Orkney Islands Council are proposing cuts in Support For Learning Assistant Posts and will inevitably affect all schools across Orkney, Primary and Secondary, and in the long run will have implications for all pupils in all sectors.
Schools are already stretched and cutting more ‘front line’ staff will create further pressures on schools, teachers and ultimately, pupils.
This will almost certainly have impact on the quality of learning experiences our children have in their classrooms.
Hope School Parent Council have started the ball rolling with the fight against the proposed OIC cuts in Support For Learning Assistant posts. They have sent letters from the Parent Council and also from individual parents, highlighting their concerns and questions to many of the key figures in the OIC as well as local councillors.
Support the campaign by signing this petition.
Updates
April 29, 2018
Seeing 500 signatures on this page reminds me that my child and their peers have a community refusing to let their education be sacrificed. I am honestly overwhelmed by how many of you stepped up to protect these essential staff members.
Reached 500 supporters
April 27, 2018
April 16, 2018
I have been reading the stories parents are sharing in the comments and they perfectly capture why my own child needs these staff in the classroom. This week I am busy meeting with council representatives to ensure they understand the reality of these cuts rather than just the spreadsheets.
Reached 100 supporters
March 25, 2018
138 Comments
As a primary school teacher, I know how valuable it is to have a teaching assistant to help in class. Some children need extra support and over learning which Just wouldn’t be possible without a TA. They are essential and our children will be the ones to suffer if there are cuts.
The Scottish government have challenged schools to ‘close the attainment gap’ of the most deprived kids (of which Orkney has plenty). Cutting SfL makes this almost impossible for class teachers, who are being asked to achieve more, with less. They can’t support all kids to achieve without support to do so.
This is an absolute disgrace! How many of these councillors who made this decision have been in a classroom recently?! EVERY child needs support at different stages throughout their school years, additional needs or not. Highland Council have seen sense, come on OIC!!
Absolutely ridiculous! The Highland Council tried the same and us parents spoke out! What about GIRFEC? what about the additional support needs legislation and also the discrimination Act and Equality Act! They cannot justify this. It will impact on those most vulnerable!
Fully support the need for teaching assistants in orkney. No child should be left behind due to budget cuts. Shame they have such a big budget to host sporting events like the island games but not to fund the education of local bairns
Having observed Learning Support in Orkney, Edinburgh and Surrey, it is clear to me that outcomes in Orkney's current system is an investment that benefits the community by producing employable people where the underfunded Surrey fails them and creates years of costs in post education social care provision.
This not an area for savings as it will prove much more expensive to right later !
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Orkney Islands Council are proposing cuts in Support For Learning Assistant Posts and will inevitably affect all schools across Orkney, Primary and Secondary, and in the long run will have implications for all pupils in all sectors.
Schools are already stretched and cutting more ‘front line’ staff will create further pressures on schools, teachers and ultimately, pupils.
This will almost certainly have impact on the quality of learning experiences our children have in their classrooms.
Hope School Parent Council have started the ball rolling with the fight against the proposed OIC cuts in Support For Learning Assistant posts. They have sent letters from the Parent Council and also from individual parents, highlighting their concerns and questions to many of the key figures in the OIC as well as local councillors.
Support the campaign by signing this petition.
Updates
April 29, 2018
Seeing 500 signatures on this page reminds me that my child and their peers have a community refusing to let their education be sacrificed. I am honestly overwhelmed by how many of you stepped up to protect these essential staff members.
Reached 500 supporters
April 27, 2018
April 16, 2018
I have been reading the stories parents are sharing in the comments and they perfectly capture why my own child needs these staff in the classroom. This week I am busy meeting with council representatives to ensure they understand the reality of these cuts rather than just the spreadsheets.
Reached 100 supporters
March 25, 2018
138 Comments
We have first hand experience on how vital learning support assistants are to schools. I'm certain that our daughter would really struggle without the extra support that she receives to support her with her dyslexia. In disbelief that the OIC think that these cuts are acceptable.
As a primary school teacher, I know how valuable it is to have a teaching assistant to help in class. Some children need extra support and over learning which Just wouldn’t be possible without a TA. They are essential and our children will be the ones to suffer if there are cuts.
The Scottish government have challenged schools to ‘close the attainment gap’ of the most deprived kids (of which Orkney has plenty). Cutting SfL makes this almost impossible for class teachers, who are being asked to achieve more, with less. They can’t support all kids to achieve without support to do so.
This is an absolute disgrace! How many of these councillors who made this decision have been in a classroom recently?! EVERY child needs support at different stages throughout their school years, additional needs or not. Highland Council have seen sense, come on OIC!!
Absolutely ridiculous! The Highland Council tried the same and us parents spoke out! What about GIRFEC? what about the additional support needs legislation and also the discrimination Act and Equality Act! They cannot justify this. It will impact on those most vulnerable!
Fully support the need for teaching assistants in orkney. No child should be left behind due to budget cuts. Shame they have such a big budget to host sporting events like the island games but not to fund the education of local bairns
Having observed Learning Support in Orkney, Edinburgh and Surrey, it is clear to me that outcomes in Orkney's current system is an investment that benefits the community by producing employable people where the underfunded Surrey fails them and creates years of costs in post education social care provision.
This not an area for savings as it will prove much more expensive to right later !
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We have first hand experience on how vital learning support assistants are to schools. I'm certain that our daughter would really struggle without the extra support that she receives to support her with her dyslexia. In disbelief that the OIC think that these cuts are acceptable.