Petersburn Primary School complies with Learning (Scotland) Act 2014 as amended by the Education Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 2009.

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.

It is recognised that pupils progress through the programmes of study in school at different rates.  For a variety of reasons, pupils may experience some difficulties from time to time.

This is closely monitored by the class teacher in the first instance.  The visiting Learning Support / Bilingual Support Teacher, the Principal Teacher and / or the Head Teacher may also become involved so that the appropriate support for each pupil is given.

If a pupil is identified as having additional support needs, then a ‘staged intervention’ approach would be adopted to ensure these needs are identified, planned for and met.  This process is detailed below:

Level 1 – Internal support, where education staff identify that a child or young person needs support or 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 from within Learning and Leisure Services, where it is identified that the child or young person requires support or planning from beyond the school or early years setting but within educational services.

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 multiagency services and these support needs will last for more than one year.

Pupils who attend Petersburn Language and Communication Support Centre are included in a wide range of class and whole school experiences.  Involvement is planned for and is based on the individual needs of each child and the wider group.

A range of specialist services are included for pupils from Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology and other agencies as appropriate.

Every child in the school has a ‘Named Person’ who is responsible for supporting their well-being.  The named person for mainstream pupils is the Head Teacher and for pupils in the Language and Communication Support Centre it is the Depute Head Teacher.  If you have any concerns about your child, you should speak to the ‘Named Person’.

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.  In Petersburn Primary School the named person for the Mainstream is Caroline Mitchell and for the L.C.S.C. is Laura McGhee.

Parents and pupils are an essential part of the assessment, planning and review processes and your views will be actively sought.  Parents and young people can request of the authority to establish whether a child has additional support needs.  They can also request an assessment at any time.

Planning

Getting It Right for Me plans (GIRfMEs) enable staff to plan effectively 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 through Resolve 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.