Fife launches first online school enrolment as open days for parents are scrapped

Education chiefs at Fife Council have launched the new digital form in response to the coronavirus pandemic, as restrictions mean families aren't able to safely attend open days at local schools.

It can be used to both enrol their child in their catchment area school or to request a placement at a school elsewhere in the Kingdom.

The form, supported by the Scottish Government's mygov.scot platform, is compatible with smartphones, mobile phones and tablets.

It allows parents and carers to upload supporting documents either as digital files or by using the camera on their device to take a picture.

Parents and carers need to create a mygov.scot account if they haven't got one already before accessing the form on the Fife Council website.

However, the council will still post out or email old-style enrolment forms to those unable to complete the application online.

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Councillor Craig Walker, convener of Fife's education & children’s services sub-committee, said: “I’m pleased that we’re trialling this new system so that we can make things easier for parents and carers.

“Although this is something we’ve been considering, Covid-19 has brought our plans forward.

"Usually parents would attend a session at their catchment school, where they would fill in the enrolment documents.

"However, because of the current pandemic and restrictions, and to make sure our schools, staff, children and parents/carers stay safe, face-to-face contact is being kept to a minimum, we’re piloting a new system for the 2021/22 session."

The online system is being run on a trial basis to assess both its popularity and its effectiveness, which will be reviewed after the enrolments are complete.

Should the system prove popular the council has suggested that it could become the standard way of enrolling children in primary schools.

However, this would be subject to wider consultation and possible committee approval.

Parents and carers are asked to complete catchment area applications by February 15 and external placement requests by March 15 to give Fife Council plenty of time to process each one prior to the new term starting.

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