Schools transactions update - February 2020
Read to find out where we are in the P1/S1 allocations process, and read an update on EMA and free school meals / clothing grant applications.
P1 and S1 school allocations for August 2020
The school intake limits have been decided and communicated with head teachers. These are decided based on a number of factors, including pupil-teacher ratios and number of available classrooms available. For Roman Catholic schools we ensure we can accommodate all children we know of who are baptised in the Roman Catholic faith.
Over the next week we will be finalising the initial allocation of places and responding to all placing requests received up to 24 December. We will also write to all parents of children who asked us for a place in their RC catchment school.
We aim to complete this process by Friday 6 March, with all decision letters issued on this date. You may notice changes to your intake during this time.
Pupils not registered for P1
You may have noticed several new registrations for P1 over the last few weeks. Due to the rising rolls it is important we get as many children registered as possible before the catchment deadline date (29 February). We are less likely to be able to accommodate these pupils at a later date after we have allocated available places.
In these cases parents have not completed a registration form, nor provided the child's birth certificate or proof of address - we have simply performed an address check against Council Tax / Benefits records. All of these children are currently attending a nursery or early years centre in Edinburgh so if there is any dubiety over you can always double check with the nursery (this is the 'linked school' on your intake registration details' screen).
Although we've done this, you will likely still receive enquiries from parents wishing to register. Please continue to accept these. If there is any doubt over the address, please ask the parents to complete the change of address form and we'll handle it.
The 'new intake registration' screen is still open for you to record registrations this week, however from Monday 2 March it will be locked and you will need to send us details using our contact form.
Remember to retain documents received for registration as per the P1 registration process - phase 1 guide.
New P7 pupils and those moving address
We check a weekly report for P7 pupils detailing any new starts or changes, i.e. new addresses. You don't need to tell us about these separately as we'll pick them up automatically. In most cases we'll check against Council Tax records to confirm the address and then change the allocated school. However we may contact you if we need some more information.
Admission to Roman Catholic schools
Priority will be given to children baptised in the Roman Catholic faith. Proof of baptism is still coming in - if received by 29 February we will accept it, however any submissions after this date will not be guaranteed a place.
There are a number of P1 registrations with RC status 'certificate not provided yet' - please review these and chase up parents if necessary, otherwise they will be counted as non-baptised and will not be guaranteed a place.
Education Maintenance Allowances - update on applications
The team have been working hard to catch up on the applications received to date. Applications are now being processed within a few weeks of receipt.
We will continue to accept applications for the current school year up to 31 March 2020. Applications for the 2020-2021 year will open in June 2020.
Free school meals / clothing grants
We are starting to receive enquiries about applying for the 2020-2021 year. It is too early to do this now, applications will open in either May or June 2020 after we have completed the automatic awards.
Families may still apply for the remainder of the 2019-2020 session, however we won't pay any more clothing grants after 31 March until the summer.
Application forms on the Orb
Although the majority of customers use our online application forms, occasionally a paper form is preferred. Remember you can download PDF versions of all our forms on the Orb and print them off for parents on request.
Free school meals/clothing grant and education maintenance allowance forms
School placing request form (for P1 and S1 intake)
Change of address form
Please note the general admission form should not be used for requests for the new P1 or S1 intake - this should only be used for parents requesting a place in-year.
Next steps
Please download the phase 2 P1 registration process for details on the process from March 2020 onwards.
We'll post another update week beginning 9 March once the allocations process has been completed.