Bearsden primary schools

[potter68]

Myself & partner have started looking at primary school options in Bearsden for our little one, we are based in East Dunbartonshire but out with the catchment area for these specific schools, therefore will be required to put in a placement request for 2024. Has anyone had any experience with placement requests mainly for Bearsden primary or Baljaffray primary this year and can provide some insight? Thanks

I don’t have any experience im afraid but placing requests, particularly to those two schools, are rarely successful

https://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/residents/schools-early-years-and-learning/school-placing-requests/placing-request-details-202324

Bearsden Primary - no chance. Baljaffray - not as impossible as Bearsden, but still a long shot.

You also have to remember that getting into Bearsden/Baljaffray will NOT GUARANTEE you a spot at Bearsden Academy unless you are in catchment for an other B Academy feeder primary like Mosshead or Castlehill. In all of my three kids' year groups there has been the parent who has got a placing request for a P1, stuck their head in the sand about transition to secondary, it gets to this point in P7 and all their mates are going to Bearsden Academy and they're off somewhere else.

Also bear in mind that many/most/all of the "granted" placing requests will be for siblings.

Which is the primary school that you are in catchment for?

Thank you for the help and info! We are hoping to move to Bearsden within the next 3/4 years so if we did get a place hopefully the high school wouldn’t be an issue. Our little one is at nursery in bearsden currently I don’t know if that makes a difference?

We are currently in the catchment for Thomas Muir & St Helens - I know both are great schools, it’s mainly due to our plan to move within the next few years

Thank you for this link, it is super helpful

if you’re in East Dumbartonshire you’re further up the pecking order than someone geographically closer but who lives in Glasgow / west Dumbartonshire/ Stirling. My only thought would be it’s a fair bit of driving to and from school each day. And your child won’t have many local friends until you move.