Midlothian Council to Launch Consultation on Denominational School Admissions Policy
The public will be consulted on proposals to change how pupils are admitted to Midlothian’s Roman Catholic (denominational) primary and secondary schools. Councillors accepted all recommendations in a detailed report at the full Council meeting this week, meaning the consultation will begin in early 2026. The aim is to make the admissions process clearer, fairer, and easier for families to understand.
Priority groups
The new consultation will focus on updated “priority groups” that help decide which children get places at a school. These groups were developed by the council’s Education and Children’s Services Cross Party Group, along with the council’s Religious Representative and the Headteacher of St David’s RC High School. The groups list who should be considered first for a place—for example, children who are Roman Catholic, children with siblings already at the school, and children who live in the school catchment area. While the proposed new admissions policy covers both primary and secondary pupils, the changes would only affect secondary school pupils.
East Lothian pupils
Councillors also confirmed that pupils from Loretto RC Primary School in East Lothian will still be able to move on to St David’s RC High School as their denominational secondary school. However, this depends on final agreement with East Lothian Council about covering the extra education costs for these pupils. Midlothian Council has already begun formal discussions and expects East Lothian’s funding decision to be presented for approval in February 2026.
Legal requirement
The Cross-Party Group has already consulted political groups and held a special meeting on 18 November 2025 to agree the proposed priority list. Because the law requires it, there will now be another full statutory consultation so parents, carers, and community members can give their views before anything is finalised. This consultation will also explain more clearly the catchment area for St David’s RC High School.
St David's High School
The proposed priority groups for admission to St David’s RC High School are:
- Midlothian children complex needs provision class allocated by the Education Resources Group
- St David’s RC HS catchment exceptional circumstances
- St David’s RC HS catchment Roman Catholic with a sibling
- St David’s RC HS catchment Roman Catholic with no sibling
- Loretto RC PS catchment Roman Catholic with a sibling
- Loretto RC PS catchment Roman Catholic with no sibling
- St David’s RC HS catchment not Roman Catholic with a sibling
- Loretto RC PS catchment not Roman Catholic with a sibling
- All remaining St David’s RC HS catchment children
- All remaining Loretto RC PS catchment children
- Non- St David’s RC HS catchment children
Managing admissions
Midlothian Council Cabinet Member for Education, Councillor Ellen Scott said: “This consultation will help give us a fairer and clearer way to manage admissions to denominations schools, including St David’s RC High School. We will work with East Lothian Council to formalise arrangements, hopefully reassuring families going forward.”
Report to full Council
Once the consultation is complete, a final report will come back to the full Council to decide whether to adopt the revised admissions policy.