Concerns raised over school workers

A reduction in the number of categories for recording additional support needs (ASN) staff at schools risks “generalising” what resources are needed, it has been claimed.

Data on workers who are not teachers has routinely been added to the staff census data collected by the Scottish Government a few months after the data on teachers has been published. This year, the data was published separately in July.

The release included fewer categories of support staff and introduced a new category of pupil support assistant, bringing together two categories which had previously been reported separately – additional support needs auxiliary, or care assistants, and classroom assistants.

During a meeting of Holyrood’s education committee, Labour MSP Johann Lamont said the generalising of resources meant the additional support of some pupils was being “pooled” with that of other young people.

Laura Meikle, from the Scottish Government’s Learning Directorate, said the joining of the two categories followed discussions with educational authorities and local government organisation Cosla.