Latest news with #AdditionalSupportNeeds
Scotsman
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scotsman
Cycle Law Scotland support community cycling initiative
As part of this exciting partnership, Rod Mitchell of Cycle Law Scotland joined one of Sunny Cycles' monthly inclusive cycling sessions. The session, delivered in collaboration with OPEKA — a charity supporting adults with Additional Support Needs (ASN) — provided a first-hand look at the transformative impact of accessible cycling on health, confidence, and community connection. This corporate support will enable Sunny Cycles to deliver more inclusive cycling sessions, reaching a wider group of participants and helping to create a safer, more welcoming cycling culture in the city. 'At Cycle Law Scotland, we are committed to protecting the rights and wellbeing of cyclists across Scotland,' said Rod Mitchell, Marketing Director. 'Supporting inclusive community initiatives like those run by Sunny Cycles aligns perfectly with our culture and values, and we are delighted to contribute to such meaningful work.' Specialists in legal representation for cyclists involved in road traffic incidents, Cycle Law Scotland advocates for safer roads and better infrastructure for all who travel on two wheels. This partnership reflects a shared vision of cycling as a safe, empowering, and inclusive mode of transport. Sunny Cycles expressed their gratitude: 'Having Cycle Law Scotland as our first corporate supporter is a milestone. Their belief in our work and their presence in our community sessions makes a real difference. We're excited about what we can achieve together.' Learn more about Sunny Cycles at: 1 . Contributed Rod Mitchell, Cycle Law Scotland Marketing Director, tries out a hand-powered bicycle. Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 2 . Contributed Rod Mitchell of Cycle Law Scotland hands over cheque for £1500 to Sunny Cycles Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 4 . Contributed Disability bicycle desgned for two people Photo: Submitted Photo Sales Related topics: GlasgowScotland
STV News
05-05-2025
- Politics
- STV News
Teachers being ‘driven out of schools by SNP incompetence', Labour says
Scotland's teachers are being 'driven out' of schools due to SNP 'incompetence', Labour has said, after figures suggested the numbers leaving the profession have soared. Between 2021-22 and 2024-25, the number of teachers de-registering in Scotland increased by almost a third, according to Labour's analysis of freedom of information (FOI) request data from the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS). The figures suggest an increasing number of young educators are leaving the industry. The number of teachers aged 55 or younger leaving teaching has risen by 66% since 2021. There was a 96% rise in leavers aged 21-25, while those leaving aged between 21-45 surged by 106%. Overall, half of the teachers who de-registered in Scotland in 2024-25 were under the age of 56. Scottish Labour said the figures showed that Scotland's pupils and teachers were being failed by the Scottish Government. The party pointed to a previous GTCS report that found some teachers were leaving the sector because they struggled to find permanent posts, while others left due to excessive workload and violence in schools. NASUWT Scotland warned last week that some schools in the country are becoming a 'battleground for blame and violence' The union warned that misogynistic and racist rhetoric online is leading to real-world violence. In the same week, the head of the Scottish Secondary Teachers Association said Scotland's 'education is broken'. Stuart Hunter said schools had 'passed the tipping point leading to crisis', with teachers overwhelmed by an 'explosion' in the number of children with additional support needs (ASN). Labour says that despite this, the number of ASN teachers has been cut. Pam Duncan-Glancy, the party's education spokesperson, said: 'These damning figures tell the story of the SNP's failure in our schools. 'Qualified teachers are being driven out of Scottish schools by the SNP's incompetence – whether it's their shambolic workforce planning, their cuts to ASN, or their failure to tackle the rising tide of violence in our classrooms. 'Despite the best efforts of teachers, our education system is in decline and young people are being badly failed. 'It's time for a change in direction to repair the damage the SNP has done to Scotland's once world-class education system. 'Scottish Labour will properly support teachers, improve workforce planning and ASN provision, tackle violence in schools, and work to reform our education system.' A spokesperson for education secretary Jenny Gilruth said: 'The SNP Government has delivered an uplift of almost £200m to increase teacher numbers, as well as £29m for the Additional Support Needs (ASN) workforce. 'It was extremely disappointing that the Labour Party did not vote for the SNP Budget and therefore did not vote for this additional funding for children and young people. 'We continue to maximise teaching posts, protect learning hours, and increase teacher numbers. 'The pupil-teacher ratio in Scotland continues to be the lowest of anywhere in the UK.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Scottish teachers leaving profession decreases by third in three years
