Additional Support for Learners (ASL)

Some children and young people need extra help in school to make progress.  This is known as Additional Support for Learning. The ASL Faculty at Portlethen Academy has a strong culture of collaboration and support for Faculties.  We operate a system of Faculty Link ASL teachers allocated to each Faculty.  This ensures teaching staff know about and understand the needs of their learners and can seek advice on strategies where needed. We also use a Key ASL Teacher system for identified pupils which ensures there is effective communication between subject staff, Guidance and pupils, to highlight areas of need, barriers to learning and appropriate interventions and approaches. Key ASL Teachers support the Child’s Planning Process and GIRFEC processes in school, attend meetings, undertake assessment, share key information with staff via the confidential file and ASN flags on SEEMIS. Faculty members plan and lead CLPL on key issues such as Supporting ADHD learners in the classroom and Differentiation.  Faculty members also attend House Caseload meetings to share key information relating to pupils within their specific House. 

The ASL Faculty works collaboratively with partners who regularly visit to work with staff and young people including EAL Service; Speech and Language Therapy; Occupational Therapy; Physiotherapist; Hearing and Vision Support; Educational Psychology Service; Nature Nurture; and others. 

The Support Centre is our main area of teaching and socialising.  It not only has workstations for learning but also houses a kitchen for life skills teaching.  We have a small computer room with a whiteboard which is used for group teaching and a Quiet Room with comfortable chairs to allow pupils to regulate in a calm atmosphere.  Within the main Support Centre, we have a small Sensory Room which is again used for pupils to regulate and rejoin classes later.  The Support Centre is a busy area where lots of learning and fun take place and where our young people feel safe and secure.