Meeting Learners' Needs

All Scotland's children and young people are entitled to support to enable them to gain as much as possible from the opportunities that Curriculum for Excellence provides. Some children may need additional support. 

Inclusion

Curriculum for Excellence is an inclusive curriculum from 3 to 18 wherever learning is taking place.

Equalities legislation has been put in place relating to race, gender, age, disability, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

The Additional Support for Learning legislation in Scotland also promotes inclusion. There is a duty to provide additional support for learning when any child or young person needs support for whatever reason.

Supporting Children’s Learning Code of Practice, the statutory guidance which accompanies the Additional Support for Learning Act explains that there is a range of factors that may give rise to a child’s additional support needs. These include the learning environment that the child encounters, social and emotional factors, health and disability and the child’s family circumstances.

Support

All children and young people need support to help them learn and develop. The needs of the child or young person should always be central to the identification, planning and provision of support. Support should be appropriate, proportionate and timely.

Universal support

Universal support starts with the ethos, climate and relationships within every learning environment. It is the responsibility of all staff.

Planned learning and assessment activities are carried out continually, and progress is regularly reviewed in conversations between teachers and the leadership team. 

All pupils have regular opportunities to discuss their learning and development with an adult who knows them well, and with whom they have a mutually trusting relationship. 

Targeted support

At times, some pupils can benefit from additional or targeted support, tailored to their individual circumstances. This could be at any points of their learning journey or throughout the journey. It is the responsibility of the leadership team to target support for learning staff to children with specific needs

Barriers to learning may arise from specific learning difficulties, disability, social, emotional or behavioural needs, bereavement or family issues. Additional support may also be required to ensure progress in learning for the gifted and able, looked after children and young people, young carers, Gypsies and Travellers, asylum seekers and those for whom English is not a first language.

Some examples of targeted support are:

• Providing nurture support to help children settle into school life

• Providing specific English Language support

• Providing additional maths support

• Supporting dyslexic children with technology

• Increasing the ratio of staff in  Literacy and Numeracy group sizes

• Providing opportunities for pupils to take movement breaks

Children receiving targeted support will have a Child's Wellbeing Plan which will be shared with you. There will also be additional times for you to discuss your child's progress and, in some cases, involvement of East Renfrewshire Psychological Service. 

If you have any concerns about your child's progress, please contact the office.