ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NEEDS:
1. St. Bernadette’s Primary School complies with the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 as amended by the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009.
2. 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.
3. It is school policy to continually monitor pupils’ progress to alert staff to possible difficulties. In line with North Lanarkshire Policy, we operate a system of staged intervention to support our children. Support may be required as a result of a concern in respect of one or more categories which you can see in the diagram above.
Staged Intervention Model
Level 1
Where a child has been identified in need of support, the area of difficulty will be specified and discussed with the teacher, Head Teacher, parents and the child – where appropriate. Initial support will be planned and provided for internally within the classroom setting. This may be group or individual support.
Level 2
Where more targeted support is required, this will again be provided internally within the school. This might involve additional support from our Network Support Teacher. Some children requiring support for learning or who have emotional difficulties will have an Additional Support Plan (A.S.P.) which will set out short and long term targets to be addressed. This will be done in consultation with parents.
Level 3
Sometimes children need support which is provided by education services but comes from outwith the school. In this case, support could be provided from Psychological Services. Again, parents will be fully consulted.
Level 4
External support involving multi agencies will be provided where a child is identified as requiring support and planning for more than one year. In this instance a detailed Co-ordinated Support Plan (C.S.P.) will be drawn up. This will also be done in full consultation with parents.
Our Support for Learning Policy enables us to identify both more able and less able children who will be challenged or supported according to their needs.
4. Pupils with English as an additional language may be referred for ‘English as an additional language support’.
Learning & Leisure Services
5. 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.
6. Parents and young people can request an assessment to establish whether a child or young person has additional needs or requires a Co-ordinated Support Plan.
7. Parents and pupils are an essential part of the assessment, planning and review processes and your views will be actively sought.
Planning
Additional Support Plans (ASPs) enable staff to plan for children and young people with Additional Support Needs.
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 of 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 and young people can, if they wish, request that a CSP be considered and would be involved in the process. Parents will receive letters from the Education Authority throughout the CSP process. Parents and young people will be invited to take part in multi agency meetings and their views will be recorded in the plan.
Dispute Resolution
North Lanarkshire Council is committed to resolving any differences of views through discussion, dialogue and building on common ground. If the matter cannot be resolved with the Education Authority you have the right to request mediation. An independent mediation service is available to parents and young people through Resolve (see contact details at the back of this handbook). Mediation is free and independent of the Education Authority.
In the event that a disagreement cannot be resolved through mediation, then an application for Independent Adjudication (see contact details at the back of this handbook) can be made by parents free of charge. The Independent Adjudicator will make recommendations to the Education Authority about how the dispute should be resolved.
The Additional Support Needs Tribunal has been set up to hear appeals made by parents or young people on the decisions made by the Education Authority relating to Co-ordinated Support Plans, placing requests and post school transition. If you disagree with any decision relating to your child’s Co-ordinated Support Plan, either the creation of a CSP, or the content of it, you may be entitled to refer to the Tribunal.
