News archive 2018

Professor Sheila Riddell is invited to speak at the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Research Conference 2018. Her presentation is entitled "Lifelong Learning and Transitions for Adults with Disabilities".

Professor Sheila Riddell gave a presentation on the rights of children with ASN and, drawing on recent research, to identify challenges in their implementation to a seminar "ASN Provision in Education: Meeting the Needs of Young People". This seminar was organised by the Holyrood Magazine at COSLA in Edinburgh on the 31st October 2018.

Our latest title "Higher Education Funding and Access in International Perspective", edited by Sheila Riddell, Sarah Minty, Elisabet Weedon and Susan Whittaker, will be published tomorrow.

Riddell was interviewed by Andrew Denholm from The Herald in response to figures that indicate a significant difference in the proportion of pupils with complex difficulties being given a coordinated support plan (CSP) across authority areas.

In an interview by TES, Riddell commented that the sharp increase in cases in Scotland special needs tribunal could be attributed to the 'inadequate' provision in mainstream schools.

Professor Sheila Riddell gave a keynote presentation entitled "Key issues for Additional Support for Learning (ASL) provision in Scotland" to the Scotland Policy Conferences seminar "Next steps for Additional Support for Learning provision: Access, funding and improving outcomes" at the Royal Society of Edinburgh on the 24th April 2018.

The studies of Lucy Hunter Blackburn and Sarah Minty used in the evidence submitted by the Child Poverty Action Group Scotland to the NUS Poverty Commission were cited in its report "Class dismissed: Getting in and getting on in further and higher education" published on the 23rd April 2018.

Professor Sheila Riddell gave a session paper entitled "Developing a critical sociology of special and inclusive education: The contribution of Sally Tomlinson" to the AERA 2018 Annual Meeting "The dreams, possibilities and necessity of public education" in New York City on the 16th April 2018.

Several printed media quoted Lucy Hunter Blackburn's comment on a free year in halls of residence offered by the Aberdeen University to applicants who have a postcode officially deemed as among the most deprived 20% in the UK.

Professor Sheila Riddell gave a presentation entitled "Children with ASN: What can we learn from the statistics?" to an induction training on ASN organised by the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland on the 27th February 2018.