Glossary of Scottish ASN and dyslexia terms

Plain-English definitions of the acronyms and terms you will meet in Scottish additional support for learning.

ASN — Additional Support Needs

The broad Scottish term for any child or young person who needs more (or different) support than is normally provided to their peers, for any reason — disability, illness, family circumstance, English as an additional language, being a young carer, and many more. Around one in three Scottish pupils is recorded as having ASN.

ASL — Additional Support for Learning

The framework of law, policy, and practice that meets additional support needs in Scotland. The governing legislation is the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, as amended in 2009.

ASL Act / 2004 Act

Shorthand for the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, the main statute governing ASN identification and provision in Scottish schools.

CfE — Curriculum for Excellence

Scotland's national curriculum, organised into levels: Early (pre-school to P1), First (P2 to P4), Second (P5 to P7), Third and Fourth (S1 to S3), and Senior Phase (S4 to S6).

Child's Plan

The day-to-day GIRFEC planning document used when a child needs targeted support. Records the wellbeing concern, desired outcomes, and who is doing what. Less statutory weight than a CSP.

CSP — Co-ordinated Support Plan

A statutory plan under the 2004 Act for children whose support is significant and continuing and requires input from at least one service outside education. Most pupils with ASN do not need a CSP.

EAL — English as an Additional Language

Used when a learner's first language is not English. EAL acquisition is a separate consideration from dyslexia; the 2009 working definition explicitly asks that difficulties are not better explained by EAL stage.

GIRFEC — Getting It Right For Every Child

Scotland's national framework for supporting children's wellbeing, anchored in the SHANARRI wellbeing indicators. The Child's Plan sits inside GIRFEC.

IEP — Individualised Educational Programme

A planning document some schools use to record specific learning targets and the support in place to meet them. Not statutory in Scotland in the same way as a CSP.

Named Person

Under GIRFEC, a single point of contact who can help a child or family access support. As currently operated, the Named Person service is delivered by health visitors in the early years and by promoted staff in schools.

Placing request

A formal parental request for a child to attend a specific school other than the local catchment school. Relevant when the requested school is judged better placed to meet ASN.

RAN — Rapid Automatised Naming

A short task asking the learner to name a familiar series (letters, digits, colours, objects) as quickly as possible. Slow RAN is one of the most reliable early indicators of dyslexia and features in the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit.

SDS — Skills Development Scotland

Scotland's national skills body. Involved in post-school transition planning from S3 onwards through career coaches in schools.

SHANARRI

The eight GIRFEC wellbeing indicators: Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible, Included.

SQA — Scottish Qualifications Authority

The body responsible for National Qualifications in Scotland (Nat 3 to Advanced Higher). Publishes the Assessment Arrangements framework (extra time, reader, scribe, Digital Question Papers, etc.).

Staged Intervention

The framework most Scottish local authorities use to organise additional support in steps: universal good practice, targeted support, intensive multi-agency support. Exact level names vary by council.

Tribunal (ASNTS)

The Additional Support Needs Tribunal for Scotland, now part of the Health and Education Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland. Hears references about CSPs, placing requests, and refusal to assess.

Working definition of dyslexia (2009)

The definition of dyslexia agreed between the Scottish Government, Dyslexia Scotland, and the Cross Party Group on Dyslexia in 2009. The reference point Scottish schools use during identification.

See also: your statutory rights · classroom and SQA accommodations

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