Online primary one application process goes live

Parents applying for primary one catchment places at East Renfrewshire schools can now submit their application online.

The online form, which was introduced for the first time last year, provides a simple and effective method for parents and carers to submit applications, with 95 per cent of people choosing this method last year.

Supporting documents required as part of the process still need to be produced at each individual school during P1 Applications Week, and this should be done from Monday, January 13 until Friday, January 17 2020 between 1.45pm and 3.30pm at the local school.

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The online process went live on Sunday, December 1 and parents and carers of children who will be five-years-old between March 2020 and February 2021 should now apply to register in either the local denominational or non-denominational school at this time.

The online application process will close at midnight on Sunday, January 5, thereafter applications must be made entirely at schools during P1 Applications Week.

It is important that an application is made for residents’ preferred local catchment area school in the first instance, even if you plan to make a placing request for your child to attend another school or seek to defer your child’s start to school.

Parents are asked to apply for the local catchment school, even if you intend to educate your child privately or at home.

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Places are prioritised in cases of oversubscription by catchment pupils, in line with the council’s admissions arrangements. Families are encouraged to apply for a P1 place for your child at the preferred local catchment school during the P1 Applications Week, with the submission of all necessary documentation, as this is the best time to obtain a place.

Families who are applying for a catchment place at a Roman Catholic school in the area are required to produce a baptismal certificate. Priority is given to Roman Catholic baptised children if they live in the school catchment area and if there is an oversubscription of catchment applications; and when this is the case those children of a different or no faith not able to be placed in the local Roman Catholic school will be offered a place in their local non-denominational catchment school.

The documents required to be brought along to individual schools in order to complete the application process are:

Child’s birth certificate

Current Council Tax notice

Roman Catholic baptismal certificate (if applicable)

Mortgage statement or rental agreement for a period of at least one year

Proof of Child Benefit

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Driving licence, utility bill or bank statement can also be accepted if no longer in receipt of Child Benefit

Mhairi Shaw, Director of Education at East Renfrewshire Council, said: “It was extremely pleasing that so many of our parents chose to use the online form last year to submit primary one applications. We know that family life can be extremely busy, so it’s clear that by introducing this new system it has provided a better way for parents to carry out the process, allowing them to fill out the application form at a time which is appropriate to them. By filling the form in online it has also reduced the time it takes when submitting documents to the school during P1 Applications Week. This is the start of the process for our next group of pupils joining our schools and we look forward to welcoming them through the doors next summer.”

Whilst the online process will be used by many, paper applications can also be made at catchment schools during Monday 13 January until Friday 17 January between 1.45pm and 3.30pm, for those unable to apply online, and supporting documents should be provided at this time too.

Once all applications for children wishing to enrol at their local catchment schools have been received and processed, parents will receive written confirmation at the end of March advising of their child’s P1 place.

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While most children attend their local school, parents can choose to apply for a place in another school through a placing request.

Placing requests for the session beginning in August 2020 must be submitted by January 31 and can be submitted online from December 1. Placing request applications will be processed and responded to by the end of April 2020.

Visit the council’s placing requests web page for more information. If you have a query about your catchment area or school, please contact the education department on 0141 577 3246.