Ratio of teachers for additional support needs at all-time low

The number of specialist teachers supporting pupils with additional support needs (ASN) has fallen for a fifth year in a row, leading to the worst pupil teacher ratio on record, according to research by the Scottish Greens.

The drop in staff has coincided with a large increase in pupils who have been identified as needing additional support.

Since 2010 councils have had a legal duty to identify pupils with ASN and provide necessary support, but latest figures released in response to a written question by Greens education spokesman Ross Greer show ASN teacher numbers fell to 3,358 in 2017, the fifth annual drop in a row.

In the same period the number of pupils identified with ASN has increased by more than 65,000 to 183,491.

This has led to a ratio of one ASN specialist teacher for every 55 pupils who need support.

Over the same period the average spend per pupil by local authorities on additional support for learning has decreased by 11 per cent.

Greer called for more funding to address the issue.

“Pupils with additional needs are not receiving the support they need to succeed at school because the staff required simply are not there,” he said.

“The Scottish Government needs to get to grips with this failure, and increase funding to our schools.”

A recent report by the Scottish ADHD Coalition said parents increasingly had to fight for support they are entitled to, suggesting schools do not take diagnosis of disorders such as ADHD seriously enough.