This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
PLACING REQUESTS IN EDUCATION AUTHORITY SCHOOLS
IN SCOTLAND, 1987-88 TO 1997-98 |
8 June 1999 |
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| The provisional results of the latest annual survey of placing requests are published today by The Scottish Office Education and Industry Department. |
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| These results have been calculated using information from the annual survey of placing requests collected from education authorities in Scotland between 1 August 1997 to 31 July 1998. This news release updates the figures published in February 1998 in the statistical bulletin: Placing Requests in Education Authority Schools in Scotland: 1986-87 to 1996-97, Edn/B6/1998/1, which reported the results of the 1 August 1996 to 31 July 1997 survey. |
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| The main findings are: |
- The total number of placing requests received in 1997-98 was 31,515, a decrease of 2.4 per cent on the 1996-97 figure, but 31 per cent more than in 1987-88. Of these, 20,261 were for primary (including 415 early entry requests), 11,248 were for secondary and 6 were for special schools. ( Table 1 and Table 2).
- In 1997-98, 85.7 per cent of all requests were granted. For primary, 23.1 per cent of early entry and 90.4 per cent of other primary requests were granted. In secondary, 79.7 per cent of requests were successful. ( Table1 and Table 2).
- Placing requests received in 1997-98 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. ( Table 3 and Table 4).
- Accommodation constraints was the reason for refusal reported in almost three-quarters of primary (excluding early entry) and two-thirds of secondary requests which were refused. The continuity of the child's education was cited as a factor in more than half of S2-S6 requests which were refused. ( Table 5).
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| TABLES |
| Table 1 - Education authority schools, 1987-88 to 1997-98: Placing requests received and granted. |
| Table 2 - Education authority primary and secondary schools, 1987-88 to 1997-98: Placing requests received and granted, by type. |
| Table 3 - Education authority primary and secondary schools, 1 August 1997 to 31 July 1998: Placing requests, by type and outcome. |
| Table 4 - Education authority primary and secondary schools, 1 August 1997 to 31 July 1998: Placing requests received as a percentage of the relevant stage roll. |
| Table 5 - Education authority primary and secondary schools, 1 August to 31 July 1998: Placing requests refused, by reason for refusal. |
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| 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.
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| 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 1998 and 28 February 1999 would generally start school in August 1998. 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 the Septemberclosest to the end of the period (e.g. September 1998 pupil populations for requests made between 1 August 1997 and 31 July 1998) as the majority of requests in a year will relate to placements commencing at the start of the following school session. |
| 5. Grounds in 1997-98 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 incomers. |
| There were no refusals recorded in 1997-98 on grounds (g), (h) and (i). |
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| Further Information |
| 6. The Statistical Bulletin, ' Placing Requests in Education Authority Schools in Scotland: 1987-88 to 1997-98', Edn/B6/1999/1, is available on the Scottish Office website. |
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| Enquiries |
| 7. Public enquiries (non-media) about the information contained in this News Release should be addressed to Sheila Ward, Statistician, The Scottish Office Education and Industry Department, Area 1A-West, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ. Telephone 0131 244 0323 or email sheila.ward@scotland.gov.uk. |
| 8. Media enquiries about the information in this News Release should be addressed to: |
| Elaine Ravenscroft: 0131 244 2175 |
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| News Release 1151/99 |
| 8 June 1999 |