Placing Requests

Normally, children attend the school that serves the catchment area where they live. There are, however, times when parents may wish to make a request to place their child in another school. Such a request is referred to as a 'placing request'.

You can make a placing request by completing the Placing Request form available in PDF format from the 'Related Downloads' section of this page.

Your completed application form should be sent to Education, Leisure and Housing, Orkney Islands Council, School Place, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NY.

Email: Education and Leisure.

If you have any queries, please contact Education and Leisure on 01856873535.

Primary 1 placing requests

For primary 1 placing requests at registration time, please fill in the ELC/Primary 1 placing request form

Refusal of Placing Request

The majority of placing requests are successful. However legislation states that the Education Authority can refuse a placing request in terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 as amended, if placing the child in a request school would:

1. Make it necessary for the Education Authority to take an additional teacher into employment.
2. Give rise to significant expenditure on extending, or otherwise altering, the accommodation at, or facilities provided in connection with, the school.
3. Be seriously detrimental to the continuity of the child’s education.
4. Be likely to be seriously detrimental to order and discipline in the school.
5. Be likely to be seriously detrimental to the educational well-being of the pupils attending the school.
6. Assuming that pupil numbers remain constant, make it necessary, at the commencement of a future stage of the child’s primary education, for the Authority, to elect either to create an additional class (or an additional composite class) in the specified school or to take an additional teacher into employment at that school.
7. Even if neither the tests set out in sub-paragraphs 1 and 2 above is satisfied, have the consequence that the capacity of the school would be exceeded in terms of pupil numbers.

If your placing request is refused you can make an appeal in writing within 28 days of receiving the decision. An Appeals Committee will consider your appeal and you will be informed of its decision in writing.

Note: there is no appeal against the refusal of a place in nursery.

School Transport

Parents should note that transport is not provided for placing requests, parents will have to arrange their own home to school transport arrangements.

Placing Request to Remain

If you move house outside your catchment area, your child may remain at their present school. You will receive a letter formally confirming that your new address lies outside the school’s catchment area and you will be responsible for transporting your child to and from school.

Further Information

The Scottish Government has produced a booklet for parents on Choosing a School. The booklet can be downloaded from the link within the 'Related Sites' section of this page.

Note: Where we use the word “Parents” this refers to anyone with parental responsibilities (within the meaning of Section 1 (3) of the Children (Scotland) At 1985) or has care of a young child or young person.