Yesterday (Saturday, 16 August 2025), the Glasgow Times newspaper reported that a mother was told by Glasgow City Council there were no spaces at any Glasgow Additional Support Needs (ASN) primary schools for her severely autistic child due to begin primary 1.
A tribunal hearing has been assigned but meantime the child is in limbo, albeit the local authority’s duty to provide educational services continues. The mother is represented by Govan Law Centre’s Education Law Unit (ELU).
ASN is a broad term in Scots law and means additional support in order to help pupils make the most of their school education and to be included fully in their learning. In general placing request disputes the remedy is an appeal to the council’s education committee, with a right to apply to the sheriff court thereafter.
However, the legal remedy is different for ASN disputes. If your child has ASN and you would like to make a request for them to be placed within either a special school or a specialist provision within a mainstream school, you can submit a placing request to your local authority.
Govan Law Centre’s ELU has helpful guidance and style letters you can adapt for this purpose – you can find free ELU resources here.
If the council refuse your request, you can make a “reference” – a type of appeal – to a specialist tribunal about the refusal of a placing request to a special school or nursery, including a special unit or base attached to a mainstream school.
References can also be made to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Health and Education Chamber) for placing requests to a mainstream school or nursery, if a child has a “co-ordinated support plan” (CSP); is being assessed for a CSP; one is being prepared for them; or concerning a decision that no CSP is needed.
If you need help for a young person or child with ASNs there is a free national resource funded by the Scottish Government, “Let’s Talk ASN”. Its operated by GLC and Barnardo’s and can be reached at 0800 043 0306 or message advice@edlaw.org.uk
