We believe there are many similar cases of faulty or negligent Home Reports across Scotland and believe that the current system is failing house buyers and costing people thousands in unexpected repair bills, not to mention the stress and financial worry associated with a legal battle.

This leaves the situation and future of our children's entitled education unsure and unsafe

We would like to raise an issue of a current situation that will affect every school. The loss of pupil support assistant’s/classroom assistant positions within schools and the reduction of additional support that will be available in schools.

There has been no public consultation about this and parents signing this petition would like to urge all morayshire councillors in moray to work together to fight this issue.

We also petition Pat Mclennon to realise the impacts that this will have on children 1-4 support need levels. There needs to be a consistent level of support in schools for pupils that need extra help in nursery, primary and secondary education. How will cutting classroom assistant positions affect the deliverability of the GIRFEC care plan that schools are legally obliged to deliver? How can GIRFEC work if teachers are being left in classes with mixed learning levels and try to deliver the care plans that children with Additional Support Needs (ASN) require. All children with ASN need consistent support that pupil support assistants provide.

Cutting any level of support for children with ASN will have a detrimental knock on affect to families trying to support their children in mainstream education.

TAKEN FROM
Cuts in school provision for additional support needs ‘deeply worrying’
Written by Tom Freeman on 20 August 2015
FOR HOLYROOD MAGAZINE
The number of teachers who provide support for children with additional needs in Scotland has fallen by 13 per cent since 2010. According to Scottish Government figures released in an answer to a Parliamentary Question by Labour MSP Siobhan McMahon, the number of Additional Support for Learning Teachers has drop from 3,363 in 2010 to 2,963 in 2014. 22 of Scotland’s 32 Local Authorities recorded a fall, with Aberdeen City and Highland seeing numbers fall by a third.

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), a coalition of organisations working with children with learning difficulties and complex needs as well as those with care experience, said one in five of the school population are now identified as having Additional Support Needs (ASN). 62 per cent are boys.

A spokesperson for the coalition said the cut in specialist teachers was “deeply worrying” and could further isolate young people and their families.
“For us, this is completely unacceptable. By reducing the number of these teachers we are preventing many of these vulnerable young people chance of achieving a positive school-leaver destination, such as further education or employment, meaning that they are not achieving their full potential,” he said.

Those with ASN include young people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), ADHD, dyslexia and those with care experience, and disproportionately affects children from lower income families and areas of deprivation.

Local authorities have a statutory requirement to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils. In her parliamentary answer Education Secretary Angela Constance said: “It is for education authorities to ensure that they have sufficient resources, including teaching and support staff to ensure that they meet their statutory responsibilities.”

Teacher numbers overall have also suffered a drop, from 52,022 in 2010 to 50,814 in 2014.
Article source
https://www.holyrood.com/articles/news/cuts-school-provision-additional-support-needs-%E2%80%98deeply-worrying%E2%80%99

