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PLACING REQUESTS IN LOCAL AUTHORITY SCHOOLS IN SCOTLAND, 2002/03

23 March 2004

A Scottish Executive National Statistics Publication

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 (Table 1).
• Eighty-two per cent of all requests were granted. This rate has been declining slowly in recent years (Table 1).
• "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 (Table 5).
• Less than one per cent of placing requests (176) were for early entry to primary, of which 24 per cent were granted (Table 2).
• 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 (Tables 2 and 4).
• 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 (Tables 2 and 4).
• Special schools accounted for 0.4 per cent of requests (120), of which 75 per cent were granted (Table 2).
• There were 2,337 requested deferrals of entry to mainstream primary schools and 82 requested deferrals of entry to special school (Table 8).

TABLES

Table 1 - Placing requests received and granted. 1990/91 to 2002/03.
Table 2 - Placing requests received and granted, by type, primary, secondary and special schools, 1990/91 to 2002/03.
Table 3 - Placing requests, by type and outcome primary, secondary and special schools, 2002/03.
Table 4 - Placing requests received as a percentage of the relevant stage roll. Primary and secondary schools, 2002/03.
Table 5 - Placing requests refused, by reason for refusal, primary, secondary and special schools, 2002/03.
Table 6 - Percentage of placing requests refused, by reason for refusal, primary, secondary and special schools, 2002/03.
Table 7 - Percentage of placing requests refused, by reason for refusal, primary, secondary and special schools, 1997/98 to 2002/03.
Table 8 - Requests for deferred entry to P1.

CHARTS

Chart 1 - Placing requests received 1990/91 to 2002/03.
Chart 2 - Outcome of placing requests to primary, secondary and special schools 2002/03.

BACKGROUND NOTES

1. In this Statistics Publication Notice, 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. The full publication is available through the following link

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00330-00.asp

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 Mal Cooke, The Scottish Executive Education Department, Room 1A, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ. Telephone 0131 244 1689 or email school.stats@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

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

Matthew Marr: 0131 244 2972
Statistics Publication Notice

23 March 2004

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