Statistics on placing requests

PLACING REQUESTS IN LOCAL AUTHORITY SCHOOLS IN SCOTLAND, 2003/04
A Scottish Executive National Statistics Publication -March 15 2005

This document contains results of the latest annual survey of placing requests (requests by parents to local authorities that a child be placed in a specified school). The latest survey covers August 2003 to July 2004 inclusive.

The main findings for 2003/04 are:
* The total number of placing requests received in 2003/04 was 31,076, a decrease of one per cent on the 2002/03 figure. The figure has changed little over the last decade (Table 1).
* Eighty six per cent of all requests were granted compared to 82 per cent in 2002/03. In recent years, this rate had been declining slowly.
* Where requests were refused, "Accommodation constraints" was the reason reported in 59 per cent of cases in primary schools (excluding early entry) and 61 per cent of cases in secondary schools (Table 8).
* One per cent of placing requests (223) were for early entry to primary, of which 35 per cent were granted (Table 2).
* Sixty four per cent (19,782) were other primary requests, of which 91 per cent were granted. Placing requests received for stage P1 (excluding early entry) represented 23 per cent of the pupil roll (Tables 2 and 7).
* Thirty five per cent of placing requests (10,956) were for secondary, of which 78 per cent were granted. Placing requests for stage S1 represented 13 per cent of the pupil roll (Tables 2 and 7).
* Special schools accounted for 0.4 per cent of requests (115), of which 83 per cent were granted (Table 2).
* There were 3,209 requested deferrals of entry to mainstream primary schools and 78 requested deferrals of entry to special school (Table 11).

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 the start of March and the end of February start school together in the August in the middle of that period. For example, pupils whose 5th birthday is between the start of March 2003 and the end of February 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 7, the number of placing requests have been expressed as percentages of the relevant pupil populations as at September 2003. Note that most requests in 2003/04 would be for placement at the start of the 2004/05 school year.

5. Grounds in 2003/04 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/00407-00.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.