Special needs pupils missing out due to cuts
Teaching union warns inclusion policy not working
PUPILS who require extra help in the classroom are missing out because of cuts, with teachers unable to meet their needs and in some cases facing violence and disruption, a teaching union has warned.
The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has said the policy of “mainstreaming” pupils with disabilities and learning disabilities, presuming they will attend mainstream classes wherever possible, is under threat from continuing council cuts to Additional Supports Needs (ASN) in schools.
Describing the current approach as “mainstreaming on the cheap”, the EIS warned the interests of young people are not being met, while the work of ASN teachers was becoming difficult and stressful. The union said aggression faced by staff from some pupils included being bitten, spat on, scratched and grabbed.
The EIS says it fully supports the principle of educating pupils with ASN in regular schools in mainstream classes where that is in the best interests of the individual child. But the union says mainstreaming is not a cheap option and needs significant investment in specialist staff to ensure pupils get the right support.
EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said there was an increasing expectation that such work could be done by any teacher, rather than specialists, who are regularly being reassigned to cover supply shifts. He said: “Members working with pupils with ASN have reported that the current climate is extremely challenging. Cuts to ASN teacher numbers have meant these teachers having very high workloads and feeling unable to meet pupils’ needs as they would wish to.
“There is also an under-valuing of ASN teachers’ skills and experience, and the EIS has heard reports that ASN staff are often being used as supply cover, especially as the national difficulty in securing supply teachers has worsened.”
The EIS has an active network of ASN teachers, Mr Flanagan said, to enable specialist teachers to share experiences and defend ASN work. A pattern of cuts is becoming apparent, he said, as concerns flood in from members around the country about provision being reduced.
The Scottish Government is currently consulting on the future of Scotland’s mainstreaming policy, which has widespread support in principle, but has been the focus of increasing concern from families and education staff.
A number of resolutions at autumn’s EIS AGM related to disruptive and aggressive behaviour, indiscipline problems, the consequences of the presumption of mainstreaming, family learning, closing the attainment gap, teacher shortages, and the reduction in educational psychological services.
Cosla’s education, children, people spokesperson Councillor Stephanie Primrose said: “Cosla believes that the principles of GIRFEC [getting it right for every child] must be the basis of any decision of whether or not to place a pupil with ASN in a mainstream school. But each decision must be based on the needs of the pupil.
“Unfortunately, there are fewer ASN officers than ever before due to a significant reduction in council budgets from the Scottish Government, as well as the need to focus on classroom teacher numbers rather than the whole workforce.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The Additional Support for Learning Act places education authorities under duties to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils.
“The decisions about employment of support staff are the responsibility of individual education authorities, in light of their priorities and local circumstances, and their duties under the ASL Act.