The Scottish Government

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3 SCHOOL PUPILS WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NEEDS ATTENDING COLLEGES

3.1. INTRODUCTION

3.1.1 Schools and colleges are working in partnership to extend the range of educational opportunities available to pupils, particularly pupils in S3 and above. This includes pupils with additional support needs.

3.1.2 In May 2005, the Scottish Government published Lifelong Partners - Scotland's Schools and Colleges Building the Foundations of a Lifelong Learning Society - A Strategy for Partnership. A copy of the Strategy can be viewed at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/05/12141846/18473. Alongside the strategy the Government also published Lifelong Partners - Scotland's Schools and Colleges Building the Foundations of a Lifelong Learning Society - A Guide for Schools, Colleges and Local Authorities. A copy of the Guide can be viewed at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/05/12141235/12362.

3.1.3 The guidance contained in this document expands on - but does not replace - Lifelong Partners.

3.1.4 The purpose of this section is to set out the specific roles and responsibilities of local authorities and colleges in providing support to pupils with additional support needs who attend colleges as part of their school week. It will be helpful for staff in schools and colleges as well as social work and Skills Development Scotland

3.1.5 The general principles of partnership working outlined elsewhere in this document should be applied in considering how school pupils are supported.

3.2 PARTNERSHIPS

3.2.1 The overall rationale for school/college partnerships is to enable colleges to help schools in their task of developing the capacities of young people as outlined in Curriculum for Excellence⁴: to enable them to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors to society and at work. It can be encapsulated in the following purposes:

• to widen pupils' opportunities for progression and to prepare them for further study;
• to ease pupils' transition from school to further learning, training or employment;
• to broaden pupils' curriculum choices; and
• to enrich pupils' educational experiences.

3.2.2. Further information about the purposes of school/college partnerships is outlined in sections 1.9 to 1.14 of the Lifelong Partners Guide.

3.2.3. All secondary and special schools in Scotland should have effective, meaningful and appropriate partnerships with at least one college for S3 pupils and above. Similarly, all Scotland's colleges will have effective, meaningful and appropriate partnerships with secondary and special schools.

3.2.4 Pupils of all abilities in S3 and above will be able to be considered for college learning opportunities. This should be considered a positive choice to access specialist provision in colleges and it should not be regarded as opting out of school by pupils with additional support needs or disaffected or disengaged pupils.

3.2.5 Options will be made available to pupils as they are with all other students in further and higher education - on the basis of available capacity. Given that there is an inevitable limit on capacity, to maintain colleges' central ethos as voluntary centres of learning for adults, due regard will have to be paid to pupils who will benefit most from activities that enhance their life chances.

3.3 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

LOCAL AUTHORITIES

3.3.1. Under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, local authorities have responsibility for the whole package of school pupils' learning and welfare. These responsibilities have not been extended to colleges.

3.3.2 This means that local authorities (sometimes referred to as education authorities) continue to have legal responsibility for school pupils while they are attending college. This includes their welfare during the times they are involved in learning and when they are outside class, for example, at break times. Of course, colleges have a duty of care to everyone learning there, school pupils and adult learners alike. In the interests of the health, safety and welfare of school pupils at all times, local authorities should ensure that appropriate policies and procedures are discussed, agreed and implemented with colleges to ensure the safety of pupils at all times. This is important for all school pupils but additional measures may be required for pupils with additional support needs to meet the duty of care.

3.3.3 It is important to note that this is only a brief summary and not a full statement of the law. Legal advice should be sought where any significant difficulty arises.

3.3.4 The report Happy, Safe and Achieving their Potential⁵ sets standards for personal support to pupils in schools. In primary, secondary and special schools, and in partner agencies providing learning opportunities and support, children and parents can expect to find support to meet their personal, social and learning needs which reflects these standards. For example:

• Opportunities for developing knowledge, skills and attitudes.
• Help with transitions between stages in education and between different providers of education and personal development opportunities.
• Co-ordinated support between agencies and schools wherever learning takes place.

3.3.5 Local authorities and colleges should consider jointly how these standards will continue to be met when a pupil's learning takes place in college and together ensure that schools have clear statements of support arrangements for individual young people.

COLLEGES

3.3.6 Scotland's colleges are autonomous bodies. The partnerships which have been developed between colleges and schools do not restrict this autonomy. Colleges retain overall responsibility for the selection and enrolment of students, including pupils.

3.3.7 We expect that pupils of all abilities in S3 and above will be able to be considered for college courses. Due regard should be paid to pupils who will benefit most from activities that enhance their life chances. Colleges have a significant role to play in helping a young person plan for the future and for transitions from school to further learning, training or employment.

3.3.8 In offering provision to a wide range and diverse student population, colleges are bound by a wide range of legislation. Section 2 explains fully the legislative framework.

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