SCOTTISH Labour has pledged an additional 1,500 classroom assistants in Scotland as it accuses the SNP of leaving teachers “struggling to cope.”

Party leader Anas Sarwar made the commitment, which includes 300 classroom assistants specialising in additional support needs (ASN), ahead of the launch of Labour’s Holyrood manifesto on Thursday.

Just days after a teaching strike over workloads was narrowly averted, Scottish Labour said its plans could both reduce pressure on teachers and allow more one-to-one support for pupils.

Mr Sarwar said: “Under the SNP standards are slipping and children are falling through the cracks.

“The incompetence of John Swinney and the SNP has left teachers struggling to cope and robbed kids of the chance to learn.”

Pointing to record numbers of ASN pupils — now 43 per cent of the total — he added: “While the number of kids needing additional support soared, the SNP cut ASN services to the bone — it is indefensible.

“The SNP cannot get the basics right and we owe it to the next generation to demand better.”

The Scottish government was contacted for comment.