Question reference: S6W-00631
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 14 June 2021
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Current status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 July 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local authorities on how they should process school applications from parents returning to Scotland after spending a period overseas in the role of crown servants.
Answer
In relation to school admissions, in Scotland, local authorities have a legal responsibility to provide education in their area and publish arrangements for admission of pupils to schools they manage. The Scottish Government has published Choosing a School: a Guide for Parents which sets out the procedures that parents and local councils should follow in relation to school admissions. It includes specific advice for families moving into a local authority area which will also apply to Crown servants returning from a period abroad. Local authorities can also reserve places in schools in anticipation of children who may move into the area during the school year. Our expectation is that local authorities, will monitor new demand for places in order to meet increases in demand.