PARENTS are urged to get in early to register their children for primary one.

Glasgow City Council is again holding an extra registration week to allow parents and carers to enrol youngsters who will start school next August.

Launched just two years ago, the scheme is now such a success that only a handful of parents wait until the tradition January enrolment date.

Liz Cameron, executive member for Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning, said: "We have some of the best schools in Scotland and it is important for families living in the area to check out and research their local school and register there.

"Of course, parents still have the right to make a placing request for personal reasons but we would always encourage them to consider their local school first."

The Evening Times first told in 2013 of the addition of an extra registration week for primary schools.

The scheme was aimed at encouraging Glasgow parents to send their children to their local school.

Traditionally, parents on the outskirts of the city will ask for places at schools in East Dunbartonshire or East Renfrewshire and Glasgow City Council can deal with around 3000 placing requests each year.

In the last few years John Paul Academy has seen a boost in pupil numbers as parents keep children in Glasgow instead of sending them to Bearsden Academy.

The earlier November registration date allows schools and the council to allocate children to schools, particularly for those living in the catchment area.

Parents and carers of children who are due to start primary one in August 2016 can register their child during school registration week which this year runs from November 9 to 13.

Education chiefs said they hope parents will visit their local school and find out what it has to offer before looking at schools elsewhere.

The council sites major improvements in city schools in recent years, particularly the £250 million 4Rs programme that will rebuild or refurbish every primary, ASL and nursery school in the city.

If submitting a placing request parents must register their child at their catchment school in the first instance.

Having early registration week in November also allows the council to comply with legislation and advise parents, in writing, of the school their child will be going to in plenty of time before the start of the new school term in August.

Details of nearby schools can be found at www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2945

For further information on school enrolment in Glasgow see www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=8631

The second opportunity for parents to register their child will be from January 11 to 15, 2016.