The number of vulnerable pupils in Scottish schools has risen to an all-time high sparking fresh fears of a crisis in the classroom.

Official figures show there are more than 199,000 pupils with additional support needs (ASN) compared to 118,000 in 2012 - an increase of 68 per cent.

The rise comes at a time when the number of teachers trained to support ASN pupils has fallen from 3,248 in 2012 to just 2,733. Behaviour support staff and educational psychologists are also decreasing.

Last night, opposition politicians demanded immediate action from the Scottish Government to increase levels of support.

Under current legislation a statutory duty is placed on councils to provide for ASN pupils - which covers a range of issues including learning disabilities, dyslexia, visual or hearing impairments, language or speech disorders, autism and social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Lack of support for such pupils has led to concerns over growing classroom disruption.

Liz Smith, education spokeswoman for the Scottish Conservatives, called for a review of the policy of inclusion - which presumes the best place for all children is in a mainstream school.

She said: “These figures prove the need for a full debate about how best to support our most vulnerable pupil, most specifically whether it is now time to review the appropriateness of the presumption to mainstream.

“Teachers generally support the laudable aims behind the policy, but a growing number tell us it does not work well for a large number of young people.”

Iain Gray, education spokesman for the Scottish Labour Party, said greater numbers of ASN pupils were struggling to cope.

He added: “With further cuts to local authorities in the SNP’s budget it is only going to get worse. The damaging educational consequences for these children, and indeed all teachers and pupils, are real and urgent.”

Ross Greer, education spokesman for the Scottish Green Party, said the “crisis” in ASN provision was now evident.

He said: “The fundamental issue in Scotland’s schools is that ten years of budget cuts have seen thousands of staff, particularly ASN specialists, disappear.

“Fewer staff are expected to support far more young people with complex needs with considerably less resource than in previous years, a situation which badly lets down some of our most vulnerable children and young people.”

There was also concern about a continuing decline in the number of vulnerable pupils with a co-ordinated support plan (CSP). Since 2012 pupils with a CSP have decreased from 3,448 to 1,986.

While not all ASN children require a CSP it has an important status because it is a legal document requiring councils to ensure pupils receive appropriate support.

Lynn Bell from Love Learning Scotland, a member of the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition campaign group, said: “It is clearly of concern that we are experiencing a decline in the use of CSPs to support those with the most complex needs.

“This is despite an increase in the numbers of those requiring such support and is in contrast with England where the number of those with the equivalent is close to 20 per cent. In Scotland it is only one per cent.

“We are also concerned about the disparities that exist between individual councils on such support which shows a lack of standardisation over who is identified as having ASN and who get a CSP.”

A spokesman for council umbrella body Cosla said the needs of individual pupils were the primary driver when considering provision.

He added: “Scottish councils support individual children and their families and continue to prioritise children and young people services within their budgets.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We want all children and young people to receive the support they need to reach their full potential.

“The Additional Support for Learning Act places duties on councils to identify, provide for and review the needs of pupils with additional support needs.

“The legislation on the use of co-ordinated support planning is clear. To support understanding of the legislation, including the use of non-statutory planning mechanisms, and the extension of rights to children and young people, the statutory guidance on additional support for learning was updated and published in January 2018.”