Enrolling your child for Primary One (P1) starting in August 2023
Arrangements are now in place to enrol pupils to primary one (P1) for August 2023 across East Lothian schools.
Any child whose fifth birthday falls between 1 March 2023 (born 1 March 2018) and the last day of February 2024 (born 28 February 2019) is eligible to start school in August 2023.
The online P1 enrolment period ended on 28 November 2022. After this date you should contact the catchment primary school direct and complete a late enrolment with them.
P1 enrolment arrangements for starting P1 in August 2023
If your child is age-eligible to start school in August 2023 and you live in the East Lothian Council area you should enrol your child for P1 in your catchment primary school
If you did not complete a P1 online enrolment for your child before 28 November 2022, you will now need to contact the catchment primary school direct and complete a late enrolment with them.
If you previously deferred your child’s entry to P1 from August 2022 to August 2023, you should also enrol your child for P1.
- every home address is located in a school catchment area and for some areas there is also a local Roman Catholic school - check the catchment maps on our website
- if you can't check your address on the catchment maps - email schoolplacements@eastlothian.gov.uk for clarification on your catchment school
- you must be resident in East Lothian to enrol for a place in Primary 1 and be living at the address entered on the enrolment form (proof of address is required)
- if you are moving within East Lothian or moving into East Lothian address in the coming months - email schoolplacements@eastlothian.gov.uk for advice on the process to follow
- if you are applying for a Roman Catholic school, please note we often receive more applications than places available, for that reason we have asked you for some additional information in the form
Non-catchment placing requests
Although most children attend their catchment school, parents may make an application for any other school under the management of East Lothian Council. This is called a non-catchment placing request.
If you intend to make a placing request, you should still submit a P1 enrolment form for the catchment primary school. More information about making a non-catchment placing request can be found here - read about making a non-catchment placing request
Deferring
If you want to defer your child's entry to P1 for a year, you should still submit a P1 enrolment form for the catchment primary school at this point so that a place can be held for your child.
The process to defer entry to P1 takes place between January and March 2023 and is completed by both the parent/carer and the early years setting. Application information will be distributed to early years’ settings in January 2023.
Advice and more information
If you have any questions email schoolplacements@eastlothian.gov.uk for advice.
Read more about school enrolment and non-catchment placing requests in the School Enrolment booklet.