Additional Support For Learning review action plan: final update

Theme 5: Workforce Development and Support

Completed Actions

ASL Review Recommendation 5.1

Teacher Education and Development

Actions 5.1.2

All teachers understand what additional support needs are. They are clear about their role in supporting the identification of additional support needs and the need to adapt their teaching to ensure a meaningful learning experience for all their learners.

Status of Action

Complete

ASL Review Recommendation 5.1.3

All teacher education and development includes nationally specified practice and skill development in supporting learners with ASL needs as a core element.

Actions

Complete

The Scottish Government provided funding to Education Scotland to develop and facilitate a national certificate ASN teacher professional learning programme. This funding also allowed for 10 of Education Scotland’s ASN associates (ESAs) to focus on differentiation/adaptive teaching working with educators in schools and at local authority to improve the knowledge, understanding and practice of implementation into effective learning and teacher pedagogy for all learners, including those who require additional support. In addition to the 10 ESAs who Education Scotland also have 5 other Education Scotland ESAs have been working since last September before the others:

3 focusing on literacy difficulties

1 transitions with a focus on complex needs

1 focussing on ASN data

Education Scotland continue to work in collaboration with a range of educators and partners to continue developing professional learning resources within the IWE professional learning framework. This includes a range of professional learning opportunities and webinars on the Inclusion, wellbeing and equalities framework and across the Education Scotland website.

IWE networks and working groups are supported with consistent key messaging relating to national updates, providing valuable support to educators across the system through discussions, shared practice and professional learning.

• 2 National Complex Needs Networks (NCNN), strategic and practitioners – with over 1000 members
• Relational Approaches National Network established in March 2025.
• The SCERTs (Social Communication, Emotional Regulation and Transactional Support) network approx 500 members.
• The Rights and Participation network
• Safeguarding Network
• Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit and the Autism Toolbox working groups.

ASL Review Recommendation 5.1.4

Practice learning and development at local level must include where and how to access specialist expertise and support.

Actions

Complete

ASL Review Recommendation 5.1.5

Communication, relationship building and positive mediation skills development are incorporated and embedded into teacher education and development, supported by coaching and mentoring opportunities.

Actions

Complete

See action 5.1.3 progress update

ASL Review Recommendation 5.1.6

Parity of career progression and pathway structures and opportunities for specialist teachers of ASL:

• There should be a first teaching qualification in ASN available at Initial Teacher Education;
• The career path proposal under consideration by the SNCT to develop new career pathways should have an additional strand for ASL.

Actions

Complete

ASL Review Recommendation

Actions 5.1.7

The focus and methods for teacher education and practice learning are directly informed and developed by the feedback of teachers.

Status of Action

Complete

The Inclusion Wellbeing and Equalities framework continues to be developed as a national resource for all educators to access high quality, up-to-date professional learning opportunities. New resources and opportunities are being added to the ‘Informed’ and ‘Skilled’ level of the framework and to support the Relationships and Behaviour in school Action Plan a programme of webinars have taken place which have been very well attended and with positive feedback.

The Scottish Government also published the Early Years Speech, Language and Communication Action Plan on the 2nd of December 2025, supporting practitioners to embed the “Chatting Together” messages in all ELC settings and early intervention approaches in partnership with families and communities. This Action Plan will strengthen collaboration between health visitors, ELC practitioners and local authorities to ensure SLC needs are identified early and addressed consistently across Scotland.

3 SLT’s will now be seconded into NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to support the implementation of the new Early Years Speech, Language and Communication (SLC) Action Plan. The team will be working on the key actions outlined in the plan, focusing on leading the system-wide change and workforce development necessary to improve early SLC outcomes for children across Scotland.

ASL Review Recommendation

Actions 5.1.8

Innovative and partnership approaches to practice learning should be developed including delivery and participation of children and young people, parents and carers.

Status of Action

Complete

Information was highlighted in the letter the ASL Project Board issued to Local Authority Directors of Education and Chief Executives for teams who wished to further their capacity to improve, explore how improvement methodology has benefited children's services and directed them to improvement modules at the Children and Young People Improvement Collaborative website.

ASL Review Recommendation 5.2

Pupil Support Assistants

Actions 5.2.1

The Classroom Support Staff working group must, as part of their work, undertake a review of roles and remit of Pupil Support Assistants. This must include the development of clear specifications for how classroom teacher and pupil support assistant roles interact and complement each other. It must also consider standards of practice, learning pathways, career progression routes and remuneration.

Status of Action

Complete

Ongoing Actions

ASL Review Recommendation 5.1

Teacher Development

Actions 5.1.1

All teachers hold and enact professional values of inclusion and inclusive practice and see this as a core part of their role.

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.