Delivering support for learning for the wide range of needs in your setting can be daunting – but you don’t have to do it alone.
Latest figures from the Scottish Government, (Pupil and Teacher Characteristics, 2025) suggest approx 43% of pupils in mainstream schools in Scotland have a recognised additional support need – a statistic that has been on an upward trajectory since 2009.
Further data, pulled from the Pupil Census (Scottish Government, 2025), identified class teachers were once again the primary source of support in both primary and secondary school settings.
But teachers, education, support and early years staff are not expected to deliver this alone.
Enquire is the Scottish national advice service for additional support for learning and offer a range of information, top tips and practical resources to help raise awareness and build confidence and capacity to deliver support for learning to a growing pupil population with wide and varied additional support needs.
The right to support
First, it’s important to understand the entitlement to support as outlined in law. The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, sometimes referred to as the ASL Act, defines additional support needs being present if a child or young person, for whatever reason, is unable to benefit from school education without additional support. It highlights the right for children at school or nursery to get the support they need – regardless of if they have any kind of formal diagnosis.
This definition also makes space for reasons that do not come with a medical diagnosis, such as poverty or circumstance as well as when support is needed in direct response to a life event, such as bereavement.
There a range of protections and rights also related to education outlined in the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, and further rights for disabled learners in the Equality Act 2010.
How Enquire can help
Enquire have a range of resources to aid teachers and other educational professionals who need to plan and deliver support for learners with additional needs.
Our pages for professionals cover; understanding the right to support (including support without a diagnosis), planning and delivering support, including the range of education and support plans that might be used and working together with children and their families. It also hosts a series of short, free eModules around key topics relating to supporting learners with additional needs as well as practical classroom and school resources created by the Inclusion Ambassadors.
All these resources have been designed with teachers and other professionals in order to support them to support learners with additional needs, and their families, in a practical way.
We also have a page dedicated to specific support needs which signpost to practical tools and specialist organisations who can offer tailored or more specific advice and information to help support you, your learner and their family. Visit our I have a learner who needs support pages here.
In addition we offer:
- A telephone helpline and webchat, open to all
- A YouTube channel with a series of short informational videos as well as free recorded webinars, curated into audience specific playlists
- A quarterly newsletter which highlights significant policy or legislative updates, news from across the Enquire service and helpful, timely information across our pages
Rights into reality
We know delivering additional support for learning is not an easy task, especially in the current context of stretched resources and increasing need. But every child has the right to access and benefit from their education, and the right person-centred support to ensure they can do so. We want to help you make that a reality.
Visit the Professionals section of the Enquire website
View our YouTube channel
Sign up to the Enquire newsletter
Follow us on socials
