The Scottish councils that say they do not have the money to build more special schools despite soaring demand

Council chiefs have signalled they do not have the funds to expand the number of special schools in Scotland despite soaring demand from parents.

MSPs on Holyrood’s education committee recently expressed concerns about the lack of adequate special school provision for pupils with additional support needs (ASN) in parts of the country.

Official statistics show the number of special schools in Scotland has fallen from 190 in 2006 to 107 last year.

Seven local authority areas have no special schools at all - Angus, East Lothian, Moray, Na h-Eileanan Siar, Orkney Islands, Scottish Borders and Shetland Islands.

However, The Scotsman reported in April that demand for places in such schools has more than quadrupled in Glasgow in just the last few years, with similar trends found elsewhere, as parents seek greater support for their children.

There has been a sharp rise in ASN pupils | Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

It comes amid a huge rise in the number of youngsters with ASN, and particularly more complex needs, in the wake of the pandemic and cost of living crisis.

The number of ASN pupils in Scotland has soared from 36,544 in 2007 to 259,036 last year. ASN pupils now account for almost 37 per cent of the total roll, rising to 50 per cent in some areas.

In a major report that will be debated in the Scottish Parliament today (Wednesday), MSPs on the education committee urged local authorities to assess what specialist provision is currently in place and to “address any gaps in provision as a matter of urgency”.

However, council umbrella body Cosla has now responded to the committee, signalling that budgets are too tight for any significant expansion.

“Building or commissioning more specialist provision would incur significant costs and there is significant inflation in building costs at present,” wrote Councillor Tony Buchanan, Cosla’s children and young people spokesperson.

He added: “Supporting children and young people with Additional Support Needs is incredibly important and funding for it needs to be prioritised by national and local government, but that is difficult given funding pressures across the public sector.”

Mr Buchanan also raised concerns about the impact of any move make access to ASN tribunals “open to everyone”, as recommended by the committee.

Currently only a very small number of families have access to such tribunals, where they can challenge education provision, because of the way it is linked to having a co-ordinated support plan.

Mr Buchanan said: “Cosla would not want to limit the right to appeal decisions but there is a risk of diverting funding to responding to greater numbers of tribunals which will either mean less funding for support within schools, or cuts to other council services.”

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has also rejected the recommendation relating to tribunals.

A spokesperson for a recently formed ASN campaign group called Empower:ED Scotland said: “The committee’s recommendation that pupils with ASN should have access to specialist school provision in their local area without the need for extensive travel raises an issue that is increasingly pressing.

“Families are expressing deep frustration at the lack of appropriate local provision, and the necessity for many children to travel long distances to access essential services.

“In some cases, this long commute is both physically and emotionally draining for children with complex needs, exacerbating their challenges rather than alleviating them.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is working to improve outcomes for young people with additional support needs. Our investment of £15 million per year has saw the number of additional pupils support staff increase by 725 in the last year alone, bringing the total number of support staff in Scotland to the highest level on record.

“It is the responsibility of local authorities to manage the total financial resources available to them, including setting school budgets, on the basis of local needs and priorities. Ministers agree with COSLA and the Committee that wherever possible disputes should be resolved at the earliest possible stage.”