Progress for Children and Young People with Additional Support Needs  

Children and young people with additional support needs continue to achieve in Dundee. 

The Children and Families Committee will hear that in 2025, 75.3% of S6 pupils with Additional Support Needs (ASN) attained literacy and numeracy at Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Level 4 or better. 

In addition, 48.3% of senior phase pupils with ASN achieved literacy and numeracy at SCQF Level 5 or above. 1.8 percentage points higher than the previous year.  

The number of children and young people in Dundee identified as having additional support needs has steadily increased since 2010, with year on year rises in both numbers and complexity. This is mirrored nationally. 

Children and young people with ASN require a wide range of support, from help with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties, to support to address barriers to learning. 

Although special sector schools are not included in the main dataset, the report highlights their achievements.  

In Kingspark School, two young people in S6 each achieved one National 2 award, one young person achieved two National 2 awards, and another achieved two National 2 awards and one National 3 award. These awards were in English and Communication, Performing Arts, Physical Education, and Practical Cookery. 

37 pupils at Rockwell Learning Centre were entered for SQA awards at National 3+ in 2025, 21 in S4, 13 in S5 and 3 in S6. With 14 pupils gaining one or more national 5 awards.  

Children and Families Convener Stewart Hunter said: “We know that children and young people with additional support needs are not a homogenous group and recognise that not all the achievements of children and young people should, or can, be measured in statistics.  

"Support is there not only to help pupils achieve academically, but also to help them thrive personally and socially. We have enabled young people to re-engage with school, attend full time, begin college education, and support refugee pupils in learning English and making friends. 

"We know there in an increase in the number of our children and young people who need additional support, with the complexity and range of additional support needs also increasing.   

"I want to emphasise that a formal diagnosis is not required before support is provided. 

"We have completed our ASN review, which has informed a new long-term inclusion strategy to ensure we meet the changing and increasing needs of children and young people, and provide opportunities for them to thrive and maximise their potential."

The Children and Families Committee will meet on Monday 27^th October.