Edinburgh Primary Schools

[user1471083768]

We are moving to Scotland within the next two years and originally it looked as though it was going to be the Inverness area. It's been confirmed that my other half will be based in Edinburgh for at least 6 months. If the whole family move up then we would need to find an excellent primary school. Our 8 and 6 year olds currently go to an outstanding small village school and we would like to find similar near Edinburgh. If anyone has any advice I would be very very grateful.

You'll be limited to the catchment school which you're living in, out of catchment placements are now extremely rare as many of the good schools are oversubscribed.

Do you want to be near the centre or suburbs? need public transport links, your budget etc.?

Have a look at Currie, Balerno, Juniper Green, Cramond, Buckstone, Morningside, Flora Stevenson, Bruntsfield, Stockbridge - they're all quite "villagey" and good schools.

Or just go private then it won't matter where you live.
(Seriously though do you think anyone wants to find a mediocre primary for their kids??)

Also there is no equivalent to Ofsted ratings in Scotland and no primary assessment, so other than going by catchment, it's hard to assess much about the schools without visiting and asking locals.

I would also check whether there are spaces for your children - I've known people struggle to get places in the right years depending on the age of the children.

I noticed you said near Edinburgh - are you looking at the outskirts or a bit further (eg Fife)?

Oh I'm sure there won't be any schools good enough for your precious children, maybe you shouldn't bother?

Seriously OP whilst we all know what you mean, the manner of your post doesn't go down well, if that's your actual.manner and not just the way it comes across, then you'll find yourself pissing off people a lot.

I think we have frightened the OP off! If I were here I would repost using a slightly more humble manner, and she'll get the info she wants.

If I were her

You could try Dalmeny. Lovely little village school.

There are reports on schools on the Edinburgh council website, but they are less frequent than Ofsted are rating system is different. It sounds like you might be looking outside Edinburgh, presumably the surrounding councils also make the reports available. There are data that give you clues about intake available from Scottish Government. I posted the links on the Greenbank vs. Braid thread. I suggested other ways of getting the feel for schools like looking at their websites, searching for a PTA/parents Facebook group and if it's open see what the chat is.

Many popular schools can only take pupils who live in catchment. Catchments are defined on the council website and often indicated on property listings. On some sites you can search by catchment. You'll need to move into catchment at the right point of the year to get your place though. Move at the wrong time and you won't get your catchment place till the following year or if a place comes up.

There are great schools in Edinburgh that your children could start at the day after you move even if they're not in catchment. They'll take a bit of finding.

FWIW DS attended an Ofsted Outstanding school in a small village before we returned to Edinburgh. The school he now attends had no waiting list and is not one of the middle class desirable schools. But it is fantastic and just the right school for DS.

Depends on where exactly in Edinburgh you plan to be?