Additional Support for Learning: review

Conclusion

Scotland’s ambition for additional support for learning is clear, longstanding and widely supported. There is strong practice across the country, and many children and young people are well supported to learn, participate, and achieve success. Significant activity has also taken place nationally and locally to strengthen support.

However, the evidence shows that this activity is not yet sufficiently aligned to deliver support consistently in the current context.

This matters because additional support for learning is no longer a discrete part of the system. It is central to how education provision operates day to day.

The requirements set out in this report describe what must be in place. Some changes can be strengthened by building and extending work already underway. Others will require sustained partnership and development.

Overall, they provide a coherent basis for strengthening how the system operates and for reducing reliance on escalation and local adaptation to manage demand.

There is now an opportunity to build on the progress already made and to bring greater coherence across the landscape. This includes aligning existing policy, guidance, and improvement activity, and ensuring that national and local approaches operate more consistently.

Strengthening additional support for learning in this way will improve the experience of children, young people and families, support staff to act with greater clarity and enable inclusive education to be delivered successfully.