Enrolling your child in a school other than their catchment school
Parents/carers should enrol their child in their catchment school even if a placing request application is being made.
When is a placing request required?
If you wish your child to attend a school other than their catchment school, you need to complete a placing request application.
Placing requests are required from non-denominational children who wish to attend a Roman Catholic school in Stirling. This applies to those resident within or outwith the catchment area.
St Mary’s Episcopal Primary School in Dunblane is a denominational school. It does not have a catchment area and placement is not prioritised on the basis of religious affiliation. If you would like your child to attend this school you should enrol them at their catchment school first, and then submit a placing request.
How to do this
Parents/carers must register their child at the local catchment school even if a placing request application is being made. Failure to do so may cause a delay in processing the placing request.
When should placing requests be submitted?
Placing requests seeking school transfer during the current academic session can be submitted for consideration anytime throughout the school year.
Placing requests for entry to P1 or S1 at the start of the next academic session should be submitted between the day the new term starts in August and 15 March. For example, placing requests for children due to start P1 or S1 in August 2025 should be submitted between 14 August 2024 and 15 March 2025.
How long will the process take?
There is an 8 week legal time period for decisions on placing requests seeking school transfer during the current academic session to be made. This allows both the requested school and the current school to exchange information and respond to the Schools, Learning and Education Service.
All placing requests for P1 or S1 received on or between August and 15 March will be considered together, and decisions emailed to parents/carers by 30 April. Any P1 or S1 placing request for the next academic session received after 15 March will be considered on an individual basis within the 8 week legal time period.
If your placing request is successful, school transport will not be provided by Stirling Council. You will be responsible for the arrangement and cost of transport, and also for the safety of your child going to and from school.
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If your placing request is successful, school transport will not be provided by Stirling Council. You will be responsible for arrangement and cost of transport and also for the safety of your child going to and from the school.
Application for under 16s.
16 and over application form.