Additional Support Needs

The Law

All schools have duties under the Equality Act 2010 towards individual disabled pupils. In addition to duties under the Equality Act, the needs and rights of children and young people with additional support needs is addressed by a variety of Scottish legislation

• the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (assisted by Additional support for learning: statutory guidance 2017)
• the Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils Education Records) (Scotland) Act 2002.
• the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009
• the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014
• the Education (Scotland) Act 2016
• and others

Terminology

In Scotland the 2004 Act replaced the term Special Educational Needs (SEN) by Additional Support Needs (ASN).  (And you may also come across the acronym, ASL (Additional Support for Learning). SEN is still used in the rest of the UK.

What is a disability?

While it may seem inappropriate to some to talk about learners with ASN as “disabled”, Under the Equality Act, a person is defined as disabled if they have “a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities”.

What conditions are covered?

Additional support needs can arise, in the short or long term, from a variety of circumstances. This will include things such as being bullied, recent bereavement, being a carer, persistent health issues and a variety of other circumstances.

• However, we will focus on health and disability needs. These include (but are not limited to:
• Physical disabilities or chronic health conditions (e.g., diabetes, asthma, epilepsy)
• Sensory impairments like hearing or sight loss
• long-term learning difficulties or disabilities e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia
• Mental health conditions like anxiety or depression
• Being on the autistic spectrum.

What do Schools need to do?

The legislation in Scotland has a ‘presumption of mainstreaming’. Educations should be provided it in a mainstream school (ie not a special school). unless specific circumstances set out in the legislation arise. And the legislation states s that “those circumstances arise only exceptionally.”

The Scottish Government says, “All children and young people have the right to get the support they need to reach their full learning potential… Some children and young people need additional support to benefit fully from their education.”

Scottish schools must have an accessibility plan as required by the Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils Education Records) (Scotland) Act 2002. These plans outline how local education authorities and schools will improve accessibility for disabled pupils and those with additional support needs, including physical access, curriculum access, and assistive technology.

The role of the teaching assistant

Teaching assistants can, when trained, supported and used well, be invaluable in helping learners with additional support needs participate fully in and benefit from science and technology lessons.

Preparation

In the context of practical work in particular, teaching assistants:

• should be made familiar with the risk assessments for practical work, and asked for input about the significance of any hazards for the pupils that they are supporting
• should be clear about the lesson objectives and outcomes for those they are assisting. 
• It will help immensely if they have some sort of a background in science or technology but if not they should be properly prepared in advance by the department. It should be clear whose responsibility this is.

How can SSERC help?

There is a LOT of information out there and the majority of the adaptations required for ASN learners will be carried out at the school (or even Local Authority) level.  However, SSERC can offer some assistance:

• In regard to health and safety as it relates to specific disabilities
• In regard to issues relating particularly to science and technology