How do primary admissions in Edinburgh work?

[sleepingdragons]

Can anyone help with P1 school admissions?

What's the latest you can apply for the P1 2018 intake in Edinburgh?

I think the usual way is you register your interest (can't remember the correct term!) in November so they know how many to expect then you confirm your address by February, is that right?

But what if you move to Edinburgh part way through the year and miss the November deadline? As long as you're there by Feb are you still guarenteed a place in your catchment school or is the November deadline the crucial one?

And what happens if you don't get to Edinburgh till - say - April, would we be screwed then?

Thanks :)

You go to your catchment school in November. There's usually a certain week.

If you move mid year, I think you contact placement services. It's the luck of the draw. They used to keep 2 places for children moving in. But it would depend on numbers.

Yes there is usually a date in end Nov that you register at your catchment school (you have 2 - catholic and non-denomination) or apply for an out of catchment place. Most do get places at their catchment school but at some of the VERY popular ones some are unlucky. If you move to Edinburgh after that then you should register as soon as you have a permanent address. It is rumoured that the council hold back a couple of places for just this scenario so you may be lucky. They do have to offer you a place though but it may not be catchment. P1 places are capped so there is little manoeuvrability.

You have to bring a council tax bill and utility bill as proof of address in November, it's not just putting their name down. If you click on the first link on this page it's explained quite clearly.

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

If you manage to complete your move before the end of February, you can be offered a provisional place in the catchment school.

I think it's one of those things that is just impossible to predict and will probably vary from school to school. There are always parents moving, taking up a private place, etc.

I moved into Edinburgh in mid-April when DS started school; we still got a place for him in a popular school. We'd put an out-of-catchment request in before moving & were 14th on the list. There is no way he'd have got in that way. And there were a good number of children who moved after us & still got in.

But I do think it's very individual & depends on ratio's/physical space etc.

It will really depend on how full the school is, if you can tell the school when you are moving, they can usually let you if you will get a space.

Not in Edinburgh but I think the system is the same across Scotland - if you move mid-year or after the places are allocated, the Council offers you a place at your next nearest school and then as soon as one becomes available at your catchment school you get it. This could be a whole school year though.

Thanks for the replies :)

Sugar. I wish we'd been more decisive about moving earlier.

Are the best schools often very oversubscribed like in England/Wales or because everyone gets a catchment place is it not as bonkers much of an issue in Scotland?

I read a document somewhere online that said something about needing to be in your address by February, for Edinburgh.

I understand (I think!) about how the placing requests work but I wondered if there was a difference between late P1 admission requests before and after that deadline.

It sounds like there isn't though?

The aim is to get you in to your catchment school. With rising birth rates in Edinburgh and the council in their wisdom closed numerous schools in 2008-2010 meaning other schools became larger catchment areas. Placement services are helpful if you are struggling.

RedScissors Thanksfor the link, having a look at the documents now.

I've read Edinburgh council's document on admissions procedures and I'm still confused!

I think (hope!) The February deadline might apply. It states clearly that all children resident in Edinburgh by Feburary 28th will be guarenteed a catchment place. So we'd be OK if we moved before then.

But then everyone here seems to be saying November except RedScissors who says you get a provisional place - so I'm worried I've misinterpreted it!

Groovee thanks. I think maybe i need to guve the council a call.

The official wording is

The School Placements team aims to offer a provisional place
at one of your new catchment schools before you have moved, if you provide proof of purchase for the new property or new signed tenancy agreement in full before the end of February 2017.

You aren't guaranteed a place if you move into catchment after November but they will do their best.

RedScissors this is confusing! Would you mind pointing me to where you saw that?

In the class="underline">tomainstreamschoolsprocedure.pdf Procedure: Admissions to Mainstream Schools document it says:

"4.12.4 In a non denominational school catchment places for P1 and S1 will only
be guaranteed to children living in the school catchment by the end of
February in the year they begin primary or secondary school"

It doesn't mention anything about provisional places.

I can't open your link- mine is from Placing in School Procedures (first pdf on the link I posted above).

Is yours older, perhaps? The file I downloaded is entitled 'final' and also says (on the first page) that

The Council aims to provide places for P1 and S1 pupils at their catchment school if they are living in the catchment area by the end of February 2017, subject to being resident at the same address at the start of session.

Oops that link goes to the file on my computer
It would be pretty worrying if you could open it!

This is the right link Admission Procedure document

It's the third link on the same page. I'll have a look at your document.

Right I've found the document and re-read this paragraph in context.

"The School Placements team aims to offer a provisional place
at one of your new catchment schools before you have moved, if you provide proof of purchase for the new property or new signed tenancy agreement in full before the end of February 2017."

And it's still not clear!

I think what it's saying is that if you are about to move into Edinburgh and you know the address but have not yet moved in they will hold a provisional place as long as you are moved in by February.
BUT it doesn't define what a provisional place is - nor how it gets turned into an actual place at the school or when the period of application they're talking about starts (they say "before" August but not how long before August).

At the top of that document it says:

"The Council aims to provide places for P1 and S1 pupils at their catchment
school if they are living in the catchment area by the end of February 2017
subject to being resident at the same address at the start of session."

I still think maybe it's OK if we're there by February (fingers crossed!) I'm going to call them and find out when I get a chance.

I suspect that in March they start allocating the out of catchment places to those who have applied. So those parents can be told in April if they have a place at their requested school.

In 2004, I deferred Dd going to school and got a phone call to confirm I was going ahead with deferral as they desperately needed places for catchment children.

I think it would be provisional because it would be dependent on you producing a council tax/ utility bill with the correct, in-catchment address. Once you had done that, it would then be a confirmed place?

Do let us know once you phone, I'm sure it would be helpful for others to know too!

I moved end of Jan, was told end of Feb was the "big" cut off date.

usually at this time of year the council are working on the waiting lists and there's a lot of movement with out of catchment applications, people deferring etc. I haven't heard anything about numbers of appeals this year, although I know in previous years there have been a lot.

A lot depends on where you will be living - there's various waves of expansion going on as the council have finally realised that closing schools at the same time as a rising birth rate and increasing housebuilding was a really stupid thing to do.