Additional Support Needs

An additional support need comes from anything which is a barrier to learning. Most or all schools will have some children with additional support needs of some kind. The education authority has many legal duties towards pupils with additional support needs. Information about this is contained in a booklet called In On The Act : Information For The General Public which is published on the education authority website at: www.edinburgh.gov.uk/inontheact

At Prestonfield Primary School, we have an experienced Support for Learning team who develop strategies to help overcome barriers to learning, and to review and assess the support needs of pupils across the school.  Support for learning maybe delivered by:

•  Class Teachers
• Pupil Support Assistants
• Pupil Support Officer
• Support for Learning Teacher
• School Leadership Team
• Additional Support for Learning Services

Getting it Right for Every Child

Wellbeing

To help make sure everyone – children, young people, parents, and the services that support them – has a common understanding of what wellbeing means, we describe it in terms of eight indicators.

Understanding Wellbeing  (Getting It Right for Every Child, Scottish Government (2016)  

Wellbeing sits at the heart of the Getting it right for every child ( GIRFEC ) approach and reflects the need to tailor the support and help that children, young people and their parents are offered to support their wellbeing.  A child or young person’s wellbeing is influenced by everything around them and the different experiences and needs they have at different times in their lives. At Prestonfield all classes regularly discuss wellbeing and pupils complete individual wellbeing web assessments twice each year.

Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity describes the range of differences in individual brain function and behavioural traits.  This includes Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder, Developmental Delay and a variety of other conditions/situations.

At Prestonfield we understand all our learners are different and some of these differences can be a barrier to learning. Anything that is a barrier to learning is an additional support need. We have a number of universal measures in place to support the inclusion of our learners.  Class teachers regularly engage with the Circle Tool to consider how routines and environment can best  support learners.

https://education.gov.scot/media/szlogrpf/circle-primary-resource-int.pdf

At Prestonfield we also work with a variety of partners including parents and carers, health professionals and social work to identify additional support needs and for some learners put targeted supports in place to allow the child to thrive.

GIRFEC – The City of Edinburgh Council

Child Planning –  attachment

Pathways to support inclusion – attachment

https://education.gov.scot/learning-in-scotland/programmes/support-for-all/

Dyslexia Support

When children, young people and adults have difficulty developing fluency reading and/or spelling, they are sometimes described as having dyslexia.  All teaching staff at Prestonfield have completed professional learning on supporting children with literacy difficulties.  If you have concerns about your child’s development in this areas please arrange to speak to your child’s class teacher or support for learning teacher.

Parent leaflets-  attachment

Young Carer Support

Prestonfield Primary School has been working in partnership with Edinburgh Young Carers and has delivered workshops to our children.  The charity provides support and respite for children 5-25 who care for or is affected by someone else at home – usually a parent or sibling – who suffers from physical or mental ill health, or who has substance misuse issues.

If you feel that your child could be a young carer, please contact Mrs Pagan our Pupil Support Officer.

You can follow the charity on Facebook/Instagram or go to https://www.youngcarers.org.uk/ for more information. 

Young Career Assessment attached

Care Experienced Support 

Prestonfield Primary works closely with children, families and partner agencies to meet the needs of our care experienced community.  This work is built around the central principles of The Promise which states that children should feel loved, safe and respected.  We endeavor to focus on what matters to children and families which ensuring that the child’s voice is heard and listened to.

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/children-families/edinburghs-promise