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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Rise in school placing requests | Rise in school placing requests |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The number of placing requests made by parents of primary and secondary school pupils in Scotland rose by almost 5% in a year, official figures have revealed. | The number of placing requests made by parents of primary and secondary school pupils in Scotland rose by almost 5% in a year, official figures have revealed. |
| In 2008-09, 29,892 parents asked for their child to sidestep their local school to be educated outside their catchment area, a 4.9% rise on 2007-08. | In 2008-09, 29,892 parents asked for their child to sidestep their local school to be educated outside their catchment area, a 4.9% rise on 2007-08. |
| The number of requests granted also rose in 2008-09, by 1.5%. | The number of requests granted also rose in 2008-09, by 1.5%. |
| The majority of requests are made for primary pupils, with Edinburgh having the highest percentage. | The majority of requests are made for primary pupils, with Edinburgh having the highest percentage. |
| In the capital, 36.4% of the P1 school roll made a placing request, compared with a Scotland-wide average of 24%. | |
| Aberdeen and Dundee had the second and third highest proportion of requests for P1 pupils. | Aberdeen and Dundee had the second and third highest proportion of requests for P1 pupils. |
| If you live in Shetland or if you live in Govan you don't have the same choice Helen ConnorEIS teaching union president | |
| East Renfrewshire had the most requests for S1 pupils of all the council areas, followed by Glasgow and Aberdeen. | East Renfrewshire had the most requests for S1 pupils of all the council areas, followed by Glasgow and Aberdeen. |
| Placing requests have been put in on behalf of 34.3% of S1 pupils in East Renfrewshire, compared to 13.8% nationally. | Placing requests have been put in on behalf of 34.3% of S1 pupils in East Renfrewshire, compared to 13.8% nationally. |
| A total of 83.8% of all requests were granted in 2008-09, up from 82.3% in 2007-08. | A total of 83.8% of all requests were granted in 2008-09, up from 82.3% in 2007-08. |
| The government figures showed that 79.5% of secondary school placing requests were granted last year, while the figure rose to 86.1% for primary placing requests. | The government figures showed that 79.5% of secondary school placing requests were granted last year, while the figure rose to 86.1% for primary placing requests. |
| This is the lowest percentage since 1990-91, but is only an 0.1% year-on-year drop. | This is the lowest percentage since 1990-91, but is only an 0.1% year-on-year drop. |
| There was disappointment for 3,034 families, who had their primary and secondary school placing requests refused. | |
| The most common reasons given included staffing constraints, this accounted for 33.4% of refusals in primary schools and 38.2% of refusals in secondary schools. | |
| 'Demonstrating faith' | |
| Other reasons were the cost of extending a school building to accommodate extra pupils and that places were being kept back for children moving into the area. | |
| Some cases were referred on appeal to an education committee or a sheriff. These resulted in almost 150 children being admitted to the school of their choice. | |
| A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The vast majority of parents in Scotland choose their local school for child to attend, demonstrating the faith parents have in our education system. | A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The vast majority of parents in Scotland choose their local school for child to attend, demonstrating the faith parents have in our education system. |
| "Parents can however express a preference for the school choice and today's statistics show most of these placing requests - over 80% - are granted. | "Parents can however express a preference for the school choice and today's statistics show most of these placing requests - over 80% - are granted. |
| "The number of placing requests received have fallen in recent years and today's statistics show placing requests in 2008/09 were lower than every year from 1998 to 2006." | "The number of placing requests received have fallen in recent years and today's statistics show placing requests in 2008/09 were lower than every year from 1998 to 2006." |
| Helen Connor, president of the EIS teaching union, said: "People use placing requests for a wide variety of reason; for childcare, where they work, or for a school that they've got a loyalty to." | |
| She said people must bear in mind the fact that not every parent in Scotland has the same choices available to them. | |
| "If you live in Shetland or if you live in Govan you don't have the same choice," she added. |