Providing additional support
We will be able to provide most of the support needed in normal classroom or nursery settings. People providing support may include:
- nursery teachers
- nursery nurses
- class teachers
- subject teachers
- support for learning staff
- behaviour support staff
- additional support needs auxiliaries
What sort of support we can provide
Support for learning
- Support-for-learning teachers:
- work in classes along with the class teacher, or
- work with small groups of pupils outside classes, or
- advice and support teachers.
Sometimes, we may also ask other people (for example, a learning assistant) to support your child in class. In each school, a member of the management team has responsibility to make sure that support for learning is working effectively. Details of how each school delivers and manages support for learning are set out in your school's handbook. Please ask your school for a copy.
Outreach Teaching Service
This team provides specialist support and advice to schools, children, young people and their parents and carers. The service can provide specialist support for children:
- who are deaf or have hearing problems
- who are blind or have problems with their sight
- at pre-school and who have severe and complex needs.
Also, the East Lothian Council Education Access Officer can offer advice about physical access to schools.
Integration Team
Our Integration Manager leads a team of staff from Children's Wellbeing that supports children and their families. The team works with vulnerable children from Stage 2 of the Staged Assessment and Intervention process. They provide a wide range of support, including supporting school attendance, helping to resolve behavioural problems, and developing parenting techniques.
Educational Psychology Service
The Education Psychology Service helps to promote effective learning and emotional well-being for children and young people. The service works with parents, teachers and other professionals to support children and young people who may have cognitive, linguistic, sensory, physical and/or social and emotional development problems. Educational Psychologists work in:
- mainstream schools
- schools and establishments for children and young people who cannot be in mainstream education.
They also support East Lothian pupils at schools throughout the United Kingdom.
Support for children and young people with exceptional needs
Where children and young people have additional needs that are severe or complex, we may need to make enhanced arrangements for them at school. When we have to arrange specialised provision that is not ordinarily available in mainstream settings, we have to get approval from a multi-agency group called the Authority Moderation Panel. This group meets twice a year to assess applications and provide funding to schools to meet the needs of pupils who need enhanced arrangements.
Specialist bases
Some children and young people have severe and/or complex needs which can be met in a specialised support base that is part of a mainstream school. This can offer a flexible timetable with opportunities where children can learn on their own or as part of a group. Bases may also use outreach teachers and health specialists (for example, a speech and language therapist) to support your child's learning.
We have bases at:
- Campie Primary School (Musselburgh)
- Pinkie St Peter's Primary School (Musselburgh).
There are specialist bases for children who have language and communication difficulties at:
- Dunbar Primary School for primary-aged pupils
- Musselburgh Grammar School for secondary-aged pupils.
The location of these bases is currently under review.
For children and young people who have severe and complex needs which cannot be met by any of the above, there are two bases in Tranent:
- The Hub at Sanderson's Wynd Primary School for primary-aged pupils
- Ross High School Support Base for secondary-aged pupils.