Enrolment in Primary and Secondary Schools in Dundee

Will your child be five before 28 February 2021?

If so, you may enrol them from Monday 2 December 2019

The next school session begins on Tuesday 18 August 2020. Parents whose children will be five on or before that date must enrol their children to start school by Monday 3 February 2020.

What happens if my child is five between 18 August 2020 and 28 February 2021?

These children are eligible to start school on Tuesday 18 August 2020 and you should enrol your child for primary school.

However, nearer to the start of the school year you may wish to delay your child’s entry to school if you think that he/she is not ready to start. You should discuss this with staff at your child’s nursery who will be able to help you make the best decision for your child. If you decide to delay your child’s entry to primary school you will be able to withdraw your child’s enrolment application.

How do I enrol my child for primary school?

Parents should contact staff at the appropriate local primary school between Monday 2 December 2019 and Monday 3 February 2020, who will tell you their arrangements for enrolment. When you enrol your child you will need to take your child’s full birth certificate and some current proof that you live permanently at your address. If you are enrolling at a denominational school and your child has been baptised you should also take their baptismal certificate.

What happens if I want to send my child to a primary school outside my local catchment area?

Although it is usual for children to attend their local catchment area school, parents have the right to request that their children be placed in a school other than their local catchment area school. This is called a Placing Request.

Education Authorities have a duty to grant placing requests wherever possible. We will try to grant your request, provided there are places at the school you choose. Requests for entering either primary or secondary school can be made online or to Main Reception, Ground Floor, Dundee House, 50 North Lindsay Street, Dundee, DD1 1NL between Monday 2 December 2019 and Monday 3 February 2020. Any requests made after this date will still be considered, but it is possible that places in certain schools may no longer be available.

Submit Placing Request

Transferring from Primary to Secondary School - August 2020

Children who are transferring to begin secondary school education on Tuesday 18 August 2020 will be advised of the school to which they will transfer by letter in December 2019. Parents can then decide whether or not to submit a placing request for their child to attend another secondary school rather than their local community school. Where the demand for places exceeds the number of available places in a secondary school it is not always possible to grant all such placing requests. Requests must be made online or to Main Reception, Ground Floor, Dundee House, 50 North Lindsay Street, Dundee DD1 1NL between Monday 2 December 2019 and Monday 3 February 2020. Unless you are making a request, you do not have to do anything else.

Submit Placing Request

How do I get more information?

Further information, including how decisions in relation to placing request are made, is available within the Placing Request Guidance.

Requests must be made online or to Main Reception, Ground Floor, Dundee House, 50 North Lindsay Street, Dundee DD1 1NL, and at all Dundee City Council Schools.

If you require further information, please contact the School Support Team on 01382 433716 or placingrequests@dundeecity.gov.uk.

Information on Specific Schools

All schools publish handbooks and Standards and Quality report which contain information that can be useful to parents. Please contact schools directly to obtain this information.