Additional Support For Learning review action plan: final update

Theme 3: Maintaining Focus, but Overcoming Fragmentation

Completed Actions

ASL Review Recommendation 3.1

Leadership and Strategic Planning

Actions 3.1.1

There must be clear values-driven leadership, shared communication, support and challenge at all levels of the system to ensure that the experiences and achievements of children and young people with additional support needs are visible and continue to be improved.

Status of Action

Complete

See action 1.2.1 progress update

Education Scotland is an active contributor to the Children and Young People Neurodevelopment Taskforce, utilising a collaborative and task focused approach to supporting the delivery of the actions identified in the Neurodevelopmental Specification Review Report. Membership of the Taskforce comprises of cross-sector representatives from key stakeholders and partners ideally placed to progress the identified actions. This includes statutory services, national agencies and third sector representation.

The GTCS Professional Recognition Programme 2025/26 (Cohort 5) – Following the annual application process and sift, 48 Successful teachers have been notified that they have gained a space on Cohort 5 which started in September 2025. This programme is a partnership between Dyslexia Scotland and Education Scotland and is funded by the Scottish Government. The annual awards ceremony in December 2025 will award another 34 successful graduates of the programme.

Education Scotland continues to collaborate with educators and key partners to strengthen professional learning resources focused on inclusion and additional support needs within the evolving Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities (IWE) professional learning framework. These resources are complemented by a diverse range of well-attended training sessions and sector-wide networking opportunities designed to foster dialogue and shared practice. Evaluation evidence demonstrates that these initiatives are equipping practitioners with the knowledge, skills, and confidence required to implement inclusive pedagogical approaches and drive meaningful process change.

Enquire’s communications strategy has been broken down by key stakeholder groups to ensure the widest reach possible. This includes, but is not limited to, Education/professional roles, professionals out with the education sector including health and social care and children and young people and their families.

ASL Review Recommendation 3.1.2

In order to drive a holistic approach and support the visibility of children and young people with additional support needs, Council Planning must incorporate the implications of additional support for learning for all Council and Partner services.

Actions

Complete

Local planning and reporting requirements will consider the range of self-evaluation information and data available to local authorities. Guidance on planning for improvement is provided to local authorities each year by the Scottish Government and Education Scotland in line with the NIF. Statutory annual reports are submitted to the Scottish Government every year. The 7 key outcomes that we collectively expect to achieve include explicit reference to ASN. The collation of the plans and the scrutiny of these by Scot Gov and Ed Scotland should allow for further information to support this action being complete.

ASL Review Recommendation 3.2.2

Children and young people and parents and carers must be partners in the development of key policies and guidance across the system.

Actions

Complete

The Scottish Government have funded a partnership of children and young people’s organisations to develop a programme of engagement in 2025/26 so that we can hear first-hand the views of those most affected by Education Reform. Children in Scotland, Children’s Parliament, Intercultural Youth Scotland, Scottish Youth Parliament and Young Scot will engage with children and young people as part of this work.

Utilising online and in-person approaches, the organisations will engage children and young people on a series of four huddles throughout the year exploring – learner empowerment, Additional Support for Learning, qualifications and assessment and the Curriculum Improvement Cycle.

The first huddle ran in 2025 on learner empowerment, which explored how children and young people can become more empowered in their learning through the aligned priorities of Education Reform and the 2025 National Improvement Framework.

These four young people’s organisations conducted engagement sessions on ASL in early 2026. The views expressed during these sessions will provide a basis for ongoing engagement with children and young people as we embed their views into our actions in the next Parliamentary Term.

In the letter the ASL Project Board issued to Local Authority Directors of Education and Chief Executives, materials produced by Connect, Scotland Parent and Carer Organisation, were highlighted to support parents and carers in their engagement with schools both through parent councils but also as part of groups.

The COSLA Children and Young People Board represents all 32 local authorities and will continue to regularly engage with groups representing parents and carers.

Ongoing Actions

ASL Review Recommendation 3.2

Fully integrated policy making

Actions 3.2.1

Children and young people with additional support needs must be proactively and fully considered in policy making and appropriate cross-Government links made at the earliest stage.

Status of Action

Ongoing

Progress Update

The Progress Report published alongside this updated Action Plan provides detail on how this action will be progressed on Pages 21-24.