Within North Lanarkshire there are:

• 13 Additional Support Needs Schools
• 2 Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment Units
• 11 Language and Communications Units within three localities - North (Cumbernauld/Kilsyth), Central (Coatbridge, Airdrie) and South (Wishaw, Motherwell)

Children and young people are educated in their local mainstream school, in line with the requirements of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Etc. Act 2000. 

The presumption of mainstreaming establishes the right of all children and young people to be educated alongside their peers in mainstream schools unless there are reasons for not doing so. The inclusion of our children and young people with Additional Support Needs in mainstream provision is successful because our schools and establishments work with partners to plan and prepare to adapt to diversity and respond to children’s needs.

The presumption of mainstreaming supports the wishes of families by ensuring that children and young people are educated alongside their friends in a school as close to home as possible. 

As an inclusive authority, it is anticipated that only in exceptional circumstances will children and young people require a specialist school placement other than their mainstream school.