Between 2021-22 and 2024-25, the number of teachers de-registering in went from 3,346 to 4,274. The number of Scottish teachers leaving the profession has increased by a third in just three years. Between 2021-22 and 2024-25, the number of teachers de-registering went from 3,346 to 4,274, according to Labour's analysis of freedom of information (FOI) request data.. The number of teachers aged 55 or younger leaving teaching has risen by 66 per cent since 2021. There was a 96 per cent rise in leavers aged 21-25, while those leaving aged between 21-45 surged by 106 per cent. Overall, half of the teachers who de-registered in Scotland in 2024-25 were under the age of 56. Pam Duncan-Glancy, Scottish Labour education spokesperson, said: 'These damning figures tell the story of the SNP's failure in our schools. 'Qualified teachers are being driven out of Scottish schools by the SNP's incompetence – whether it's their shambolic workforce planning, their cuts to ASN, or their failure to tackle the rising tide of violence in our classrooms. 'Despite the best efforts of teachers, our education system is in decline and young people are being badly failed. 'It's time for a change in direction to repair the damage the SNP has done to Scotland's once world-class education system. 'Scottish Labour will properly support teachers, improve workforce planning and ASN provision, tackle violence in schools, and work to reform our education system.' NASUWT Scotland warned last week that some schools in the country are becoming a 'battleground for blame and violence' The union warned that misogynistic and racist rhetoric online is leading to real-world violence. In the same week, the head of the Scottish Secondary Teachers Association said Scotland's 'education is broken'. Stuart Hunter said schools had 'passed the tipping point leading to crisis', with teachers overwhelmed by an 'explosion' in the number of children with additional support needs (ASN). A spokesperson for Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: 'The SNP Government has delivered an uplift of almost £200 million to increase teacher numbers, as well as £29 million for the Additional Support Needs (ASN) workforce. 'It was extremely disappointing that the Labour Party did not vote for the SNP Budget and therefore did not vote for this additional funding for children and young people. 'We continue to maximise teaching posts, protect learning hours, and increase teacher numbers. 'The pupil -teacher ratio in Scotland continues to be the lowest of anywhere in the UK.'
BBC News
29-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Scottish education is broken says teachers' union president
The head of Scotland's second largest teaching union has told the BBC that "education is broken".Stuart Hunter, president of the Scottish Secondary Teachers Association (SSTA), said the schools system "has passed the tipping point leading to crisis".Among the issues he highlighted was schools being overwhelmed by an "explosion" in children with additional support needs (ASN), including dyslexia and Scottish government has previously said it recognises the growth in ASN presents challenges and is investing additional money to support teachers. Ahead of the union's annual conference next week, Mr Hunter told the BBC that Scottish education was only surviving because of the goodwill of teachers working beyond their hours for the sake of the said growing levels of bureaucracy and "random edicts" by the exam body, the SQA, and others were adding to the unmanageable workload and stress suffered by Hunter said teachers were forced to spend so much time on paperwork and demands from organisations like the inspectorate that they did not get enough time to prepare classes and teach them. In his speech next week, Mr Hunter will say the issues affecting teachers are multiple but the crisis in ASN (Additional Support Needs ) provision is a "disaster unfolding in front of us all right now"."There has been an explosion in the number of young people identified with ASN," he said."Yet instead of increased support, we are seeing ASN specialists being cut to save money. "ASN staff are overwhelmed, and the system is breaking."Since 2004, when a new law marked a shift towards keeping children in mainstream schools, there has been an eight-fold increase in recorded ASL (additional support for learning) pupil numbers, with 285,000 children now receiving some form of support.A recent report by Audit Scotland found around 40% of Scottish pupils are now receiving ASL, most of it delivered within mainstream found ministers and councils have failed to plan effectively for the rising numbers. In his speech next Friday, Mr Hunter will also talk about the "anger and frustration" teachers have when dealing with the different organisations running the education will say: "Despite what appears to be sincere attempts to improve the lot of teachers and learners alike, progress has been glacial."The brutal reality is that education is broken," he will say. "It only survives due to those working in schools going way beyond their contractual working hours for the sake of the students."The cost to mental and physical health is enormous."Mr Hunter speech comes after teachers and unions previously warned that staff are leaving the profession because the workload and stress is so overwhelming. In recent years, Scottish government ministers have commissioned a number of reviews of the education system after international testing suggested a long-term decline in addition to that, the gap between the results achieved by Scotland's richest and poorest school pupils is as wide as it was a decade ago when the government named it as a tackle the problem, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has pledged an increase in teacher numbers, further investment to reduce the time teachers spend in class, an ongoing reform of the curriculum and a focus on tackling poor behaviour in there is legislation currently going through the Scottish parliament which looks to replace the SQA and inspectorate with new Scottish government has been contacted for comment.
