessons - everyone will benefit from small changes in the classroom"

Quote from a teacher attending ES training

Education Scotland are working collaboratively with Scottish Government policy teams, NHS and partners to map existing additional support for learning professional learning opportunities for early learning and childcare practitioners and identify gaps to inform the future development of resources.

The Scottish Government is taking forward a range of actions to support the speech, language and communication needs of children and young people.

As part of this, the Scottish Government will establish a new national stakeholder reference group which will co-ordinate and drive activity and improvement nationally, providing expert knowledge to support and inform work to address children and young people's speech, language and communication needs, with an initial focus on the early years. The group will include representatives from the Scottish Government, COSLA, ADES, NHS Health Visitors, the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, NHS Education for Scotland Education Scotland, Children in Scotland and other partners in the Third Sector. It will seek opportunities to work across sectoral and organisational boundaries to deliver the best possible outcomes for children and young people.

Last year, as part of work on the Autism in Schools – Action Plan, we launched an autism module for use by ITE providers. Following the successful pilot at Strathclyde University, the Scottish Universities Inclusion Group and Council of Deans of Education are rolling this out to all ITE providers in Scotland this coming academic year.

Finally, the Scottish Government is working closely with the Association for Real Change (ARC) Scotland to develop and trial the Principals Into Practice programme. The purpose of the trial is to identify, design and test changes that improve planning and delivery of support for young people who need additional support as they transition to young adult life, and to bring Principles into Practice and its associated resources to completion by April 2023.

The Code of Practice Working Group will consider the outcomes from the Principles into Practice Trial Programme and consider opportunities to strengthen the guidance on transitions.