At The Central School we strive to meet the needs of all learners, whether they need additional reinforcement on a concept, the opportunity to extend their thinking or support socially and emotionally in the classroom and throughout the school.
We know that some children and young people need extra support to help them overcome barriers in learning. We are committed to providing additional support for children and young people who without such support, would be unable to benefit from school education.
Children may need extra help with their education for a variety of reasons, for example:
- Difficulties with relationships
- Challenges with learning or understanding
- Problems at home
- Bullying
- A sensory impairment or communication disorder
- A physical disability
- Being a young carer or parent
- Moving home frequently
- Having English as an additional language
Every child is different and any support provided should meet their individual needs.
There are lots of ways we can support children, such as:
- Time with additional support needs staff
- Adapting the way they are taught
- Assistance from Educational Psychologists and Speech and Language Therapists
- Equipment, such as a laptop or special seating
- Strategies, like using nurture rooms
Children in the Highlands Information Point (CHIP+) have updated their information for families. This explains the legislation, the support available and also includes some useful contacts.
You can also access a number of information sheets produced by CHIP+ on Meeting Learning Needs.
Click here or follow the following links for more information
http://www.highland.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/11/co-ordinated_support_plan
Information about the 2009 Additional Support for Learning Act
Legal information
The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 came into force in November 2005. In June 2009, the Act was amended. These amendments form the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 and it comes into force on 14 November 2010.
What does this mean for pupils and parents?
The new Act doesn’t change the basic purpose of the 2004 Act – it aims to strengthen some duties under the Act and clarify parts that have been confusing.
Here are some of the main changes:
- Under the 2004 Act ‘additional support’ means support that is provided in a classroom or a school. The 2009 Act changes this to include support that is given out of school but that helps a child get the most out of their school education. This could include a social worker helping a child who refuses to go to school or a mental health nurse supporting a child to cope with issues affecting their school life.
- Children who are looked after by a local authority will automatically be assumed to have additional support needs. For looked after children who don’t need extra help this will have little impact. For those who do need help it will make sure their needs are considered as they move through school or if they change school. Local authorities will also be expected to check whether these children require a Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) or not.
- The 2009 Act allows parents to ask their local authority for a specific type of assessment at any time. Under the 2004 Act parents had this right only when asking the education authority to identify whether their child had additional support needs or when asking the education authority whether their child required a CSP.
- The duties that local authorities have towards young disabled children have been strengthened. Under the new Act local authorities have a duty to assess disabled children aged between 0 and 3 and provide them with additional support, if required, in agreement with their parents.
- Local authorities will have to publish information on where parents and carers can find help, information and advice, including contact details for Enquire. Local authorities will have to make sure that a summary of this information (including details of dispute resolution and mediation services) is available from all schools (and other sites that provide education). They also need to make sure this information is included in school handbooks and on their website.
- There is a section about placing requests that states that parents of children with additional support needs, (including those that have CSPs) can make placing requests to any school in Scotland including schools outside of the local authority area they live in.
- All appeals about placing requests to special schools (whether the child has a CSP or not) will be referred to the Additional Support Needs Tribunal. Some of the changes made in the 2009 Act deal specifically with children who have, or may require a CSP, and in particular to disagreements between local authorities and parents about the CSP.
- The Act extends the reasons that a parent or young person can make a referral (called a reference) to the Additional Support Needs Tribunal. Parents can make a referral when a local authority decides that a child does not need a CSP but also when local authorities have: failed to provide the additional support set out in the CSP; not responded to a parent’s request to find out whether their child needs a CSP within a given time; or, after having said they will consider whether a CSP is required have not made a decision (within a given time) on whether the child needs a CSP or not.
- The Act also gives the Additional Support Needs Tribunal extra powers to force local authorities to provide, or make arrangements providing additional support that is set out in a CSP if they have not done so.
- The new Act includes a duty for the Scottish Government to fund a national independent advocacy service (on request and free of charge) to support parents and young people in Additional Support Needs Tribunal proceedings.
The above points do not include all the changes resulting from the 2009 Act but simply cover the main points. Throughout the summer Enquire will be changing all their guides and fact sheets to take account of the 2009 Act.
If you have any questions about the 2009 Act
Click here for more information
Central School 