POWERPLUSWATERMARKOBJECT544176611 INTERRUPTED LEARNERS SERVICE GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOLS ASN OUTREACH

Interrupted Learners Service

Guidance for Schools

ASN Outreach Service

November 2019

Interrupted Learners Service (ILS)

This guidance aims to provide a description of the process for arranging tuition for children and young people who are unable to attend school for an extended period of time due to a medical condition.

Rationale for ILS

The Interrupted Learners Service aims to minimise the effects of interruption to education by supporting the re-engagement of the child or young person with education as soon as possible. This could be a return to school or enrolment at an alternative establishment or a positive destination.

Interrupted Learners Service is a time limited and restricted educational support and is therefore not an alternative provision but a temporary intervention of support to aid a return to education or positive destination. The referring school retains responsibility for the education of the child or young person.

Interrupted Learners Service fits within Staged Intervention Framework at stage 3 and 4.

Who refers?

All referrals are made by the school in which the child or young person is enrolled. Each has to be authorised by the Head Teacher.

Referrals are not to be made by Psychological Services or Social Work Services.

Competed forms are sent directly to [email protected]

What can be referred?

Possible reasons for referral could be:

Medium or long term illness
Recuperation from an operation or accident
Chronic illness leading to intermittent attendance

(There is a small cohort of chronically ill children and young people whose condition seriously affects attendance. Tuition can be put in place promptly and flexibly when the school deems such an intervention is required.)

To assist with re-engagement with school by school phobics.

(This would be after the school has attempted to re-engage the pupil by using the school’s own resources)

Decision process

Completed referral forms are sent directly to IAS Falkirk.

On the basis of the information provided the ILS team and ASN Team Manager will meet to discuss what tuition could be put in place.

A follow up phone conversation or email may take place if further information is required to allow the team to decide if the referral is suitable.

Feedback will be given to the school who should then advise the parent/ carer of the next steps that will be taken by the ILS team.

ILS Teachers

There is a small team of teachers who work from the Interrupted Learners Base.

ILS teachers are able to support pupils up to and including National 4 in a range of subjects however, National 5 and above requires support from subject specialists based within the pupil’s own school.

Venues for tuition

Teaching by ILS can take place in a range of venues: home, Interrupted Learners Hub in Camelon Education Centre, local library, community centre or in school.

If teaching is taking place away from the Interrupted Learners Hub there is a requirement that there is a responsible adult available so that the teacher is never alone in the venue with the child or young person.

Teaching in school after the school day by a teacher known to the child or young person can assist in the re-engagement process and helps to aid communication about the subject programme and progress.

An ILS teacher who has been supporting the child or young person for a time in another venue may attempt to move the teaching to the school to support re-integration. However, such tuition within the school will be a very time limited intervention.

Travel to the Interrupted Learners Hub or other teaching location must be arranged by the school, in conjunction with the young person’s family in the first instance.

Time allocation

One and a half hours of tuition is the usual allocation that most young people can be offered. This usually consists of a 90 minute one to one teaching session. Where appropriate pupils, may be offered an extra one hour session in a social group setting.

A request for an increase in duration of support requires to be justified in terms of an extended absence, closeness to exam timetable or other suitable reason. The child or young person has to have been fully co-operating with and benefiting from any tuition already in place.

Partnership working

Most of the young people that we work with have a range of agencies that support them. It is vital that regular TAC meetings are held to ensure that all agencies are working in partnership to best meet the needs of the child or young person. It is the responsibility of the school to convene these TAC meetings however, these can be held in a venue where the young person feels comfortable to attend. Interrupted Learners Service can help to support the individual to attend and capture their views, if required.

Engagement with ILS

Experience shows that the vast majority of parents, carers, children and young people appreciate the tuition sessions. ILS teachers also report that teaching one to one is very rewarding.

However, there are a small minority of children who do not engage with the service. In these cases, after reasonable attempts have been made to engage with these families, ILS will send a letter to engage with the family. If this does not lead to engagement, a letter of withdrawal will be issued to the family and school advising of this. The school should then refer the case to the Children’s Reporter if they have not done so already.

If a young person fails to attend three or more sessions, a review by the ILS team will take place as to whether support can continue. If the decision is made to withdraw support due to lack of engagement the school and family will be notified in writing by the ILS team.

Tags: guidance for, this guidance, schools, learners, interrupted, guidance, service, powerpluswatermarkobject544176611, outreach