Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the experiences and outcomes for young people with additional support needs, which we have outlined in our Programme for Government 2023-24.

The legislative framework is clear about the responsibilities for the provision of additional support for children and young people. Education authorities are under a statutory duty to identify, provide for, and to review the support that they provide for pupils with additional support needs including those who are deaf or deafblind. In our most recently published figures, spending on additional support for learning by authorities reached a record high of £830m.

Modern Languages is one of the eight core curricular areas within Curriculum for Excellence, and British Sign Language (BSL) is one of the languages that can be provided within a school’s language offer to their pupils. While it is the responsibility of local authorities and schools to choose the specific languages covered within their language curriculum, the Scottish Government is taking a range of steps to promote and support BSL learning.

Since 2013, Scottish Government has provided more than £50 million in funding to local authorities and partners to support the teaching of additional languages in schools.

The Scottish Government and the General Teaching Council for Scotland are supportive of pathways that will allow BSL users to obtain qualified teacher status. We have held discussions with the University of Edinburgh about the programme they are currently developing, which aims to include pathways for both hearing and non-hearing students. This is currently undergoing internal university validation.

The Guidance on the presumption to provide education in a mainstream setting , published in 2019, was informed by a wide range of information and evidence taking into account all children and young people with additional support needs, including those pupils who are deaf or deafblind.

The presumption of mainstreaming policy and the guidance which supports it enshrines the right of all children and young people with additional support needs to learn in mainstream schools and early learning and childcare settings.

The BSL National Plan Implementation Advisory Group will be formed early in the new year. Following that, it will be for the group to collective agree as to the frequency of meetings.

Under the Additional Support for Learning Act 2004, local authorities have duties to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils, including those who are deaf or deafblind. Local authorities are supported in implementing their duties under the 2004 Act through the statutory code of practice on additional support for learning. Where a teacher wholly or mainly teaches a pupil who is deaf or deafblind, local authorities have a duty to ensure they are appropriately qualified.

The Scottish Government funds the Scottish Sensory Centre to provide advice and training to school staff on support for children and young people with specific communication and sensory needs. Education Scotland has also developed a professional learning resource which seeks to support staff to engage more effectively with BSL users.

On 6 November, we published the BSL National Plan 2023 to 2029, which includes an action focussed on increasing the opportunities for Teachers of the Deaf to gain the highest possible qualification in BSL. Progress will be overseen by the BSL National Plan Implementation Advisory Group. An update report will be published in 2026.

The Scottish Government has also outlined in our Programme for Government 2023-24 that Ministers will work with teachers to provide additional professional learning opportunities while seeking to build on the Additional Support for Learning Action Plan.

Under The Requirements for Teachers (Scotland) Regulations 2005, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that teachers employed to teach pupils who are deaf or deafblind hold an appropriate qualification. Local Authorities are supported in implementing these duties through our national guidance . We are working with partners to update this guidance to ensure staff have the latest advice on routes to professional qualification.

The Scottish Government funds the Scottish Sensory Centre to provide advice and training to school staff on support for children and young people with specific communication and sensory needs, including BSL users. Education Scotland has also developed a professional learning resource which seeks to support practitioners to engage more effectively with BSL users.

On 6 November, we published the BSL National Plan 2023 to 2029, which includes an action focussed on increasing the opportunities for Teachers of the Deaf to gain the highest possible qualification in BSL. Progress will be overseen by the BSL National Plan Implementation Advisory Group. An update report will be published in 2026.

Teachers employed in Scottish schools are required to be registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) by law. They are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the GTCS Professional Standards which include having knowledge and understanding of the ways in which natural, social, cultural, political and economic systems function and of how they are interconnected to professional practice. Teachers must also take account of the Code of Professionalism and Conduct which sets out key principles and values for all teachers to uphold standards of personal and professional conduct, honesty and integrity.

We will establish an Implementation Advisory Group for the BSL National Plan 2023-2029, utilising the experience of the group to strengthen delivery. The group will consist of organisations representing the deaf and deafblind community. We are currently establishing the membership of this group.

Modern Languages is one of the eight core curricular areas within Curriculum for Excellence, and British Sign Language (BSL) is one of the languages that can be provided within a school’s language offer to their pupils. While it is the responsibility of local authorities and schools to choose the specific languages covered within their language curriculum, the Scottish Government is taking a range of steps to promote and support BSL learning.

This information is not held centrally.

The 2022 pupil census records 3740 pupils in Scotland in receipt of additional support as a result of hearing impairments and a further 69 recorded as deafblind. The level of support from a qualified Teacher of the Deaf depends upon the individual needs of each pupil. Under the Additional Support for Learning Act all teachers have a role in meeting the additional support needs of pupils with hearing impairments and those who are deafblind.