Dyslexia Scotland welcomes new ASL report

Dyslexia Scotland has welcomed a new report by Audit Scotland

The report stresses that the Scottish Government and councils must fundamentally rethink how they plan, fund and staff additional support for learning as part of core school education in Scotland.

Since legislation in 2004 to make additional support for learning more inclusive, there has been an eight-fold increase in pupils recorded as receiving additional support; currently 40% of Scottish pupils – or 285,000 children and young people – receive ASL.

Almost all support is now delivered in mainstream classrooms, and it has become an increasingly central part of what teachers do.

The report outlines that existing measures show a wide gap in outcomes for pupils receiving additional support compared with other pupils, including being more likely to be absent or excluded from school. More appropriate ways of measuring the achievements of pupils who receive ASL are still to be developed.

Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “The Scottish Government has failed to plan effectively for its inclusive approach to additional support for learning. Current gaps in data mean it is unclear whether all children’s right to have an education that fully develops their personality, talents and abilities is being met.

“The Scottish Government and councils urgently need better quality data to understand pupils’ additional support needs and the resources required to provide support to enable all pupils to reach their full potential.”

Ruth MacLeod, Member of the Accounts Commission, said: “Councils and the Scottish Government must fundamentally rethink how additional support for learning is planned and provided as a core part of Scotland’s school education.

“This includes reviewing how mainstream and special education is provided to meet current and future additional support needs and demand. It is critical they work with pupils, parents and carers and staff throughout this process.”

Cathy Magee, Chief Executive of Dyslexia Scotland said: “This report provides further evidence about the urgent need for action for more support, specialist training and consistency in schools to identify and support children and young people with additional support needs in Scottish schools. According to this report, 12% of pupils in Scotland are dyslexic.

“Audit Scotland’s report reinforces other recent evidence. We know from our recently published ‘Towards a Dyslexia-friendly Scotland?’ report that the current average age of dyslexia identification is 13 years old and that girls are identified on average 2 years later than boys. It should be far earlier. Variability in teacher expertise and understanding of dyslexia leads to inconsistencies in identifying and supporting dyslexic learners and in too many learners not receiving the interventions they need when they need them.

“Dyslexia Scotland welcomes Audit Scotland’s recommendation that ‘The Scottish Government and councils should fundamentally evaluate, both nationally and locally, how ASL is planned for, funded and staffed as part of core education provision’. The postcode lottery for support in schools for additional support needs, including dyslexia, must end.”

Read the full report on Audit Scotland’s website.