Proposed Changes to Enhanced Provision Model of Support

Update - Tuesday 12th May 2026

Following the conclusion of the Enhanced Provision consultation, a report summarising the consultation responses, together with a Committee Report, was presented to the Executive Committee on Thursday 23rd April 2026.

The Committee noted the findings of the statutory consultation and agreed that the proposal to change the current model of Primary Enhanced Provision should not be progressed. As a result, existing Enhanced Provisions and current arrangements for access to these provisions will remain unchanged.

Improvement work will continue to strengthen capacity and consistency of enhanced support across all schools, supported by Scottish Government Additional Support Needs funding.

***Frequently Asked Questions - last updated Tuesday 7th October***

***UPDATE***

Statement on the Proposal for Enhanced Support in Every Falkirk Primary School

Following the ongoing consultation activity, discussion and feedback, we want to clarify that no decision has been made regarding the model of enhanced support and we would continue to encourage engagement from all relevant stakeholders. We want the final approach to reflect the needs and aspirations of all. At the very core of the proposal, we seek a way to ensure that every Falkirk child receives the right support, in the right place, at the right time, within their own school and community.

We want to provide clarity around some wording in the consultation paper, particularly relating to the suggestion that all children who currently attend an Enhanced Provision would be required to return to their catchment school. We would like to be very clear that no child will be forced to move school. The proposal sets out the ambition that, if every school is equipped with the staff and resource to provide enhanced support, children could be educated in their local school and community. This remains a goal in the proposal that could be achieved through careful transition, planning and collaboration.

Background

On Thursday 21st August 2025, Falkirk Council's Executive granted approval for Education Services to undertake a statutory consultation in accordance with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.

The purpose of the consultation is to seek views from stakeholders on a proposal to change the current model of Enhanced Provision and how Education Services can efficiently spread it's resources across all 47 primary schools, to best meet the needs of learners.

Our current Enhanced Provision model

At present, 15 of our 47 primary schools have an Enhanced Provision.

Within these 15 provisions, Enhanced Support in practice includes:

• A differentiated and adapted curriculum.
• A communication rich learning environment.
• Autism-friendly pedagogy.
• Flexible class participation & base areas.
• Equitable staff resources

Why we're proposing this change

The following are the reasons Falkirk Council Education Services are proposing this change:

• There has been a rise in children and young people with an Additional Support Need since 2020/21.
• It is the view of practitioners that the current model of 15 Enhanced Provisions is insufficient to meet demand.
• Due to the limited spaces within our existing 15 Enhanced Provisions, there currently exists an uneven geographical distribution.
• This uneven geographical distribution results in many of the learners who have a place within an Enhanced Provision having to travel away from their own local communities disrupting connections they make.
• There are many schools across the Council area who already have informal Additional Support Needs support without the same formal resource which the Enhanced Provisions currently receive.

Falkirk Council's proposal

The Council's proposal for changing the current Enhanced Provision model is as follows:

• Every Falkirk Primary School would embed enhanced Additional Support Needs support in their school.
• There would be a move away from 15 Enhanced Provisions to a model where all 47 Primary Schools are resourced to support enhanced Additional Support Needs support.
• Pupils who currently have a place in an Enhanced Provision may have to return to their local school with support.
• There would be a redistribution of resources to ensure equity for all. As part of this, the priority would be for staff to remain in their current school with any potential changes taking place in conjunction with HR and Trade Unions.

Consultation

This is a statutory consultation undertaken in accordance with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. The consultation will close on Monday 27th October.

Following the closure of the consultation, all data will be forwarded to Education Scotland, who will prepare an independent report in accordance with the terms of the 2010 Act. Their report will be based on the educational aspects of the proposal.

The report from Education Scotland will be included in the Council's final consultation report which will be submitted to the Council's Executive meeting on Thursday 19th February 2026. The final report will be published at least three weeks before the meeting of the Executive.

The decision on the proposal will be taken by Elected Members at the Executive meeting.

If you have any questions about the consultation, please email EducationServices@falkirk.gov.uk.