Education Secretary visits new ISP at Kinross High School

Ms Gilruth and Jim Fairlie MSP visited the new ISP at Kinross High School, a new education facility which delivers learning for up to 16 pupils with complex additional support needs.

It was one of three new ISPs that councillors on Perth and Kinross Council's Learning and Families Committee agreed to establish last year.

Its creation addressed a lack of local provision in the Kinross High School catchment that caused extended travel times for young people, disrupted transitions, and limited access to education within the community for those with complex ASN.

The new ISP provides a sustainable and inclusive solution, ensuring young people can learn closer to home. Other new ISPs have been created at Viewlands Primary School and Perth High School while four new ISPs are also planned at other schools in Perth and Kinross in the coming 18 months.

Councillor John Rebbeck, convener of the Learning and Families Committee, said: "These new ISPs have been designed to ensure pupils with ASN can continue their learning journeys in their own communities alongside their peers and other family members.

"As a Council we have invested in our ISP provision within our school localities to provide addition support for these pupils and their families, while making infrastructure improvements to ensure there is no impact on existing school facilities.

"I was delighted to welcome the Education Secretary to Kinross High School to see first-hand how these improvements are benefiting our children and young people."

Cabinet Secretary for Education Jenny Gilruth said: "The right type of support for pupils with additional support needs is of paramount importance in our schools. The hard work carried out by teachers and specialist staff, like those at Kinross High School, ensures that every child has access to a world class education.

"I am pleased that through the additional £28m made available in last year's budget for ASN, Perth and Kinross Council have been able to support Kinross High School in expanding their ISP for children with additional support needs further."

Kinross High School headteacher Jillian Shaw added: "We were delighted to welcome Jenny Gilruth into our school community to visit our newly establish Intensive Support Provision. This provision represents our deep commitment towards inclusion and ensures every young person can access a high-quality education within their own community.

"As a school, we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to showcase the range supports available and the impact these have on our learners."