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EXPERT ADVICE

Considering school catchment areas, understanding your
rights around Placing Requests and seeking advice when
required can offer valuable peace of mind when choosing

your next family home.

not unreasonable. Parents have the option
to make a Placing Request to an Education
Authority for their child to be placed in the
school of their choice, even if it is out of your
catchment area. You need to have good
Why school catchment areas matter reasons for making the request, for example,
the school provides specialist facilities
when choosing your next home suitable to support your child.

The Local Authority can refuse your request if
Sharon Murray, Partner & Head of Family Law at Gillespie Macandrew it would mean investing in additional teachers,
shares advice on school catchment areas. additional classes, adapting the school or if processing Placing Requests; so, it is best to
additional numbers of pupils would have a do your homework first and check your Local
detrimental effect on school order, discipline, Authority website for the detail process before
or the child’s or other pupil’s education. setting off on your Placing Request journey.
hen looking for a new home, we child is entitled to attend will be based on your
often focus on location, price and address and is an important consideration
W amenities, but one factor that can particularly as competition for school places If your Placing Request is refused, that decision Considering school catchment areas,
be overlooked is the local school catchment intensifies. can be appealed to an Education Appeal understanding your rights around Placing
area. Whether you already have children or Committee. Following this, their decision can Requests and seeking advice when required
are planning for the future, the school your Understanding the relevance of school also be appealed to your local Sheriff Court. can offer valuable peace of mind when
catchment areas and how to navigate Local Authorities have varying methods for choosing your next family home.
the placing request process can help you
make an informed decision about a house
purchase and avoid unexpected challenges.
So, what rights do parents have in choosing
their child’s school, if they are not living in Sharon Murray
the school catchment and what happens
if you do not want your child to go to your Partner & Head of
Family Law
catchment school?
0131 225 1677 Edinburgh | Glasgow | Perth
The law says that pupils are to be educated in familylaw@gillespiemacandrew.co.uk gillespiemacandrew.co.uk
accordance with the wishes of their parents,
if the cost to the public of providing this is

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