Consultations - Admissions to primary and secondary schools

Councillors have agreed to update its school admissions policy following a recent public consultation held earlier this year. 

The revised policy, effective from September 2025 has been updated to prioritise places for Midlothian children and young people taking into account changes in our learning estate and growth in the school-age population arising from new housing developments. An independent report by Education Scotland confirmed the policy changes would help manage rising school rolls and bring educational benefits.

It was also agreed to maintain the current arrangement for Loretto RC Primary School pupils in East Lothian to transfer to St David’s RC High School in Dalkeith.

However, council agreed to take all legally required steps, including any necessary statutory consultation, to eventually end current arrangements and create a new agreement with East Lothian Council. 

• Read more on the decision
• Read the council report

• Fill in the survey

The proposals are: 

• To vary the Admissions Arrangements to Primary and Secondary Education
• The variation to the School Admission Policy will be implemented from September 2025 

Public Meetings took place on: 

• Tuesday 22 April 2025 at 6:30pm in Dalkeith Schools Community Campus 
• Thursday 24 April 2025 at 6:30pm in Penicuik High School 
• Thursday 15 May 2025 at 6:30pm in Beeslack Community High School 
• Monday 12 May 2025 at 6:30pm in Bonnyrigg Primary School 
• Thursday 22 May 2025 at 6:30pm in Easthouses Primary School

Virtual Drop-in Sessions took place on: 

• Thursday 17 April 2025 via Microsoft Teams 
• Monday 28 April 2025 via Microsoft Teams
• Monday 19 May 2025 via Microsoft Teams 
• Tuesday 27 May 2025 via Microsoft Teams

These virtual sessions (20 minute slots) took place:

•  2pm - 4pm
•  5pm – 7pm

Other ways to get involved

Respondents were also able to ask for a paper copy by emailing: EducationConsultation@midlothian.gov.uk
These could be posted back to: 
Admissions Policy Consultation
Freepost SCO 622 
Midlothian Council
Dalkeith EH22 1DN 

The consultation could also be supplied in Braille, large print, audiotape or in your own language. Our web pages can also be read aloud and/or translated using the Reachdeck headphones icon on the bottom right hand side of every page.

To read aloud the PDF in the link below:

• Launch our Reachdeck tool by clicking into the headphone link on the bottom right hand side of the page.
• Use the PDF link, making sure it is open within the browser window and not a separate tab
• Click the finger pointing icon on the toolbar and hover mouse/highlight text to have sections read aloud.
• Or click play to start from beginning of a page.
• The admissions consultation (please note the date for the public meeting at Beeslack is 15 May and not 1 May, as shown in the document)
• More about using the headphones tool

For anything else, please contact EducationConsultation@midlothian.gov.uk