The Core Support team is part of East Ayrshire Support Team (EAST). It works collaboratively with colleagues in educational establishments to provide support for learners with additional support needs (ASN) to help them achieve their individual targets and reach their full potential.
The Core Support team is made up of teachers, classroom assistant coaches and classroom assistants who work in mainstream establishments across East Ayrshire on a peripatetic basis. Support for Early Childhood Centres and special schools is provided on a needs-led basis. Secondary establishments have a collective allocation and are also supported on a needs-led basis.
The Core Support team contributes to the authority’s support policies and procedures to reflect best practice as detailed in the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009.
What the team does
Consultancy and consultation
- Provides advisory support and guidance on effective approaches and resources to meet the needs of learners with ASN (for example, dyslexia, dyscalculia, visual stress)
- Contributes to Team Around the Child (TAC) meetings and supports Child’s Plans
Planning and teaching/co-operative teaching
- Works collaboratively with colleagues to plan literacy, numeracy and/or health and wellbeing supports for learners with additional support needs
- Delivers targeted support with an agreed focus to identified individuals/small groups through extraction or within a co-op setting
Identification and assessment
EAST supports the authority’s assessment procedures reflecting the good practice outlined in Building the Curriculum 5. The assessment process takes a holistic approach and aims to be least intrusive to the learner. Processes are robust, reliable and valid and:
- meet learners’ needs, enabling them to achieve aspirational goals and maximise their potential
- are proportionate and fit for purpose
- follow and reinforce the curriculum, promoting high quality learning and teaching approaches
- engage learners and provide high quality feedback leading to improved outcomes
Supporting professional learning
EAST staff remain abreast of national and international best practice in relation to ASN. They support professional learning through:
- development of support packs and materials to provide guidance and practical strategies for colleague supporting career-long professional learning (CLPL) on ASN for colleagues to increase knowledge and understanding through:
- coaching and modelling
- delivering a comprehensive CLPL calendar
- facilitating Teacher Learner Communities
Partnership working
EAST staff work in partnership with colleagues in education and other sectors (for example Health). Examples of partnership working include:
- a targeted speech and language programme developed by EAST working in partnership with speech and language therapists (NHS)
- Visual stress assessments developed by EAST working in partnership with the VAROC Clinic. The model is being rolled out across North and South Ayrshire
- Representatives from EAST sit on the national Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit working group
How support is accessed
EAST provides an annual core allocation to each primary establishment in the authority to help support their provision for learners with ASN.
Flexible supports
EAST also delivers a range of flexible supports and these are delivered on a needs-led basis. Examples include:
- Closing the Literacy Gap (CLG) - targeted literacy support is offered to identified learners in Primary 2 as well as Primary 6 and 7 with established systems in place to support the selection process
- Cogmed/working memory - targeted support to identified learners to improve their working memory through an online resource (Cogmed) as well as follow-up/alternative support
- Phonological Awareness Skills - a first tier intervention for learners with speech and language difficulties focusing on developing phonological awareness skills
- Health and wellbeing outreach support - support focuses on the needs of the learners and ranges from individual work to whole staff training including:
- Outdoor learning develops confidence, self-esteem and builds positive relationships with others
- All About Me and More About Me are a series of child-centred sessions that aim to empower the learner to explore their thoughts and emotions in a therapeutic and nurturing environment