PARENTS in the Borders will soon be able to apply for nursery and school places for August 2023 as part of this year's enrolment week at Scottish Borders Council (SBC).

Held between November 21-25, enrolment week offers parents of children born between March 1, 2019 and February 28, 2021 the opportunity to apply for early learning and childcare places for children aged three or four-years old.

Parents in this group can contact their chosen childcare setting directly to confirm their preferred availability before completing the SBC enrolment application.

And for parents of children who are five-years-old before February 29, 2024 and are due to start Primary 1, school applications can be completed online during enrolment week.

Parents making placement requests to schools outwith their local catchment school should contact their preferred school directly and should make a normal application online to their catchment school in case their place request is unsuccessful.

In order to make applications online parents will need electronic copies of their child's birth certificate and proof of address.

Councillor Leagh Douglas, Executive Member for Education and Lifelong Learning, said: “Parents of any child due to start Primary 1 or who would like to enrol their child for early learning and childcare are asked to do so during enrolment week. This is such an important step in the lives of our young learners and I wish both them and their family carers all the very best as they make the transition.”

Children whose fifth birthday falls between August 17, 2023 and February 29, 2024 can have their primary school place deferred and parents can discus this with head teachers or childcare setting managers.

Parents looking for more information on booking nursery places can visit www.scotborders.gov.uk/elc and parents of primary aged children can visit www.scotborders.gov.uk/schoolenrolment