THE dad of a Glasgow teenager fears she will be left behind after losing out on a month of school due to social-isolation rules.

Stewart Macfarlane worries his daughter, who attends Knightswood Secondary, has not been given enough support by the Scottish Government.

The S5 pupil has additional support needs and Mr Macfarlane says she is most at risk of missing out on her education.

He said: “I understand this can’t be helped and it’s protocol to do this but there isn’t enough support for kids who need to self-isolate and the Scottish Government is failing the younger generation which could have a catastrophic impact on their lives.

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“It’s crucial she receives the best education possible to help her move forward in life, she also suffers from dyslexia and sometimes needs additional support and help which she can’t get on the current set-up for self-isolation. The school is doing the best they can.”

Mr Macfarlane, who asked for his daughter not to be named, added: “This is a major issue and needs addressed by the Scottish Government and not the usual lip service that we receive.

“My questions to Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Government are these. What additional support can the First Minister offer to these kids who are having to self-isolate and miss extended periods of learning and what additional help can be offered to those with learning

difficulties?”

Tory MSP Annie Wells joined Mr Macfarlane’s calls for more to be done to help children with their education at home.

The Glasgow politician said: “It is fundamental for our schools to stay open but when pupils are required to self-isolate, they can lose out on significant periods of education in the classroom.

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“While this cannot be prevented, they must receive proper support.

“At the start of lockdown, the quality of remote learning varied widely between council areas and individual schools.

“That was unfair then and it is unfair now. Pupils can’t just be sent home and forgotten about.”

A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “We totally understand that this is a worrying and anxious time for everyone but our schools and staff are doing an amazing job to following robust risk assessments, follow the Scottish Government advice and support any pupils who are learning from home due to self-isolation.

“We can all play our part by following the rules and help suppress the virus.”

The Glasgow Times contacted the Scottish Government for comment.