How to register your child for a school place

Every child in Scotland has a right to a free place at school. However, you cannot decide which school your child is given a place at – this is decided by your Local Authority. It is possible to request a place at a different school, but there is no guarantee that this request will be granted. This can be due to a lack of availability or high demand.

Catchment areas are used to decide where your child will go to school. A catchment area is an area around a single school – any child that lives in this area is given a place at this particular school. Most Scottish Local Authorities have maps of school catchment areas on their website or enable you to type in your postcode to see in which school catchment area you are living. You can use this Parentzone Scotland tool to find schools in your Local Authority.

To register your child for a school place, you will need to fill out a registration form. This form varies for different Local Authorities, but it generally involves basic information about your child, a copy of your child’s birth certificate, and a proof of your residency within the catchment area (such as a Council Tax letter or a utility bill).

Requesting a school place outside your catchment area

While children are usually placed in a school that corresponds to the catchment area where they live, it is possible to request a place in a council school outside your catchment area. This is referred to as a placing request.  

If there is space at the school, your request may be granted. However, if there are no places available, the council will most likely deny your request. If your request is not granted, you have a right to appeal this decision. Find out more about appealing a refused school place here.

If your request is denied, you have several options:

• You may decide to send your child to the school in your catchment area.
• You may decide to find another school with available places.
• You may decide to select a fee-paying private school.  

FAQs

My family entered the UK under a visitor visa – is my child eligible for state education?

A visitor visa does not permit children to receive a state school education. Once you receive your BN(O) visa, you will be able to enrol your child in a state school.