Additional Support for Learning review: action plan - November 2022 update

Ongoing

The Scottish Government worked with partners in ADES to scope out a proposal for this research. We had originally anticipated that this research would be commissioned by April 2022. However, due to difficulties in securing an appropriate research provider, we have paused this work. We will revisit this in spring 2023.

1.2.4

Complete

The Pupil Support Staff Working Group undertook a review of pupil support staff roles. Initial findings identified significant variation of support roles, working hours and pay scales across Scotland, with local authorities determining individual roles and remuneration in line with particular local needs.

1.2.4

5.2

Complete

The Scottish Government, Local Government and Education Scotland worked closely with members of the working group to develop and publish the first national Pupil Support Staff Professional Learning Framework in September 2021. The framework and induction guide will continue to be refreshed. It has had over 27,000 views since publication.

5.2

Ongoing

The Pupil Support Staff Working Group commissioned Children in Scotland to engage directly with children and young people with additional support needs to inform the vision and values for pupil support staff.

Children in Scotland undertook engagement with children and young people between May – July 2022. A report summarising the views of children and young people was provided to the Scottish Government in August 2022.

Education Scotland will begin 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.

ADES and the Additional Support for Learning Officers network have participated in the Pupil Support Staff Working Group, contributing examples of local good practice in relation to workforce planning and development.

1.2.4

5.2

3.2.1

March 2023

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 in March 2023.

1.2.4

Autumn 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.

3.2

Ongoing

Education Scotland supports the education system at every level to ensure all learners receive high quality learning experiences and educational outcomes. This includes supporting the wider education system through a range of professional learning opportunities, using a rights based approach to increase understanding of national legislation, policies, priorities and plans for practitioners and educational leaders.

The range of professional learning opportunities includes: webinars, face to face and anytime learning and professional learning resources. They have been collaboratively developed and align with the General Teaching Council for Scotland Professional Learning Standards and the National Model for Professional Learning. Topics include: Additional Support for Learning and complex needs, rights and participation, inclusive practice, trauma informed approaches, staff wellbeing and positive relationship approaches to managing social and emotional behavioural needs.

All local authorities, including some Regional Improvement Collaboratives, have a range of professional learning programmes based on a knowledge and skills framework which reflects the range of children's additional support needs, from informed and universal through to specialist support. This includes inclusive pedagogy for all teachers and targeted assessment frameworks, such as SCERTS (Social Communication Needs).

Further consideration will be given as to how the impact of the suite of Additional Support for Learning resources available to ELC settings and schools can be measured to support effective use.

5.1.3

Complete

Stepping Stones is a new professional learning programme for recently qualified teachers in the first four years of their career post-probation. It has been developed in partnership between Education Scotland and GTCS, together with post-probation teachers. This programme allows participants to choose from a variety of professional learning opportunities, including online workshops, webinars and networking.

5.1.4

Complete

The GTCS Professional Standards were refreshed in 2021 to include reference to additional support needs throughout and make specific reference to autism and other neurodiversities.

GTCS guidance on additional support needs was produced in 2020.

5.1.4

Complete

The third edition of the Framework for Inclusion was published in June 2022 to reflect the refreshed GTCS professional standards.

5.1.4

Ongoing

Education Scotland work in partnership to share national professional learning opportunities, updates, and to hear about experiences and concerns with all 32 local authorities through a range of networks. These include: the monthly Inclusion Wellbeing and Equalities newsletter, the link officer network and the Additional Support for Learning Officers network.

During the 2022 Scottish Learning Festival, there were a number of sessions which focused on supporting children and young people with additional support needs, including a session on how to support learners in a post-Covid Scotland.

The Scottish Government continues to fund the Scottish Sensory Centre and CALL Scotland to provide specialist advice and training to school staff on support, including the use of assistive technology, for children and young people with specific communication and sensory needs.

5.1.7

9.2.1

Complete

The Scottish Government have discussed with both GTCS and SCDE the viability of a qualification in additional support for learning. Both stakeholders agree that this type of qualification would not be attractive to those considering a career in teaching. Student teachers need to experience the full spectrum of school teaching during initial teacher education and probation. Only at this stage will they be able to make an informed judgement on specialising in additional support for learning.

The recruitment of Lead Teachers is a matter for individual local authorities. Numbers are currently small, however a number of local authorities are considering further introduction of lead teacher posts from August 2022. Further work on this is detailed in TP 13.

5.1.6

Ongoing

The Scottish Government will engage with the Project Board to understand current local authority planning in this area. The Scottish Government and partners, including professional associations, will consider how any barriers to specialising can be addressed and how uptake of this pathway can be incentivised.

The Scottish Government is also working with partners to update existing guidance on the qualifications required to teach children and young people with sensory impairments.

5.1.6

Complete

A new self-evaluation framework for Initial Teacher Education to support universities to demonstrate the quality of their existing initial teacher education provision has been developed by Education Scotland and the Council of Deans of Education. This Framework is supported by analysis from the Measuring Quality in Initial Teacher Education (MQuITE) project which is tracking teachers through initial teacher education and into the early years of their teaching career.

5.1.7

Complete

Education Scotland produced national guidance on An Empowered System in June 2022.

This draft guidance can be used by all partners in the system to reflect on their role in achieving an empowered system. It recognises the importance of partnership with learners, parents and carers.

5.1.8

Complete

During the 2022 Scottish Learning Festival, there were a number of sessions which focused on supporting children and young people with additional support needs, including a session on how to support learners in a post-Covid Scotland.

9.2.1

Ongoing

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.

5.1.6

Ongoing

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.

ADES will continue to collaborate with the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists to identify opportunities for partnership working which build on the principles of Ready to Act.

As outlined in the Childcare Strategic Plan, the Scottish Government will invest in a new programme of work to support early intervention in speech and language for children and their families, helping to build confidence and capacity for staff working in ELC settings and joining up efforts across other key public services, such as health visiting.

5.1.7

April 2023

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.

6.1.1