Moray Council agrees on Additional Support Needs allocation methodology
Moray Council’s Education, Children’s and Leisure Services Committee has agreed on the methodology for allocating Additional Support Needs (ASN) staffing and resources for the 2025/26 academic session.
The council has carried out significant work on refining the process of ASN allocations that meets local needs more efficiently.
The ASN allocation approach for 2025/26 will continue to provide funding at the school or setting level rather than to individual pupils, ensuring Head Teachers and Nursery Managers have greater flexibility in managing resources.
Allocations will be based on the 2023/24 moderation exercise, changes in need over the past year, ASN Resource Group (ARG) requests from 2024/25, and the findings of a re-moderation process beginning in February 2025. The funding level will remain the same as last year while factoring in pay awards.
Moray Council is also developing a new funding transfer process, set to launch in August 2025, allowing ASN budgets to move between schools based on significant changes in demand. This will ensure resources follow pupils in need, easing pressure on contingency funds and improving efficiency.
Schools will be notified of their ASN allocations before the end of the term, while nursery settings will receive their initial allocations in May (for August intake) and further updates before their January and Easter intakes.
To improve financial clarity, £1.25m in nursery ASN funding will now be separated from the overall ASN budget.
The total budget breakdown for ASN allocations in 2025/26 is as follows:
- Teachers (89.78 FTE) – £6.6m
- Support Staff (7,900 hours per week) – £5.9m
- Early Learning & Childcare (ELC) ASN Support – £1.2m
- Emerging Need/Contingency – £0.6m
- Total – £14.3m
Additionally, £0.956m will continue to fund adapted curriculum provision for pupils needing specialist support.
Chair of Moray Council’s Education, Children’s and Leisure Services Committee, Cllr Kathleen Robertson, said: “This updated ASN allocation methodology makes sure funding is shared fairly, giving schools and nurseries the flexibility to support pupils effectively. By ensuring resources are distributed based on actual needs rather than fixed allocations, we can better respond to changes in demand across Moray. The new process for moving funds and the separate nursery budget will make resource planning clearer and more efficient, ensuring that support is available where it is needed most.
“Our investment in ASN staffing and support ensures that children and young people receive the tailored help they require to succeed in their learning. We’ll continue working closely with schools, nurseries, and families to refine our approach and ensure that ASN provision remains responsive and sustainable.”
Full details on the 2025/26 ASN allocations methodology can be found in the committee papers.