Primary School Placement Refusals Triple

Statistics released today show a record number of refused out-of-catchment requests for primary school places for the 2011/12 school year, at nearly triple the previous year's number. The Council is urging parents to visit and learn more about their catchment primary school before applying for a place at a school outside their area.

The application process for the new P1 intake starts on 14 November and, with school rolls rising, there is likely to be less choice for parents this year and in future.

• See Edinburgh Primary School Placement Requests statistics
  

Council officials have warned that refusals are likely to increase in coming years.

"We know the opportunities to grant placing requests in coming years will reduce even further so parents need to consider their choices carefully, particularly those who expect to have younger brothers and sisters in need of places in years to come," said City Education Leader Cllr Marilyne MacLaren.

“As this year’s application process begins, we’re calling for parents to go to their local school, talk to the head teacher, to staff and to other parents to see what’s on offer.  All of our schools provide a high quality educational experience and we think parents will be impressed.”

Children are normally guaranteed a place at a school within their catchment area but, if parents want, they can apply for a place at a school in a different area. A place is only granted if one is available.

The overall school intake has increased over the past three school years but there are still empty places across Edinburgh.  In recent years seven primary schools with decreasing rolls and a high number of expensive empty places have been closed.  At the same time, extensions have been built at schools that are full, for example, Corstorphine and Towerbank Primaries.

The pressure on certain catchment areas has increased following the government's introduction of the P1 class size limit of 25 and it is becoming apparent that some parents who may have previously sent their child to private school are choosing a Council run school instead.

Edinburgh Primary Schools Placement Requests

Primary schools with the most placing requests received (20 or more):

• The Royal High 32
• Craiglockhart 26
• Davidsons Mains 24
• Sciennes 24
• Balgreen 23
• Clermiston 23
• Flora Stevenson 23
• Juniper Green 22
• Liberton 22
• Preston Street 22
• Pirniehall 22
• Prestonfield 21
• JGPS 20

Schools with the most refusals (15 or more):

• Liberton 22
• Craiglockhart 21
• Juniper Green 19
• JGPS 18
• Sciennes 18
• Prestonfield 18
• Davidsons Mains 16
• Wardie 15

Schools where all placing requests were refused:

• JGPS
• Liberton
• St Mary's (Leith)
• St Peter's
• Trinity
• Wardie