To Further Support our concerns about the impact of cuts to ASN hours in schools and the cutting of PSA and Classroom assistant posts.
Excerpt from Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009
7 Assessments and examination
After section 8 of the 2004 Act insert—
“8 A Assessments and examinations: further provision
(1)A person specified in subsection (3) may request that the education authority arrange for a child or young person to whom section 4(1)(a) applies to undergo, for the purpose of considering the additional support needs of the child or young person, a process of assessment or examination.
(2)The education authority must comply with the request unless it is unreasonable.
(3)The persons referred to in subsection (1) are—
(a)where the request relates to a child, the child's parent,
(b)where the request relates to a young person, the young person or, where the authority are satisfied the young person lacks capacity to make the request, the young person's parent.
(4)The education authority must, in accordance with the arrangements made by them under section 4(1)(b), take into account the results of any assessment or examination undertaken by virtue of this section.
(5)A process of assessment or examination undertaken by virtue of this section is to be carried out by such person as the education authority consider appropriate.
(6)In this section the reference to assessment or examination includes educational, psychological or medical assessment or examination.”.
8 Additional support needs etc.: specified children and young people
(1)In section 1 (additional support needs) of the 2004 Act, after subsection (1) insert—
“(1A)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), a child or young person has additional support needs if the child or young person is looked after by a local authority (within the meaning of section 17(6) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (c. 36)).
(1B)But where, in the course of identifying (in accordance with the arrangements made by them under section 6(1)(b)) the particular additional support needs of a child or young person who is looked after by a local authority (within the meaning of section 17(6) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (c. 36)), an education authority form the view that the child or young person is, or is likely to be, able without the provision of additional support to benefit from school education provided to or to be provided for the child or young person, subsection (1A) ceases to apply.”.
(2)In section 6 (children and young persons for whom education authority are responsible) after subsection (1) insert—
“(1A)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), every education authority must in particular consider whether each child or young person falling within section 1(1A) for whose school education they are responsible requires a co-ordinated support plan.”.
9 Functions of education authority in relation to certain pre-school children with additional support needs
In section 5 of the 2004 Act (general functions of education authority in relation to additional support needs), for subsections (2) and (3) substitute—
“(2)Where a child falling within subsection (3) has been brought to the education authority's attention as appearing to have needs of the type mentioned in subsection (3)(c), the authority must (unless the child's parent does not consent)—
(a)in accordance with the arrangements made by them under section 6(1), establish whether the child does have such needs, and
(b)provide such additional support as is appropriate for the child.
(3)A child falls within this subsection if the child—
(a)is under school age (unless the child is a prescribed pre-school child),
(b)belongs to the authority's area, and
(c)appears to have additional support needs arising from a disability (within the meaning of the[F1Equality Act 2010]) which the child has.”.
We also believe that the local authorities and the Scottish government are in violation of the following articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Convention on the Rights of the Child (20 November 1989)
Article 3
1. In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.
2. States Parties undertake to ensure the child such protection and care as is necessary for his or her well-being, taking into account the rights and duties of his or her parents, legal guardians, or other individuals legally responsible for him or her, and, to this end, shall take all appropriate legislative and administrative measures.
3. States Parties shall ensure that the institutions, services and facilities responsible for the care or protection of children shall conform with the standards established by competent authorities, particularly in the areas of safety, health, in the number and suitability of their staff, as well as competent supervision.

Article 4
States Parties shall undertake all appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures for the implementation of the rights recognized in the present Convention. With regard to economic, social and cultural rights, States Parties shall undertake such measures to the maximum extent of their available resources and, where needed, within the framework of international co-operation.
Article 29
1. States Parties agree that the education of the child shall be directed to:
a) The development of the child’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential;
2. No part of the present article or article 28 shall be construed so as to interfere with the liberty of individuals and bodies to establish and direct educational institutions, subject always to the observance of the principle set forth in paragraph 1 of the present article and to the requirements that the education given in such institutions shall conform to such minimum standards as may be laid down by the State.

Also cutting ASN hours in schools will be in violation of The Scottish Attainment Challenge. The First Minister launched the Scottish Attainment Challenge in February 2015 to bring a greater sense of urgency and priority for everyone involved in Scottish education to relentlessly focus efforts on narrowing the gap at all levels and in all sectors.

The work is set firmly within the context of Curriculum for Excellence which aims to ensure that all children and young people in Scotland develop the attributes, knowledge and skills they will need to flourish in life, learning and work.

The Scottish Attainment Challenge will focus and accelerate targeted improvement activity in literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing in specific areas of Scotland. It will also support and complement the broader range of initiatives and programmes to ensure that all of Scotland’s children and young people reach their full potential.

These toilets are used frequently by villagers and delivery drivers ect passing through the village. Also they are beside the football pitch and play park so obviously young children would need to use them.

Disgraceful to close them when they are very much used and needed.

So of each day of each week during 2014 over 63 children were abused each day so that is 3 children per hour that are sexually abused.

Today we know of cover ups in Westminster of MP's committing sex offences against children and also of alleged murders of children by their abusers.

We also know that members in the House Of Lords and at the BBC and members of the Royal Family have been accused of sex crimes against children but these offences are never brought before a court of law.

There is only one way to stop this and that is to unite and tell these people their day is up and we want justice done and we want it done now so please sign this petition and by uniting together we may see justice being done and no more children being sexually abused by the people that we elect to protect over us.

