Blindwells primary school

If you:

live in the Blindwells Primary School catchment area and your child does not attend Cockenzie Primary School through the hosting arrangements

are due to move to the Blindwells Primary School catchment area before the start of the school session in August 2025, and you have a child of primary school age who you would like to enrol in the new school

please email schoolplacements@eastlothian.gov.uk for further information.

Information for families

What arrangements are in place for primary aged pupils moving into the Blindwells Primary School catchment area before the new school building is open?

Until the new school building is open, Blindwells Primary School has been established since November 2022 at Cockenzie Primary School under a temporary 'hosting arrangement' to accommodate primary aged pupils from the new housing development.

When will the new Head Teacher and other staff for Blindwells Primary School be appointed?

Ms Gemma-Rose Lansdown has been appointed as Head Teacher at Blindwells Primary School and will join after the Easter break based in Cockenzie Primary School ahead of the new building opening in August. Ms Lansdown will take forward recruitment of class teachers and relevant support staff in time for the start of session 2025/26. The class structure and staffing requirements for Blindwells Primary School will be reviewed and agreed each year in line with the expected pupil roll for the next academic session.

I have moved into Blindwells Primary School catchment area and my child currently attends another primary school in East Lothian – how do I move them to Blindwells Primary School in time for August 2025?

This can be done by emailing schoolplacements@eastlothian.gov.uk - you should include the following details:

your child’s name
their current school
your address
current stage eg P4, P5 etc

I have moved into Blindwells Primary School catchment area and my child currently attends another primary school in East Lothian – do I need to move them to Blindwells Primary School?

No. As with any pupil who is already enrolled in a primary school, the child can remain at that school, although you will be responsible for any associated transport costs. Please note that if parents wish for younger siblings to attend the same school, a non-catchment placing request will need to be made at that time, and the council cannot guarantee to grant a place at the non-catchment school for any other children. Further information can be found online here.

My child is current “hosted” at Cockenzie Primary School – can they remain at that school once the new school is open?

If your child is currently being educated through the hosting arrangements at Cockenzie Primary School and you would like your child to continue their primary education there from August 2025, you will need to make a non-catchment placing request in writing. This can be done by emailing schoolplacements@eastlothian.gov.uk - you should include the following details:

your child’s name
current stage eg P4, P5 etc
confirmation you are requesting a place at Cockenzie Primary School for August 2025

The email should be sent to school placements and you will receive confirmation of the outcome of your request by the end of April 2025.

My child is due to start Primary 1 in August 2025 at Blindwells Primary School. What do I need to do?

If your child’s fifth birthday falls between 1 March 2025 (born 1 March 2020) and the last day of February 2026 (born 28 February 2021) they will be eligible to start school in August 2025.

If you have already completed the enrolment process for your child for P1, further information will be sent to you in due course regarding transition to primary school.

If you did not complete a P1 online enrolment for your child before 2 December 2024, you will now need to contact Cockenzie Primary School who will help you to complete a late enrolment for Blindwells Primary School.

Which secondary school is the catchment for children living in the Blindwells Primary School catchment area?

The secondary catchment school for children living in the Blindwells Primary School catchment area is Preston Lodge High School.

Will Blindwells Primary School have Early Learning & Childcare (ELC) provision?

Yes, there will be Early Learning and Childcare provision at Blindwells Primary School.

The nursery will open 38 weeks of the year and children will attend Monday to Thursday (6.5 hours per day) and Friday morning (4 hours per day) during term time only.

If you would like to apply for a nursery place for your child from August 2025, please complete an application form and email it to nams@eastlothian.gov.uk.

As nurseries do not operate catchment areas (unlike schools), parents can choose from any local authority setting offering the model they would prefer. Alternatively, you can choose to take your funded hours with a funded provider (private nursery, childminder or community group) or a blend of these options. Find out more about Early Learning and Childcare options in East Lothian.

Will Blindwells Primary School have a Parent Council?

We will promote the role and function of a Parent Council for the new Blindwells Primary School. All parents will be encouraged and supported to become involved in the life of the school and this will evolve as the school roll increases and there are enough parents willing to form a Parent Council.