FAMILIES with a child turning five between March 1, 2025, and February 28, 2026, can now enrol their children in their catchment school for the August 2025 term.

The catchment school online P1 enrolment form is available until next Monday (November 25) and can be completed via an online form available on East Lothian Council’s website.

The form allows parents to upload necessary documents such as a recent utility bill and a copy of the child’s birth certificate.

Children attending an East Lothian Council nursery or another council-approved provider do not need to provide a birth certificate.

Parents seeking admission to Roman Catholic primary schools must submit a baptism certificate.

The council will verify the submitted parental details and addresses against the council tax records to confirm residence within the school catchment area.

The council oversees 34 primary schools in the county.

While most children attend their designated catchment school, parents can request their children to attend a non-catchment school under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980.

Such requests, to be made using forms available on the council’s website, should be submitted by December 31.

Parents considering non-catchment schools are advised to enrol their children in their catchment school as well. This ensures a place for the child while decisions are made regarding non-catchment school applications.

Families contemplating deferring their child’s school entry until August 2026 are also encouraged to enrol their child in their catchment school for now. This will ensure a place is held for the child until deferral decisions, to be made in March next year, are finalised.