Exciting news for Perth and Kinross as eight schools prepare for enhanced support for students with additional needs
Perth: Big changes are coming for schools in Perth and Kinross. They’re planning to expand support for kids with additional needs, which is fantastic news!
So, here’s the scoop: Councillors are looking to approve plans for eight schools over the next three years. They want to invest £457,000 to fill some gaps in the current services and prepare for future needs.
The report highlights that there just aren’t enough spots for students who need extra help, especially with the upcoming academic year in 2025/2026. Right now, some schools, like Kinross High and St John’s RC Academy, don’t have any Intensive Support Provisions (ISPs), which means kids have to travel far for the support they need.
This situation isn’t just tough on the council’s budget; it’s also hard on the kids. They’re missing out on being close to their friends and community. The report mentions that some vulnerable kids are feeling stressed just getting to school.
To tackle this, the education team is proposing to roll out eight new ISPs over three phases. The first phase will focus on Kinross High, Perth High, and a primary school in the Perth Academy area.
Later phases will add ISPs at the Community School of Auchterarder and St John’s RC Academy, plus more primary schools. They’re also looking to add support for kids in the Bertha Park High School area.
While they’ve found potential spaces for these new provisions, there’s a bit of a challenge in the Kinross and Milnathort area due to limited capacity in primary schools.
They might even need to do some building work to make it all happen. In the meantime, some kids might have to travel over 30 miles to Errol Primary for support, which isn’t ideal but keeps them together.
The learning and families committee will chat about these plans soon, and if all goes well, they’ll start consulting on the first phase. Fingers crossed for these kids!
