Schools FAQs
Our aim is for this website to be your first port of call when ever you’re looking for information about the Council and the services we provide. These are some of the questions you frequently ask us.
Hopefully, you’re only a mouse click away from the answer you’re looking for.
Please click on one of these questions to take you directly to the relevant information, or you can scroll down the page.
- Q: When are the school holidays?
- Q: Do I qualify for help with school meals and school clothing?
- Q: Is my child entitled to school transport?
- Q: I am moving to Orkney. How do I enrol my child in a school in Orkney?
- Q: How do I enrol my child for pre-school?
- Q: Can I ask for a place at a school that is not in the catchment area for where I live?
- Q: When does my child start primary school?
- Q: Should my child have a deferred entry to school?
- Q: Who should I contact if I am concerned about anything at my child’s school?
- Q: Is my child eligible for an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) or a bursary?
- Q: How can I get more involved in my child’s school?
- Q: When can my child leave school?
- Q: What do I do if I think my child needs additional support at school?
- Q: Our child needs additional support. How do you provide for the needs of children in Orkney?
- Q: I am registered to teach in England, can I also teach in Scotland?
- Q: I am interested in working in a school in Orkney. Can I supply my CV?
Q: When are the school holidays?
Details can be found on the Term, Holiday and Closure Dates page.
Q: Do I qualify for help with school meals and school clothing?
Information on eligibility and further details can be found on the Free School Meals and Clothingpage.
Q: Is my child entitled to school transport?
Whether your child qualifies for school transport depends on their age and the distance they live from the school.
In the summer months – from Easter to October - children aged seven and under are entitled to transport if they live over two miles from the school. Pupils aged eight and over are entitled to transport if they live over three miles from the school. In the winter months – from October to Easter - all children living over 1.5 miles from school are entitled to school transport.
Transport is only provided to the school from its own catchment area. If you choose to send your child to a school within a different catchment area, no transport is available.
Further details can be found on theSchool Transportpage.
Q: I am moving to Orkney. How do I enrol my child in a school in Orkney?
You should contact the head teacher of the school in your catchment area.
Details of catchment areas are available on the school catchment areas page.
A list of school addresses and phone numbers can be found on the School Contact Informationpage.
Q: How do I enrol my child for pre-school?
Each year in February, we provide details for pre-school enrolment in the local press.
For further information view the Pre-school Enrolmentpage.
Q: Can I ask for a place at a school that is not in the catchment area for where I live?
Yes, this is called a placing request. Parents who wish to apply for a place at a school/setting other than the local school, should apply in writing, indicating the name of the school/setting for which a placing request is made and reason for request, to:
Education Resources Adviser
Education and Leisure Services
Orkney Islands Council
School Place
KIRKWALL
KW15 1NY
Where possible, parents wishes are met however this might not always be possible should demand exceed the number of places available.
Q: When does my child start primary school?
Children born between September and February can start school either in the August before their fifth birthday or at the start of the school term the following August. (This is called a deferred entry). Children born between March and August must start school in the August of the year in which they become five.
For further information view the Starting Primary One (pdf - 15kb)leaflet.
Q: Should my child have a deferred entry to school?
Parents with any concerns about this should discuss the matter with senior staff at the pre-school centre their child goes to.
For further information view the Starting Primary One (pdf - 15kb) leaflet.
Q: Who should I contact if I am concerned about anything at my child’s school?
Your first point of contact should be the head teacher, who will normally arrange a meeting with you to discuss your concerns.
If you can’t sort things out within the school, you should arrange to discuss the matter with a member of staff in Education and Leisure Services. Your contact is the director’s secretary in Education and Leisure Services, telephone 01856 873535 ext 2401, and a meeting will be arranged for you.
Q: Is my child eligible for an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) or a bursary?
For information on eligibility and further details go to the EMA and Bursarypage.
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Q: How can I get more involved in my child’s school?
Volunteer
We encourage parents and others in the community to get involved in the work of our schools.
This could mean helping out with:
- nursery and primary classes
- activities like school trips, excursions, drama productions or social functions.
- playgroups or "parents and toddlers" groups
Checks for criminal convictions are made for all staff and volunteers working for this service with children and young people under 18, or vulnerable adults.
Parent Council
Why not become a member of a Parent Council? You will be giving a valuable service to the school and your community and you will help to make sure future generations of children enjoy a good education. All schools in Orkney have a Parent Council. For further details go to the Parental Involvement page.
For further information, a list of school addresses and phone numbers can be found on theSchool Contact Informationpage.
Q: When can my child leave school?
The summer and winter leaving dates are May 31 or the first day of the Christmas holiday.
Children whose 16th birthday falls between March 1 and September 30 can leave on May 31.
Children whose 16th birthday is between October 1 and end of February can leave at the start of the Christmas holiday.
Q: What do I do if I think my child needs additional support at school?
If you have any concerns about how your child is getting on in school you should make an appointment to see the head teacher. You will have the chance to discuss why you feel your child needs support and talk about what might be done to address your concerns. If the head teacher thinks your child would benefit from additional support from agencies outwith the school, this will be discussed and plans put in place to make sure this happens.
Q: Our child needs additional support. How do you provide for the needs of children in Orkney?
For details of provision for pupils with additional support needs go to the Education is for Allpages.
Q: I am registered to teach in England, can I also teach in Scotland?
All teachers in Scotland must be registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland.
Further information can be found on the GTC Scotland website or contact our Customer Services team on 01856 873535.
Q: I am interested in working in a school in Orkney. Can I supply my CV?
We regret that we cannot hold CVs on file. You should send in an application form for advertised vacancies.
All posts are advertised on our Vacancieswebpage, in the local press every Thursday (The Orcadian and Orkney Today), and teaching posts are also advertised in the Times Educational Supplement Scotland and the TES website.
If you are interested in supply work (teaching or non-teaching) please contact our Customer Services team on 01856 873535 for further details and an application form.