ASL Review – Make Your Voice Heard!

Overview

A review of the implementation of additional support for learning (ASL) in schools was announced in January 2019.

The review is founded on a continued commitment to a presumption to mainstreaming and on the need to ensure that children and young people’s additional support needs are met. This will enable them to reach their full potential, with learning provision that best suits their needs.

The review will be led by Angela Morgan.

She will consider current evidence and engage with a range of people and groups to identify good practice and areas for further improvement in the ways that children and young people with additional support needs progress in their learning.

Remit

The review will consider:

how ASL works in practice, across early learning and childcare centres, primary, secondary and special schools (including enhanced provision, services and units)
where children and young people learn within the balance of the provision set out above, recognising that not all authority areas have all of those provisions
the quality of learning and support, including overall achievement and positive destinations achieved post-school
the different approaches to planning and assessment to meet the needs of children and young people
the roles and responsibilities of support staff, teaching staff, leadership role, education authorities and national agencies
the areas of practice which could be further enhanced through better use of current resources to support practice, staffing or other aspects of provision

Review timescales

Angela will gather views and experiences from October to December 2019. It is anticipated that a report with recommendations for next steps will be available in spring 2020.

Angela Morgan’s background

Angela brings vast knowledge and experience to this role. She was born in London and has spent over half her life in Scotland. After social work training at the University of London she decided to pursue her profession in the third sector; initially in mental health (in Scotland with SAMH) and later working with children and young people.

She was the Chief Executive of Includem until 2018, and has remained involved in a range of, mostly voluntary activity focused on improving lives. She is a member of the workforce journey group for the Independent Care Review.