Current status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local authorities regarding minimum levels of additional support needs staff, such as additional needs assistants, in secondary schools.
Local authorities retain the statutory responsibility for the delivery of education in Scotland. Decisions around the delivery of additional needs support and the minimum levels of staff to meet local level needs are matters for education authorities.
We have 17,046 pupil support assistants in Scotland – the second highest level on record and an increase of nearly 1,800 since 2020. This is a direct result of our continued investment of £15m each year to help them respond to the individual needs of children and young people and maintains our record levels of investment in these staff.