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Category Archives: Articles & Reports

ASN mediation feature in Times Educational Supplement Scotland

This article which appeared in TESS in August 2015 gives an excellent overview of ASN mediation in Scotland, including interviews with a parent and an ASL manager. The article poses the question: independent mediators have been resolving additional support for learning disputes for a decade, but with demand for their services rising and budgets falling, can they keep up?

Read the full article here.

Young Talk – Peer Mediators in Scotland Getting Together

 

Primary school artwork describing peer mediation and its rules
Peer Mediation Poster

The Scottish Mediation Network recently launched a pilot project called Young Talk – a network for peer mediators in Scotland.  The purpose of Young Talk is to support peer mediation in schools and  youth organisations, as a method of preventative and restorative conflict resolution. Peer mediation allows children and young people to deal positively with conflict among their peers, on their own terms.

More information about the launch of Young Talk here

Or email Roxan Nazifishirayi, the Peer Mediation Network Coordinator at SMN 

National Parent Forum of Scotland: ASL Survey

The National Parent Forum of Scotland was set up to give Parent Councils and parents an opportunity to discuss and raise educational issues and/or concerns at a national level.

The Forum works in partnership with national and local government, and other organisations involved in Scottish education.

The Forum is currently seeking the views of parents about the provision of Additional Support for Learning (ASL) throughout Scotland.
Take part in the survey here

More information about the National Parent Forum of Scotland here

Scottish Government ASL Report

The Scottish Government recently published its third Annual Report on additional support for learning.  The report identifies 131,621 pupils in Scotland’s local authority and grant-aided schools as having additional support needs – representing almost one in five (19.5%) of all pupils.  This is an increase of 1.5% on the numbers reported in 2012.

Read a summary of the report on Enquire’s website here.

Read the full report on the Scottish Government website here.

Education Scotland report on dyslexia, May 2014

The report is the outcome of an independent review of education for children and young people who have dyslexia, carried out on behalf of the Scottish Government.

The report identifies that although there have been improvements in practice since the last review in 2008, there is still inconsistency and variability in practice across Scotland’s 32 local authorities. The report also highlights that young people with dyslexia attain significantly less well than their peers who do not have additional support needs.

A number of recommendations are identified in the report: Making Sense: Education for Children and Young People with Dyslexia in Scotland

The free online Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit is a useful resource for parents, families, schools and local authorities.

2014 Survey of parents

Children in Scotland in partnership with for Scotland’s Disabled Children is carrying out a survey of parents and carers, aimed at finding out more about the needs of families with a disabled child.
The survey will enable fSDC and Children in Scotland to represent issues important to families to the policy and decision makers, and they will be using the data gathered to assist the Scottish Government in finding ways to involve parents more meaningfully, both at a national and local level.
The survey is available here.

Please share the survey with parents and any relevant contacts. The survey can also be provided in hard copy with a prepaid return envelope on request. For more information, or to request a printed copy, please contact Fee Ferguson at fferguson@childreninscotland.org.uk or on 0131 222 2444.