Sturgeon challenged on teacher numbers

Labour leader Richard Leonard has challenged First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s record on education amid a fall in the number of specialist teachers for children with additional support needs.

Mr Leonard said there were 122 fewer specialist teachers under Ms Sturgeon’s government, despite the number of children identified as having additional support needs rising by more than 40,000.

He raised the case of Callum, 13, who has low-functioning autism and whose mother has said her son went into “meltdown on a daily basis” due to not having the right support at secondary school.

Mr Leonard said: “First Minister, can you tell Callum’s family why special- ist teachers have been cut under your government?”

Ms Sturgeon replied that the overall number of staff – not just teachers – supporting children with ASN had increased.

She said: “The overall number of staff supporting pupils with additional support needs has increased.

“We want to do more and we want to understand the experience of young people like Callum. That is why the Deputy First Minister would be very happy to speak with that young man’s family.”

Mr Leonard called for a pledge to rule out cuts and said: “The First Minister stands up in this parliament and claims that education is her top priority, and week after week people in the real world – teachers and parents – get in touch to tell me about the impact of her cuts.”