starting primary

[stevemcm1]

Hi all, hope I can ask a few questions here.

1. When should our son start primary?

We're out of the UK right now, but we'll move back to Edinburgh sometime in the next year or so. Our son was born May 2015, so I think that means he would normally start school Aug 2020, aged 5 years 3 months. Is that right, or should we be thinking about Aug 2019?

1. When must we be in Edinburgh? I get we can't turn up mid -August and demand access to a school. But do we need to have lived in Edinburgh for x number of months before we can 'prove' we are resident?

1. Which state primary to go for?

We're hoping to live in catchments for James Gillespies or Sciennes - as they seem to get recommended (and good for going on to James G. secondary later). But what about Royal Mile, Tollcross, Preston st primaries - any comments?

Perhaps answers are elsewhere on the site? Sorry if these have been asked many times - I'm looking :)
Thanks.

From:
www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20256/school_places/1372/start_primary_school

If your child's date of birth is between 1 March 2013 and 28 February 2014 they are due to start primary school in August 2018.

Registration week was 6 to 10 November 2017. If you missed it please contact your catchment school to make an appointment.

This says to me he'd be starting August 2020 and council would expect you to be registering November November 2019.

You can turn up in mid-August and you will get a place at primary school - but not necessarily the school you want or the catchment school, it could be pretty much anywhere. He'd have priority for the catchment school and would get in at some point, it might say if you dig around on the council website when they have to get him into the catchment school, it might be the following school year.

JG Primary and Sciennes I know by reputation to be good, don't know Preston Street very well but I certainly wouldn't have palpitations if my son was going there.

Tollcross is great, possibly easier to get into if you arrive mid-August.

Royal Mile I haven't a clue, except to say they have a nice banner at the front.

Schools go back mid August, if you arrive before then you might not get any answers from the council, schools keep their own waiting lists etc. You might need to spend a day or two ringing round schools to see who has places open up.

Thanks very much.
Sounds like we can breath easy. My job contract is up August 2019.
So if school for our son would be August 2020 and registration is November 2019 then we have plenty of time (Aug-Nov 2019) to move :)

Watch oit as school
Catchments are due to change that year for Gillespies as new School due to open in Canaan Lane which will change catchments for south morningside and tollcross as well as jgps. Mind you knowing the council it will be late!

www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20103/classes_and_buildings/1335/south_edinburgh_primary_schools

Ouch! I forgot to ask - what are the chances of catchments changing in the next couple of years? Thanks for that info!

After looking around, I see a lot of positive comments on James G. Not as many for Sciennes as I thought I. A handful for Tollcross.

Anyone have comments on Royal Mile or Preston street?

I think you actually have till end feb according to our experience and this doc
www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/7323/admission_to_mainstream_school_procedure.pdf

You just need to prove on that date that you live there.

d&cakes - thanks! That helps :)