This will impact all our children, reducing the time at school will impact the quality of education and the breadth of the curriculum.

So please keep sharing and signing!

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Engagement meetings were held across Fife in November 2014 so that Fife Council’s Education and Children’s Services Directorate could put forward their plans for improving the Education & Learning experience of Fife's children. One of these idea's is to cut schools hours by 10%.

The Directorate wants to make a set of proposals to Fife Council on 12th Feb 2015 relating to primary and secondary school provision. There are a few factors involved covering both cutting hours of teaching time, amending timetabling plus changes to the way Head Teachers are allocated (ie. sharing a Head between 2-3 schools).

One of the main "ideas" is to cut school hours for primary pupils by 2.5 hours a week, i.e. reduce your child's education by 10%, equating to an entire year less of education for your child over their school career!!! This may be in one day ( i.e. finish at 12.30 on a Friday) or finish at 2.30pm every school day. The teachers would still be in school until normal hours doing extra training and planning, PLUS there would still be the same number of in-service days over a year. Secondary Schools would face similar cuts in hours plus increase in class sizes from 25 to 30. There are also further proposals that have not been made public involving making cuts to other areas such as additional support hours.

They believe these proposals will do two things, improve outcomes for children and be cost effective. Although they said they have evidence that shorter hours actually improve children's educational outcomes, when the evidence was finally produced at the end of Jan 15 it has been rejected by many experts and parents as it is completely flawed. To see our rejection of the evidence see our FB page.

They did not at any stage even acknowledge the problems these cuts will cause for families, and no suggestions were made as to what provisions would be made for children in the 2.5 hours per week to be cut. They also made no mention of the extra provisions that would be put in place for vulnerable children, for example, by finishing at 12.30 some vulnerable children may not eat a hot meal from Thursday lunchtime until Monday lunchtime. How will the Council deal with the extra social problems of every child in Fife leaving school at 12.30 on, for example, a Friday? How will they encourage children who often do not stay in school during a normal week, to even bother attending on a half day at all? None of these questions were answered.

We as parents and members of the wider community have serious concerns regarding these proposals and do not believe they would improve our children's education and while Fife Council believe it will save £6 million they had no figures at all for the extra costs this will produce for the Council, in extra childcare provision, social work and support for the vulnerable children, and policing and crime costs etc if the proposals come in. They do not seem to have considered that although it may save them £6 million, they will be passing these cuts directly to parents who will have to pay for extra childcare. This, conservatively, could be £8.2 million a year! This will mean more parents are forced out of work, as childcare will be too expensive and not available, therefore leaving less working people paying taxes, which fund Fife Council. It may even lead to families moving out of Fife and across into Kinross/Perth/Tayside to ensure their child gets the same level of education as the rest of Scotland.

The last date for submitting your feedback was 31st Jan but if you want to have your say you can still make your feelings known by emailing the Council directly on Servimp.ecsd@fife.gov.uk.

WE WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO SIGN THIS PETITION!

If you want to read more about their proposals and see some example timetables showing the potential cuts in school hours see http://tiny.cc/8j20px

I am sure, like myself, you would happily be prepared to discuss sensible improvements we can make to Fife's Education process, as we are all used to making budgetary cuts and know that Fife Council need to save money somewhere, but surely the education of our children is the one area that should not suffer? Unfortunately the proposals have not been as widely publicised as the Council may have wished and I am sure most of you will have had no idea these proposals have been put forward.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE GET INVOLVED AND SIGN THIS PETITION and share it with as many people as possible. If enough of us make our concerns heard they will at least have to acknowledge them, and may perhaps allow a sensible consultation with parents, teachers and pupils to begin. This will impact every child & family in Fife from 0-18, and for years to come, both in terms of the children's education, but also in financial, practical and emotional terms for their parents and carers.

Highland Council were recently forced to postpone their proposals for similar cuts and West Dunbartonshire Council have today (6th Feb 15) reversed their decision to make Primary school cuts because of the feedback from parents, so we can hope that they will listen to our concerns.

FOR UPDATES: If you want to follow us on our Facebook page you can keep up to date with any developments: http://tiny.cc/dm20px

Make sure you get as many people as possible to sign!