Rennie comments on additional support needs report

Commenting on an embargoed report from School Leaders Scotland (SLS), which shows a sharp decline in the number of successful applications for additional support needs provision in secondary schools, with 80% of SLS members stating that their workload has greatly increased due to the growing demands of additional support needs, Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP said:

“We are setting up young people to fail and placing an intolerable workload on staff in schools.

“There is little point in identifying additional support needs if the support isn’t available to assist young people. When there is inadequate support in the class everyone suffers, not just the pupils with additional support needs.

“Mainstreaming and inclusion is just not working at present. The SNP Government must wake up to the scale of the issue before the system breaks.”