School placements

On this page:

• Catchment areas
• When to register your child at a catchment school
• Non-catchment schools
• Further information and contacts

The following gives some general information that may be helpful when you are considering a place in school for your child. For more information see the 2010 Placing in Schools booklet (PDF, 496kB).

Catchment areas

The City of Edinburgh is divided into catchment areas. Most addresses have four catchment schools:

• A Non Denominational Primary School
• A Non Denominational Secondary School
• A Roman Catholic Primary School
• A Roman Catholic Secondary School

Priority for a place in a school is based on home address and not on attendance at an associated school or nursery class.

View the complete list of downloadable Catchment Area Maps.

When to register your child at the catchment school 

For entry to the new P1, procedures commence in mid November of the year before your child is due to begin school. Your child should be registered at your preferred catchment school on the advertised date.

For entry to the new S1, all parents of P7 pupils who are in attendance at a City of Edinburgh Council primary school will automatically receive confirmation of catchment secondary school serving their home in mid November. No further action is normally required if you want your child to attend the catchment secondary school.

For all stages, other than the new P1 and the transfer from primary to S1, you should contact the school direct to enquire if they have space available in the relevant year group.

Non-catchment schools 

The law allows parents to express a preference for a different school and such a school is often referred to as a non-catchment school. This is done by making a placing request. In the City of Edinburgh many placing requests are granted, but it is important to note that in our experience, not all requests can be met. The authority can only refuse your request for certain reasons laid out in law.

Non-catchment placing request application forms are available from schools or can be downloaded below:

• Primary School non-catchment request form (Word version) or (PDF version)
• Secondary School non-catchment request form (Word version) or (PDF version)

For entry to the new P1 and S1 the forms are available from all primary schools from mid November. Places are not allocated until the demand is assessed against the number of places available. You will be advised of the outcome of your request by 30 April.

Further information

Scottish Schools Online is a searchable directory of all schools in Scotland, including local authority and independent schools.

Contacts

Contact any primary or secondary school for a non-catchment Placing Request application form in mid November or contact the Department as below.

For advice on making a placing request:

Name: School Grants, Awards and Placements
Address: Waverley Court, Level 1/1, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh EH8 8BG
Transfer from nursery to primary school: Tel: 0131 469 3033
Transfer from primary to secondary school: Tel: 0131 469 3032
E-mail: School Placements
For all other stages, contact the school direct.

For advice on school catchment areas:

Name: Information and Research
Address: Waverley Court, Level 1/2, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh EH8 8BG
Tel: 0131 469 3219/3351
E-mail: School Catchments

For advice on entry to nursery school:

Name: Early Years and Childcare
Address: Waverley Court, Level 1/4, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh EH8 8BG
Tel: 0131 529 2412
E-mail: Early Years and Childcare

Primary Schools and their associated Secondary Schools (10 kB)