West Lothian schools to get more support teachers thanks to extra £1m funding
An extra £1.3m has been awarded to West Lothian Council to help develop Additional Support Learning across schools from August.
It will mean more teachers and support staff as well as more specialised training for teachers to work with children and young people.
It comes amid a 'spike' in the numbers of pupils needing additional support in schools and to learn at home.
Councillors across the chamber welcomed the extra funding which is part of a £1bn pot given to local authorities by the Scottish Government to boost Additional Support Learning in the new school year.
In a report to the Education Policy development and Scrutiny Panel Kristyna Macsween, the council's Additional Support Needs and Inclusion Improvement Manager said: "The Additional Support For Learning (ASL) Action Plan is already deep rooted in our Education Services and continues to be a high priority across all areas of education."
The additional funding has allowed the recruitment of five teachers as well as more school support staff.
Other key improvements include:-
Increasing teacher availability to support children and young people debilitated by mental health crisis and unable to attend school.
Increasing nurture support and resources within schools with specific supports provided by educational psychology services and additional support needs service.
National Autistic society training packages.
Improved family engagement through the delivery of Early Bird parent programmes to help parents develop understanding of autism.
The council has also recruited a Quality Improvement Officer to focus on developing Additional Support Learning across the schools estate, in primary, secondary and ASN schools.
Councillor Pauline Orr said: 'Audit Scotland said there's a wide gap exists in attainment in those deemed to have Additional Support Needs and those who don't. How does the council measure the achievements?
Ms Macsween said: 'We measure in a range of different ways across schools. We pay a lot of attention to the fact that some ASN learners progress in a different manner. We're not looking at academic success they are looking at confidence building, looking at what national approaches they can take.
'We are very cognisant of the fact that there is a gap that exists however it's about how that gap is seen , and for me it is about the measure of wider achievement is often much more important to out young people to give them access to future life chance and that's where our focus will always be. We go at their pace.'
Answering a question from SNP depute leader Pauline Stafford on the growing number of ASN placements Ms Macsween said there was an increase 'year on year' of need in children and young people.
She added: 'The level of need has significantly increased year on year we have seen a spike, with many factors around that. We are looking at the impact of Covid, the lack of socialisation. We have been working closely with NHS partners such as speech and language seeing that there is a deficit there as well.
"We are seeing an increase and we want to make sure we meet that need at all costs. Any decision is never around placement on a monetary decision it is taken on the needs of the pupils.'
Councillor Orr thanked the team for their work and added: 'It's very welcome to see us going in such a constructive and positive direction.'
Councillor Stafford said: 'It's really good to hear just how wide ranging support is for staff and learners, and also to hear the benefits of presumption of mainstream education. It is also a welcome boost to funding from the Scottish Government. Let's hope that's going to continue.'
Chair of the PDSP Councillor Andrew McGuire added: 'I think the funding boost is very much welcome, and we are doing a lot with that money.
'It would be good to provide some permanency to that funding given the issues and the challenges that we face. We should encourage the Scottish Government to make sure that funding becomes permanent.'
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