Support required

It was striking to note the recent independent review on the quality of learning for children with additional support needs (ASN). This highlights that it is an area overly reliant on ‘committed individuals’.

The report noted that legislation designed to protect and improve the educational experience of ASN youngsters is not consistently implemented across the country and is not visible or equally valued within Scotland’s education system.

These are concerns we as a coalition have been raising for some time and this situation will only worsen with rising levels of poverty and inequality, as the proportion of those with ASN is more prevalent in deprived communities.

An education learning expert has highlighted that the attainment gap between Scotland’s richest and poorest pupils will be made five times worse by December under current plans for combining school and home learning due to Covid-19.

For those with ASN this sitwe predict, will be even worse, reinforced by the fact that while the numbers of those with ASN has risen by almost a third since 2012, there has been a cut in spending of just under £1,000 for each of these pupils.

If we are to give those children and young people with ASN the best possible start in life, to truly value them, this means they get the support they need and that means putting our money where our mouth is as a society.

TOM MCGHEE, KENNY GRAHAM, NIALL KELLY AND

LYNN BELL The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition. Queen Street,

Edinburgh