Additional Support Needs
Keir Hardie Memorial Primary School and Nursery Class complies with the Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 2004 as amended by the Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 2009 and the Additional Support for Learning: Statutory Guidance 2017.
North Lanarkshire Council’s policy is contained within “Support for Learning Policy into Practice 2”, a copy of which is available in the School. The school has a Support for Learning Policy, available from the school on request, which is consistent with North Lanarkshire Council guidelines.
Children in our school are continuously monitored to ensure their educational needs are being met. Children who have been identified as having additional support needs may be supported at times, with an Additional Support Needs Assistant or Classroom Assistant. If necessary the school Educational Psychologist may become involved for further assessments. We also work closely with Health and Social Services to support children in our school. The Principal Teachers liaise with the class teacher to discuss assessment, learning programmes and monitors progress of each child. Parents and children are involved in these processes. At times of transition from nursery to primary and primary to secondary school we involve the other school staff to provide as smooth a transition as possible and also to ensure support is in place.
We have a policy in place to ensure we follow North Lanarkshire Education and Families staged intervention process:
Level 1 – Internal support, where education staff identify that a child or young person needs support of planning which can be met within the existing classroom or playroom setting.
Level 2 – Internal support, where education staff identify that a child or young person needs support or planning from within the school or early years establishment.
Level 3 – External support where education staff identify that the child or young person requires support or planning from beyond the school or early years establishment but within educational.
Level 4 – External support provided on a multiagency basis, where the child or young person’s needs are identified as requiring support or planning from other agencies out with education such as health, social work and/or voluntary services and these support needs are likely to last for more than one year.
In Keir Hardie Primary, as a mainstream school, we teach children with a variety of additional support needs. We liaise with agencies in education and outwith education to support the child.
We access services for pupils with English as an additional language to assess any children we identify requiring support. Help and advice can be given to the teacher, or additional support may be provided to the child or family by the specialist teacher if necessary.
Looked After Children i.e. children who are cared for directly or whose care is supervised by the local authority are deemed to have Additional Support Needs unless assessment determines otherwise. The Head Teacher, Mrs Shirley Queen is the designated Personnel in Keir Hardie. She liaises with other agencies, the carers and children, and attends multi-agency meetings to support the child.
Parents and young people can request an assessment at any time to establish whether a child or young person has additional needs or requires a Co-ordinated Support Plan. Parents should contact the Head Teacher, Mrs Queen, if they have any concerns.
Parents and pupils are an essential part of the assessment; planning and review processes and your views will be actively sought.
Getting it Right for Me plans
GIRFMe plans enable staff to plan effectively for children and young people when interventions are requires to support their learning a improve outcomes. Parents/carers and pupils are an essential part of the assessment; planning and review processes and their views will be actively sought.
Some children and young people may require significant support from education and at least one other agency, such as health, social work and/or voluntary agency to help them meet their learning targets. Where this support requires a high level or co-ordination the opening of a Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) may be considered. A CSP may be initiated by the school or another agency.
Parents/carers and young people can, if they wish, request that a CSP be considered and would be involved in the process.
Parents/carers will receive letters from the Education Authority throughout the CSP process.
Parents/carers and young people will be invited to take part in multiagency meetings and their views will be recorded in the plan.
Where more intensive support for a child or young person needs to be planned for, usually when a number of agencies are involved in supporting their wellbeing then a Child’s Plan may be developed. The plan will tell you what actions need to be taken and who will help with each action. It will usually be someone called a ‘Lead Professional’ who will have the job of making sure that the actions outlined in the plan take place and things get better for the child or young person.
