Nairn Councillor Barbara Jarvie calls out Highland Council’s allocation system for additional support learning (ASL) resources after Nairn Academy pupil’s letter
A Nairn councillor shared her disappointment in the current system used to allocate additional support learning (ASL) resources in the Highlands, saying that “it is not addressing every child’s needs”.
Cawdor and Nairn representative Barbara Jarvie spoke out about her concerns about the allocation system introduced by Highland Council in February 2023, after The Inverness Courier spoke to a Nairn Academy pupil who wrote to the local authority sharing the negative impact the loss of one-on-one support is having on his daily life.
Issues with the new system, which allocates ASL resources (including funding and staff) based on school rolls, rurality, whether a child receives a clothing or footwear grant, and the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, have been raised since the model was first introduced.
According to the council, this would make the creation of children’s plans more efficient and ensure that resources are “divided fairly across the region.”
However, councillor Jarvie said the new system discriminates against those children with additional needs who are not in receipt of benefits.
She said: “Having listened to, and been part of the attempts to raise the issue of the Additional Support Needs allocation system from parents and staff — with numerous Parent Council meetings regarding pupils needing support since I have been elected in 2022 — I am disappointed this system still blunders on with support by the education committee and council when it fails to support ALL those that it should.
“‘Children with additional needs’ means they have rights and needs for support to access equal opportunities of education. They arrive daily as enthusiastic as any other pupil to learn, and sit exams to demonstrate their achievements and abilities to do well. However, where the support is absent, they struggle to progress and fall behind. When this occurs long-term, the impact of attainment is affected, causing frustration and stressful situations that they struggle to cope with.”
Quoting the Child at the Centre’ and Getting it Right For Every Child policy, (GIRFEC) policies as base of the decision-making process, she said each pupil is meant to be seen as individuals, but that the concerns raised indicate the system is not addressing every child’s needs.
“The support staff allocation system is based on certain poverty-related statistics without a holistic approach to reflect the aim of support for all ASN children,” she continued.
“Although poverty and learning has been evidenced as a linked issue, and I support addressing that point, it does not mean every child below the poverty line has additional needs.
“Conversely, the current system extended by Highland Council, offers unfair inconsistency whilst discriminating against those children with additional needs not in receipt of benefits. How can this possibly meet the criteria of the policies aimed at best outcomes for every child?”
Referring to the letter sent to the council by S2 pupil Tom Rhind, which was backed by the Nairn Academy Parent Council — who also wrote to the local authority on the issue — she said that he seems as a child “who wants to be educated fairly”.
“No child should feel despondent about their future, and no pupil certainly should not feel as if the doors of opportunity are closed to them. I sincerely hope these letters are not dismissed and are actioned upon as a voice for all ASN children whose individual needs are not currently being met with consistency of support that they are entitled to by law. The format needs reviewed to encompass policy and legislation to reflect every child who needs support.
“I am also concerned over the lack of any permanent contracts for support staff across Highland Council. It is unbelievable a high-value role needs to reapply for their posts every year?
“We really need to value their consistent and vital input to the system more and offer permenent contracts to enable consistent support in schools.
“As one teacher told me, they are the eyes in the back of your heads, who discretely support not just the ASN child, but support me as a teacher with the smooth functioning of each class that benefits every child.
“As we have been told that finance is not the issue, why then is this not realistically addressed as job security for staff and reassuring consistency in our schools?”
The letters are expected to be read out at the next Education Committee meeting in June.
