Parents dismay over cuts to pupil support workers

Karen Blackport is angry that her son's support has been reduced

Angry parents have hit out at cuts to additional needs support for their children in a Borders primary school.

Many teachers returned after the summer break to learn that their classroom support for pupils with additional needs had been reduced.

At Melrose Primary, with a roll of just over 300 pupils, the equivalent of two-and-half full time posts are being lost.

Scottish Borders Council say that a redeployment of staffing has been made to meet demand in other schools.

Melrose Primary parent Karen Blackport only discovered her son would not be receiving the same level of classroom support on his first day after the summer holidays.

She said: "Teachers only found out on the Monday, and by the Wednesday families turned up to school to find support withdrawn.

"Schools are now having to compete for the amount of hours of pupil support assistants that they get.

"There has been no consultation with parents - we are not talking about potholes, this is children and their education."

Melrose Primary is one of the worst affected schools

Additional needs support workers help children in a wide range of activities. Some children will need help with reading or writing while others will rely on support staff to take them to lunch or to the toilet.

The support children receive at school is tailored to their individual needs and may vary depending on the activity they are undertaking.

Figures seen by BBC Scotland News show that the wider Earlston cluster, which Melrose is part of, has had 128 weekly hours of additional support removed over the summer.

Schools in the Peebles cluster have lost 99 hours, with further losses in Eyemouth (65 hours), Berwickshire (49) and Jedburgh (5) school clusters.

But more provision for supporting children with additional needs has gone to Hawick (148 hours), Kelso (119) and Selkirk (72).

Some staff have been redeployed while some of those on temporary contracts have not had them renewed.

The move has infuriated many parents.

Alistair Cameron, whose son also attends Melrose Primary, said: "It's a very worrying time for parents.

"This decision, which has been sneaked in by the back door, has left remaining staff scrambling for ways to support our children.

"My son now doesn't have the support he requires - in his class the staff are having to cope with many children who have profound needs without the help they've previously had."

Alastair Cameron is concerned that support has been reduced in his son's class

Scottish Borders Council deny that cuts have been made to the level of additional needs assistants across its schools estate.

A spokesperson for the education department said: "We allocate resources recognising that the needs of children in our schools change as they move through the stages of their education.

"Historical allocations need to be re-examined to ensure they remain appropriate, otherwise we would create an uneven and unfair situation which is clearly not our intention, nor would it be in line with our equalities duties.

"Our intention in doing so is to ensure that all ANA [additional needs assistance] resources are allocated fairly based on the assessed need."