AN independently-run state school which unlawfully discriminated against a boy with special needs is funded to support such pupils, the Scottish Government has said.

 

Jordanhill School, in the west end of Glasgow, said they could not accept the individual, who was disabled and had dyslexia, because it could not afford to fund the levels of support required.

However, the family took the case to the Additional Support Needs Tribunal which ruled Jordanhill had "unlawfully discriminated" against the pupil by refusing to offer him a place.

The school, which regularly tops exam league tables, argues it is not covered by special needs legislation in the same way as other state schools because it is the only publicly-funded mainstream secondary in Scotland not under council control and the 2004 Education (Additional Support for Learning) Act relates to local authorities.

As a result, the school argues it is not funded to provide the specialist services required for some pupils with more severe additional support needs.

However, the Scottish Government said Jordanhill was funded at a sufficient level to cater for pupils with additional support needs in line with other state schools.

A spokeswoman said: "The Scottish Government has a longstanding grant arrangement with Jordanhill which reflects the need for the school to provide services to children with additional support needs. This is consistent with the requirements of a local authority funded school."

Last night, Dr Paul Thomson, the rector of Jordanhill, insisted the school could not provide the breadth of provision available to local authority schools.

He said: "Jordanhill School has enjoyed a productive partnership with Scottish Government over many years and has assiduously promoted and implemented a wide range of policy initiatives including providing services to children with additional support needs.

"Jordanhill occupies a unique context in Scottish education. A single school, like Jordanhill, is unable to provide the breadth of provision that a local authority can.

"Funding for specific projects and general provision is agreed annually as part of the grant arrangements with Scottish Government."

The government comment was published after Jordanhill was accused of "selecting" its intake because of its special needs policy.

Maureen McKenna, the director of education for Glasgow City Council, made the claim after the school warned prospective pupils with special needs they could lose support services if they went there.

She said: "I find this..... particularly poor in terms of a commitment for a state-funded school to be setting out its stall with regard to the support it provides for children's learning."

Formerly run by Jordanhill College of Education as a demonstration school, Jordanhill is now funded directly by a grant from the Scottish Government rather than through the council.

The school has one of the most exclusive catchment areas in Scotland with only residents who live in a list of prescribed addresses allowed entrance.

The affluent nature of its catchment area is reflected by figures showing that 64 per cent of its pupils come from the richest neighbourhoods in Scotland, with just five per cent from the poorest.