High Schools Information

• High Schools in Tameside
• Open Evenings 2009
• Building Schools For The Future
• Location of High Schools in Tameside
• Special Educational Needs (SEN)
  • Who decides which school a child with a Statement transfers to?
  • What if the council names a secondary school which is not the preferred option of parents?
  • What should parents consider when deciding on their preference for a secondary school?
  • Mainstream or special school?
• Allocation Statistics September 2009
  • a - Community high schools
  • b - Roman Catholic high schools (voluntary aided - denominational)
  • c - Academies
  • d - Foundation schools
  • e - Community special schools

High Schools in Tameside

There are five different types of high schools in Tameside:

• Community high schools
• Foundation schools
• Voluntary aided Catholic high schools
• Academies
• Community special schools

The process of admission to any of these types of schools is administered by the local authority.

There are currently seven community high schools in Tameside. The local authority determines the admission arrangements for these schools. There are currently three foundation schools, three voluntary aided Roman Catholic high schools and two academies and they all have their own admission arrangements. There are three community special schools to meet the needs of pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN) only. Each special school is designated to meet the needs of pupils with specific needs. Admission is through a statement of SEN where the school is named in Part 4 - See the SEN Section.

Schools develop and alter over the years as staff, policies and buildings change. It is very important to visit a number of schools at the open evenings before deciding on your preferences. If you are unable to attend the open evenings (see table below), contact the schools who may be able to arrange a visit at another time.

In exceptional circumstances, pupils who are younger than 11 may be considered for admission to a high school. Similarly, in certain cases, it may be better for a child of transfer age to continue at primary school for a further year. In these circumstances, reports will normally be required from the child’s primary school headteacher and from the Council’s Educational Psychologists.

Open Evenings 2009

If you are unable to attend the open evenings, contact the schools who may be able to arrange a visit at another time.

Building Schools For The Future

Tameside Council has been successful in a bid for funding from the Government’s Building Schools for the Future Initiative.

This is a national initiative that aims to update secondary schools. All Tameside high schools will benefit from this funding and will either be rebuilt or refurbished over the next few years.

In September 2010 Two Trees Sports College and Egerton Park Arts College, will close and a new school will be established, Denton Community College. Pupils on roll at the schools at the time of closure will automatically transfer to the new Community College. The new school will be built on the current Egerton Park Arts College site.

The New Charter Academy in Ashton opened in September 2008. Samuel Laycock School is being rebuilt so that it will be co-located with The New Charter Academy in Ashton.

The Droylsden Academy opened in September 2009 with two campus sites: the Littlemoss site on Cryer Street and the Droylsden site on Manor Road. The new academy will be constructed on the Manor Road site on land adjacent to the present school and all pupils will transfer into the new buildings on completion.

Location of High Schools in Tameside

Key to map

1. Droylsden Academy, Littlemoss Site
2. Denton Community College
3. Fairfield High School for Girls Specialist Science College
4. Alder Community High School A Specialist Maths and Computing College
5. New Charter Academy, Greenhurst Campus
6. Audenshaw School
7. Mossley Hollins High School Specialists in the Arts and Sport
8. Copley High School A Specialist College in Maths & Computing
9. All Saints Catholic College A Language College
10. St Damian’s Roman Catholic Science College
11. Droylsden Academy, Droylsden Site
12. New Charter Academy, Silver Springs Campus
13. Hyde Technology School
14. Longdendale Community Language College
15. West Hill School A Specialist Science College
16. St Thomas More Roman Catholic College Specialising in Mathematics and Computing
17. Denton Community College
18. Astley Sports College and Community High School
19. Cromwell High School
20. Dale Grove Secondary School
21. Samuel Laycock School

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The process of allocating a high school place for children with Statements of Special Educational Needs is different from children who do not have a Statement.

The process of allocating a high school place for children with Statements of Special Educational Needs is different from children who do not have a Statement.

This process is set out in the SEN Code of Practice.

Who decides which school a child with a Statement transfers to?

The council works in partnership with parents, schools and support services when making the final decision about which school is ‘named’ in Part 4 of the statement - and therefore which school the pupil will attend. While in law it is the council which ‘names’ the school, due regard must be paid to the preference of parents. However the council is also required by the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice to consider:

• The special educational needs of the pupils and the extent to which these can be met in a particular school - much of this information is taken from the advice of staff in schools, support services, therapy and health services as well as other agencies and professionals - usually through the annual review process.
• The impact the placement of a pupil may have on the education of other pupils at the school and
• The efficient and effective use of council resources.

