Council warning on catchment requests

COUNCIL ADVISES SCHOOL PLACING REQUESTS MAY NOT BE MET

The City of Edinburgh Council is warning parents who have applied for primary school places out with their catchment that they may not be met due to the pressure of rising rolls.

A report to the Education, Children and Families Committee on 5 March 2013 will list the schools where placing requests may not be met.

The number of P1 registrations has increased by 3.5 per cent on last year to 4632 and the Council has received more than 700 placing requests so far for the next school year.

There has been a decrease in the number of these requests following a concerted campaign to encourage parents to learn more about their local catchment school and the benefits of their child attending there. This has led to a 15 per cent reduction on the number of requests received last year.

Councillor Paul Godzik, Education Convener, said: “Parents who have submitted a placing request should be prepared for the fact that they may not get the place they were hoping for and recent experience has been that appeals are unlikely to be successful.  However, their child will be registered with their local catchment school and will start next August alongside other local children.

“Historically, Edinburgh has had a high rate of placing requests when compared with other parts of Scotland.  However, since I became Convener of Education I have met a number of parents who faced similar situations in the last few years.  Happily, they report things have worked out and that their local catchment school is providing very well for their child. I would encourage all parents who are thinking about placing requests to reconsider their catchment school and perhaps pay it a visit, as it is becoming clear many requests will be refused this year.”

To help ensure there are enough places for catchment children planning permission has now been received for extra classrooms at three city primary schools – Wardie, Trinity and Granton.  These popular schools are in need of more classroom space due to the large number of registrations.  High quality extensions at these schools to be in place by August 2013.  A planning application for new classes at Victoria Primary is also being considered.

A working group made up of parent, officer and school representatives has been set up to look at the challenges facing city schools in light of rising rolls and an increase in population.