Parents warned over school admission changes

The new policies follow a full public consultation in 2016, with arrangements coming into effect in January and now “strengthened and approved” at the council’s recent education committee meeting.

One area of the policy which has now been amended is in relation to pupils who move out of the catchment area and submit a request to remain application.

Councillor Paul O’Kane, Convener for Education and Equalities, explained: “The council’s school admissions policy is now very clear that when a child who initially attended a school as a catchment pupil no longer resides in the catchment area, a placing request to remain must be submitted.

“If a child who lives in the catchment area of the school is being redirected to an alternative non-catchment school due to the year stage in question being full, then an application to remain will be refused.

Conversely, should there be places available and no children being redirected, the request to remain will be granted.

“This policy will assist in ensuring that local residents will always have a higher priority to a local school place than someone who lives outwith the area.”

A range of other additional measures had already been introduced to tackle fraudulent attempts to gain access to East Renfrewshire schools.

The rental agreement documentation which is required now needs to be for a minimum of one year, instead of the six months previously asked for, and where there is significant doubt about where an applicant resides – or if allegations of falsified information is received – surveillance may be carried out.