Thursday, November 28, 2019

Highland Council Additional Needs Support cuts: "These cuts will affect everyone and the wider parent group need to be made aware of this"

 One of our regular readers tells us:
 
"A review of Pupil Support was held at Nairn Academy on Tuesday, with an invitation to pupils (who currently receive support), staff and parents. Staff from the four local Primary Schools and Academy described the impact a reduction in support will have on classroom life.

It looks likely that years 2 and 3 of Highland Council cuts will still go ahead despite the concerns raised.

Teachers have begun basic awareness training in Neurodiversity, however, this will not fully prepare them for the reality of autistic children in mainstream classes with no support. Teachers are already dealing with increased workloads and under pressure to achieve good results, removing support in the classroom, will make their jobs so much harder leading to ill health, absence or leaving the profession.

These cuts will affect everyone and the wider parent group need to be made aware of this.

Everyone is being let down, it seems the worst possible scenario to remove support from the most vulnerable in our community."

4 comments:

Community Councillor said...

I wonder if any of our local Highland Councillors who represent Nairn were aware of this meeting, and if so, did any of them attend?

Graisg said...

The Gurn understands that none of them were there.

Anonymous said...

We’re facing a general election. If the Tories win as seems likely Scotland will lose out again.

Much as I don’t like Highland Council I have a modicum of sympathy for their current financial position

As far as a majority of the public are concerned they can do no right. They have to make cuts as their budget has been cut. Any reductions in service are not popular and rightly so.

But the cuts have to be made and are a near impossible task as it means taking away resources from the vulnerable

In general care and education are the two areas that the council will try to protect. It’s hard though when care for one person can mount to over £1M per year

So what do we do?

I can only ask that you vote for Scotland in the forthcoming elections, we need to change, Scotland needs to be free of Westminster

Anonymous said...

It's the SNP in Holyrood who fund the Highland Council, not Westminster.