The Scottish Government have published the latest update on their Additional Support for Learning Action Plan.
The progress report, published today (Tuesday 5 November, 2024) shares the most recent progress towards meeting the recommendations made in Angela Morgan’s Review of Additional Support for Learning (2020).
Often referred to as the ASL Review, Angela Morgan’s review made a series of recommendations around how to improve additional support for learning in Scotland. In response, the Scottish Government created an Additional Support for Learning Action Plan and committed to providing regular updates on actions taken.
The latest report is the third progress report to be published by the Scottish Government and outlines progress made between November 2022 and June 2024.
Making progress
The ASL Review made seventy-six recommendations. To date, forty of these recommended actions have been completed.
Some of the actions identified in the latest report include:
- Direct engagement with the Gypsy / Traveller community to seek views and experiences of education
- Improved signposting for parents, carers and young people to support available including organisations who can provide advice, information or practical support
- Publication of the Learning Together National Action Plan to encourage local authorities to establish parent groups of those with additional support needs. Published by The Scottish Government and COSLA, the ASL Project Board will consider how they support promotion and implementation
- Inclusion of information around additional support for learning within Scottish Book Trust’s Read, Write, Count packs distributed to every P2/P3 pupil in Scotland
- Development of the Success Looks Different Awards to recognise schools and nurseries celebrating the achievements of learners with support needs
- Addition of additional support needs as a unit in the SQA Next Generation Higher National (HN) Childhood Practice Awards pilot
- Appointment of six Early Language and Communication Leads to support professional collaboration.
Scottish Assembly of Parents and Carers
The progress report also highlights the establishment of a new Scottish Assembly of Parents and Carers. The Assembly is intended to be a new way to gather the views of parents and carers and their experiences of education in Scotland. Run by parent organisation Connect, applications to join are currently being accepted through an online process.
Find out more at https://parentcarerassembly.scot/
Priority areas
Over the next 18 months, work will continue to deliver on the recommendations of the ASL Review.
The progress report identifies three priority areas to be:
- Ongoing communication around the rights and responsibilities around additional support for learning
- Development of a National Measurement Framework to capture the range of success and achievements of children and young people with additional support needs
- A refresh of the Code of Practice, the legal guidance used by education authorities and others supporting children’s learning.
The next progress report is due to be published in March 2026.
A full copy of Additional Support for Learning Action Plan 3rd Progress Report can be found on the Scottish Government’s website. Click here to read in full.
Enquire has supported the Scottish Government to produce a parents and carers version of the progress report. Download and view here.
Enquire has also produced information for young people, sharing what the progress report is and what it means. Read the news piece, hosted on Reach.