A REDUCTION in the number of categories for recording additional support needs staff at schools risks “generalising” what resources are needed, it has been claimed.
Data on workers who are not teachers has routinely been added to the staff census data collected by the Scottish Government a few months after the data on teachers has been published.
This year, the data was published separately in July.
The release included fewer categories of support staff and introduced a new category of pupil support assistant, bringing together two categories which had previously been reported separately – additional support needs auxiliary, or care assistants, and classroom assistants.
A report published by the Scottish Parliament in 2017 indicated a 153% increase since 2010 of children who need additional support.
Evidence recorded in the report pointed to staffing levels being an issue. It read: “The lack of resources, specifically staff, was regularly cited as the issue in evidence.
“Of the 143 parents who shared their experiences the vast majority mentioned resources of some form and 87 specifically mentioned a lack of staff and its impact on their children.”
Laura Meikle, from the Scottish Government’s Learning Directorate, said reducing the number of categories by combining them was a decision taken in consultation with educational bodies.
Meikle said: “The statistics are a very important part of the evidence base that we use to implement policy but it’s not the only one.
“We have an advisory group for additional support for learning, which has within it a wide range of stakeholders involving children, young people, parents, service delivery people – a vast array so that we capture the perspective of a range of people when we’re thinking about our implementation
“We have had discussions in that arena around about data in a slightly different way than we’re describing here in terms of this specific change. But the information comes through there about the fact that the term ‘pupil support assistant’ is more appropriate.”
Labour MSP Johann Lamont said: “So you’re seriously saying that stakeholders, who are already saying that their children’s description of their experience in school, of not having a full day in school, not being properly supported, the additional support needs that they’re entitled to is being pooled with other young people –are you seriously saying that they said to you: ‘It’s okay to generalise this? We’ll lead policy on anecdote in this group?’
“Or rather than from the evidence underneath which would underpin any policy change?”
Meikle responded: “What I’m saying is that my discussions with educational authorities and Cosla, as part of those wider discussions with all of those stakeholders, led us to be able to agree to the joining of those two categories together.”
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