This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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School placing requests
23/03/2004
The results of the
latest annual survey of placing requests (requests by
parents to local authorities that a child be placed in a
specified school) are published today by the Scottish
Executive Education Department. The latest survey covers
August 2002 to July 2003 inclusive.
The main findings for 2002/03 are:
- The total number of placing requests received in
2002/03 was 31,418, a decrease of one per cent on the
2001/02 figure. The figure has changed little over the
last decade
- Eighty-two per cent of all requests were granted.
This rate has been declining slowly in recent
years
- "Accommodation constraints" was the reason for
refusal reported in 62 per cent of primary requests
(excluding early entry) which were refused and 65 per
cent of secondary requests which were refused
- Less than one per cent of placing requests (176)
were for early entry to primary, of which 24 per cent
were granted
- Sixty-two per cent (19,440) were other primary
requests, of which 89 per cent were granted. Placing
requests received for stage P1 (excluding early entry)
represented 22 per cent of the pupil roll
- Thirty-seven per cent of placing requests (11,682)
were for secondary, of which 71 per cent were granted.
Placing requests for stage S1 represented 13 per cent
of the pupil roll
- Special schools accounted for 0.4 per cent of
requests (120), of which 75 per cent were granted
- There were 2,337 requested deferrals of entry to
mainstream primary schools and 82 requested deferrals
of entry to special school
A placing request is defined as a request that a child
be placed in a specified school under the control of the
local authority concerned. The figures also include
requests that a child would not have to move to another
school as a result of a change of residence.
It excludes:
• requests by parents of children who have been recorded
as having special educational needs to have their child
placed in a grant-aided or independent special school
• requests for a child to be placed in the school
which he/she would, in any event, have attended, except for
those children who are under statutory entry age for
primary school
• requests for placements in nursery schools
The systems operated by local authorities vary
considerably. Some authorities operate a flexible policy
whereby arrangements are made by the parent contacting the
head teacher, without the involvement of the education
authority. In this Statistics Publication Notice, a
statutory request is defined as a written request, either
to the local authority or to a school, that a placement be
made. Where an oral request has been followed by a
statutory request, only the latter is counted.
The usual arrangements for pupils entering P1 are that
children whose 5th birthday falls between March 1 and
February 28 start school together in the August in the
middle of that period. For example, pupils whose 5th
birthday is between March 1 2003 and February 29 2004 would
generally start school in August 2003. Requests for entry
under the statutory entry age are for a child to enter in
the August of the year before the normal entry date.
In Table 4, the number of placing requests have been
expressed as percentages of the relevant pupil populations
as at September 2002. Note that most requests in 2002/03
would be for placement at the start of the 2003/04 school
year. However, pupil figures for September 2003 were not
available at time of going to press.
Grounds in 2002/03 for refusing a placing request
include:
a) where placing a child in school would make it
necessary to employ an additional teacher
b) where it would give rise to significant
expenditure on extending or altering accommodation
c) where it is likely to be seriously detrimental to
order and discipline in the school
d) where it would be likely to be seriously
detrimental to the educational well-being of the pupils
already at the school
e) where it would be seriously detrimental to the
continuity of the child's education
f) if the education normally provided at the
specified school is not suited to the age, ability or
aptitude of the child
g) if the education authority have already required
the child to discontinue his/her attendance at the
specified school
h) if, where the specified school is a special
school, the child does not have special educational needs
requiring the education or special facilities normally
provided at that school
i) if the specified school is a single sex school and
the child is not of the sex admitted to the school
j) where in certain circumstances schools retain
places for children moving into the catchment area
k) accepting the request would make it necessary for
the council to create an additional class or employ an
additional teacher at a future stage in the child's
education
l) under the terms of Section 38(1) of the standards
in Scotland's Schools etc Act 2000 the education normally
provided at the specified school would not be suited to the
ability and aptitude of the child
National Statistics are produced to high professional
standards set out in the National Statistics Code of
Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to
ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced
free from any political interference.