FOI Request - School Commencement Date

Request 101002041746

Could you please provide me with the following information in respect of each primary school in your area; for every year from (and including) 2010 to (and including) such future year as information exists?

1) The “school commencement date” and if different, the “appropriate latest date” (both as defined in the Education Scotland Act 1980) on or before which a child must attain the age of five years in order to come within the category of children whom your local authority consider of sufficient age to commence attendance at that primary school on that school commencement date;

2) A description of the decision-making process and factors taken into consideration by your local authority when deciding on the “school commencement date” and/or “appropriate latest date” together with copies of any relevant guidance and policies used to inform or guide the decision;

3) Details of decision maker(s), who has been consulted including advisers in relation to the decision-making process on the “school commencement date” and/or “appropriate latest date” together with information and copies of documents relevant to such consultations and copies of such advice;

4) Details of the timeframe for the decision-making process and dates when the “school commencement date” and/or “appropriate latest date” were (or in relation to future years will be or are expected to be) fixed for each year;

5) The documents in which the “school commencement date” and/or “appropriate latest date” were (or in relation to future years will be or are expected to be) officially recorded and fixed for the purposes of section 32 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 and the documents or location where they were (or in relation to future years will be or are expected to be) published or made known to the public;

6) Details of any changes made to any “school commencement date” and/or “appropriate latest date” under subsections 32(2)(b) or 32(5)(b) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, the reasons for such change and details of any consultations carried out on changing the school commencement date (or dates) in respect of schedule 1, paragraph 6 of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 since its commencement on 5 April 2010.

Response 15-02-2019

1. The child must be 5 years old by the first day of the August term for pupils each year.

2. School term dates are agreed by LNCT. School term dates and  holidays are agreed at least 2 years in advance.

3. LNCT agree the school term dates therefore the commencement date follows the school term pattern in August each year.

4. Given the school term dates are agreed two years in advance the school commencement date follows this pattern. Therefore it can be indicated in advance.

5. School enrolment yearly guidelines for parents are published on our website. This information is therefore exempt under section 25 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, information otherwise asccesible. for ease of reference please find a link to the web page here. 

6. Our school commencement date relates to "the occurrence of a particular annual event" ie the first day of the school term for pupils in August each year.