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News Release
PLACING REQUESTS IN EDUCATION AUTHORITY SCHOOLS IN SCOTLAND,
1990-91 TO 2000-2001

9 May 2002

A NATIONAL STATISTICS PUBLICATION

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The results of the latest annual survey of placing requests are published today by the Scottish Executive Education Department.

These results have been calculated using information from the annual survey of placing requests collected from education authorities in Scotland - the latest survey covers 1 August 2000 to 31 July 2001. This News Release updates the figures published in February 2001 in the News Release: Placing Requests in Education Authority Schools in Scotland: 1989-90 to 1999-2000, which reported the results of the 1 August 1999 to 31 July 2000 survey.

The main findings are:

• The total number of placing requests received in 2000-2001 was 30,227, a decrease of 6.2 per cent on the 1999-2000 figure but 18.9 per cent more than in 1990-91. Of the placing requests received in 2000-2001, 19,137 were for primary (including 218 early entry requests), 10,959 were for secondary (Tables 1 and 2) and 131 were for special schools.
• In 2000-2001, 84.5 per cent of all requests were granted. For primary, 29.4 per cent of early entry and 90.7 per cent of other primary requests were granted. In secondary, 74.9 per cent of requests were successful (Tables 1 and 2).
• Placing requests received in 2000-2001 for stage P1 (excluding early entry) and stage S1 represented 20.7 and 12.6 per cent respectively of the pupil rolls at these stages (Tables 3 and 4).
• Accommodation constraints was the reason for refusal reported in 81.9 per cent of primary (excluding early entry) and 82.1 per cent of secondary requests which were refused. The continuity of the child's education was cited as a factor in 9.1 per cent of S2-S6 requests which were refused (Table 5).

TABLES

Table 1 - Education authority schools, 1990-91 to 2000-2001: Placing requests received and granted.
Table 2 - Education authority primary and secondary schools, 1990-91 to 2000-2001: Placing requests received and granted, by type.
Table 3 - Education authority primary and secondary schools, 1 August 2000 to 31 July 2001: Placing requests, by type and outcome.
Table 4 - Education authority primary and secondary schools, 1 August 2000 to 31 July 2001: Placing requests received as a percentage of the relevant stage roll.
Table 5 - Education authority primary and secondary schools, 1 August 2000 to 31 July 2001: Placing requests refused, by reason for refusal.

NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS

1. In this News Release, a placing request is defined as a request that a child be placed in a specified school under the control of the education 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.

2. The systems operated by education 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 News Release, a statutory request is defined as a written request, either to the education 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.

3. The usual arrangements for pupils entering P1 are that children whose 5th birthday falls between 1 March and 28 February start school together in the August in the middle of that period. For example, pupils whose 5th birthday is between 1 March 2001 and 28 February 2002 would generally start school in August 2001. 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.

4. In 2000-2001, the survey form was amended to take into account the changes to placing request legislation made by the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. Act 2000, which came into force on 13th October 2000. In particular, data were collected to monitor the impact of an unintended consequence of that Act, which meant that parents had no statutory right to make placing requests for children under 5 years of age who were nonetheless eligible to start school under section 32(6) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. The statistics that were collected show that in 89 per cent of cases education authorities granted requests they received for these children on a non-statutory basis. The legislative error giving rise to this situation was rectified by section 1 of the School Education (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2002 which came into force in February 2002.

5. In Table 4, the number of placing requests have been expressed as percentages of the relevant pupil populations as at September 2000. Note that most requests in 2000-2001 would be for placement at the start of the 2001-02 school year. However, pupil figures for September 2001 were not available at time of going to press.

6. Grounds in 2000-2001 for refusing a placing request include:

1. where placing a child in school would make it necessary to employ an additional teacher;
2. where it would give rise to significant expenditure on extending or altering accommodation;
3. where it is likely to be seriously detrimental to order and discipline in the school;
4. where it would be likely to be seriously detrimental to the educational well-being of the pupils already at the school;
5. where it would be seriously detrimental to the continuity of the child's education;
6. if the education normally provided at the specified school is not suited to the age, ability or aptitude of the child;
7. if the education authority have already required the child to discontinue his/her attendance at the specified school;
8. 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;
9. if the specified school is a single sex school and the child is not of the sex admitted to the school;
10. where in certain circumstances schools retain places for children moving into the catchment area.
11. 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.
12. 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.

7. This is a National Statistics publication. 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.

Enquiries

8. Public enquiries (non-media) about the information contained in this News Release should be addressed to Neil White, assistant statistician, The Scottish Executive Education Department, Area 1A-West, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ. Telephone 0131 244 0300 or email neil.white@scotland.gsi.gov.uk .

9. Media enquiries about the information in this News Release should be addressed to:

Barry Winter: 0131 244 2087

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