What if the council names a secondary school which is not the preferred option of parents?

Options for high school transfer will have been discussed at the Year 5 Annual Review of the Statement. Assistant Education Officers are also able to discuss parent’s/carer’s options for a child by telephone if the parent rings them directly – this will usually be the Assistant Education Officer who attended the Year 5 review – see contact details.

After the amended Statement has been issued parents/carers are able to contact the Assistant Education Officer to discuss the reasons for the council naming the school in Part 4 of the Statement. If necessary a meeting may be arranged to discuss the Statement further if parents/carers are still not happy with the school named in the Statement.

In parallel to this parents/carers are advised in the letter which is issued with the amended Statement how to appeal to the SEN & Disability Tribunal (this needs to be within 8 weeks of the statement being issued) and / or for the matter to be referred to the Disagreement Resolution Service – a less formal process. In addition parents/carers may also wish to seek support or advice from Tameside’s Parent Partnership Service which can be contacted on 0161 342 3383.

What should parents consider when deciding on their preference for a secondary school?

Parents who have gone through this process already have found the following information/sources of information helpful:

Most children with special educational needs attend mainstream schools.

• All mainstream secondary schools in Tameside receive resources, training, and support in meeting the needs of children with special educational needs - including those who have a statement.
  
• The aims and plans of the Council and its schools are set out in "Inclusion: A Statement of Intent", which can be read on the Council website or obtained from any school.
  
• Each year some children successfully transfer from primary special school / or a resourced primary school to a mainstream secondary school.
• Each year some pupils transfer from one ‘type’ of special school / specialist provision to another ‘type’ depending on their current special educational needs, recent progress, levels of attainment, etc.
• Pupils with a Statement are not automatically entitled to assistance with home to school travel. Parents/carers therefore need to consider travel arrangements to and from school when they decide on their preferred school. Assistance with travel between home and school, where necessary, is subject to Tameside’s Transport Policy which can be found at: www.tameside.gov.uk/traveltransport/smot
  
• The Parent Partnership Service can provide advice and support to parents / carers as they are considering and / or speaking to the council about their preferred school.

Mainstream or special school?

The council would normally name a local secondary school in a Statement of SEN unless there are specific reasons why a local school would not be able to meet the needs of the child’s SEN.

Where the council names a placement in a mainstream school it may well specify specialist resourced provision in a mainstream school. Resourced provision for a small number of children is available at:

Hyde Technology School – resourced provision for children with significant hearing impairments

St Thomas More RC College – resourced provision for children with significant social and communication difficulties/ASD

Children must have a Statement to access this provision.

Where the needs of a child are particularly significant or complex the council may place a child at a secondary special school:

• Cromwell School – for children with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties
• Dale Grove School (Secondary Centre) – for children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
• Samuel Laycock School – for children with significant moderate learning difficulties

Children must have a Statement to access this provision.

The chart below sets out the key actions during Year 6 for pupils with a Statement of SEN.

* Parents/carers of children with Statements of SEN must complete the Common Application Form indicating their preferences for special and/or mainstream schools. Where the council comes to the conclusion that the needs of a child can be met in a mainstream school and the parents/carers have not provided the name of a mainstream school on the Common Application Form the Council will proceed with naming the mainstream High School closest to the home of the child.

Allocation Statistics September 2009

The furthest distance at initial allocation varies year on year.

a – Community high schools

*Last distance admitted under criterion 4 (Attendance at a Tameside Primary School)

b – Roman Catholic high schools (voluntary aided - denominational)

* All Saints Catholic College also has a sixth form with 75 places in year 12.
+ Last distance admitted under criterion 14
++ Last distance admitted under criterion 7
The Roman Catholic high school oversubscription criteria have changed for admission 2010.

c – Academies

* Droylsden Academy has a sixth form with 100 places in year 12.
** New Charter Academy has a sixth form with 150 places in year 12.

d - Foundation schools

** Audenshaw School also has a mixed sixth form with 130 places in year 12.
* Last distance admitted under criterion 4 (Single Sex Preferred).
+ Last distance admitted under criterion 4. (Attendance at a Tameside Primary School).

e - Community special schools

• only children with a statement of SEN will be placed in one of these schools. 
• children will only be placed at a school designated to meet their primary SEN. 
• placement at a special school is not dependent upon admission numbers, numbers of pupils on roll or distance from home.

Four schools have post 16 learning. For further information on admission arrangements please contact the schools or the admissions website: www.tameside.gov.uk/schools/admissions