Starting Out 2012

A guide to applying for a primary school place in Tameside

Apply online using the Online Application System

Contents

• Dear Parent/Carer
• School Applications and Offers
• Special Educational Needs (SEN)
• Tameside Parent Partnership Service
• Primary Schools in Tameside
• Allocation statistics September 2011
• Over-subscription Criteria
• The Online Application Process
• Allocations, Waiting Lists & Appeals
• Assistance for Pupils and Parents
• Additional Information
• Checklist For Applicants
• Important Contacts
• Tameside Families Information Service (FIS)

• Download a copy of Starting Out 1.02 MB

Dear Parent/Carer

Your child is due to start primary school in September, 2012. This is a very exciting and important time and we hope this booklet will help you by providing all the information you need and details of who to contact if you need more advice.

Please take the time to read through it carefully, even if you have older children and already have experience of applying for a school place.

Tameside’s primary schools include community schools, voluntary controlled schools, and voluntary-aided schools. For children with special educational needs there are primary schools with resource bases, and special schools.

To achieve a higher level of satisfaction, and to make the process fairer for all children, Tameside, like other local authorities, operates a co-ordinated admissions scheme. Parents need to complete only one application for up to three schools in or out of the borough, and they receive a single offer of a place. An equal preference system is used to allocate school places.

This year you need to complete an application using the online application system. It’s quick and easy.

If you don’t have access to the internet, there are computers in all Tameside’s libraries. You will need an email address, but these are very easy to set up and staff will be happy to help.

There are some facts about schools in this booklet, but for more detailed information you need to contact the relevant headteacher. You might want to visit the school and speak to the head before you complete your application form. If so, make sure to make an appointment.

Please accept our very best wishes for your child’s happy and successful education in Tameside.

Yours faithfully,

Jim Taylor
Executive Director
Children, Learning and Economic Services

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School Applications and Offers

Applying for a primary school place

You are legally required to educate your child from the start of the term immediately after his or her fifth birthday.

In Tameside, it is council policy to provide education from the September of the school year in which a child is five. This means a school place is allocated for every child who will be five between September 1, 2012, and August 31, 2013. All these children should start school in September, 2012.

If you would like to defer your child’s school start to the term after their fifth birthday, you must notify the admissions team. Places can only be held open for a start date in January or after Easter.

Tameside operates a co-ordinated admissions scheme. This means parents only have to complete one application, and the schools can be inside or outside the borough. There is co-ordination between the council and other admissions authorities, and every parent who lives in Tameside receives one offer of a school place.

If you live outside Tameside, you should complete the form from your own authority, even if you plan to apply for a Tameside school.

This booklet explains the admissions arrangements, tells you how to make your application, and how the allocations process operates. It also provides information about schools in Tameside and other aspects of Children, Learning and Economic Services.

You can get further information about an individual school by reading its prospectus (available from the headteacher). Ofsted reports can be viewed on the Ofsted website - www.ofsted.gov.uk . You can get information about Key Stage 2 Sats results from schools and libraries.

Headteachers will be happy for you to visit their school to find out more. However, it is very important that you make an appointment.

How school places are allocated

Tameside Council operates an equal preference system for schools. This means all preferences are considered to be first preferences.

Parents should indicate three schools in their application, listed in order of preference. The law says that parents are entitled to express a preference for the school they would like their child to attend. However, preference is not the same thing as choice. The law does not give parents the right to select a particular school and have that choice met.

Applications for all three preferred schools will be considered by the council or, for voluntary- aided schools, the relevant school’s governing body.

If there are more applications than available places,each will be ranked according to the oversubscription criteria, regardless of whether the school is a first, second or third preference. The full ranked lists for each school will be processed by computer and places allocated.

If only one of your preferred schools can offer a place, that place will be offered. If more than one school can offer a place, the offer will be for whichever school is your highest preference.

But please note - this may not be your first preference school.

If it’s not possible to offer a place at any of your three preferred schools, one will be allocated at the nearest school to your home that has places available. This may not be your nearest school.

Parents are not guaranteed a place at one of their preferred schools.

The application process: What you need to do

1. Decide which three schools you would most like your child to attend and decide your order of preference.
2. Check whether your preferred schools require you to provide additional information.
3. Complete the online application.
4. You must include details of any exceptional medical or social needs. Supporting documentation should be sent to School Admissions, Room 2.96, Council Offices, Wellington Road OL6 6DL. Please write your child’s name and date of birth on all documents.
5. If applicable, complete a supplementary information form for each Church primary school to which you are applying and return to each relevant school.

Online Applications

From this year, all applications should be completed online. The process is explained in the Online Applications Process Section. The online facility is open from early November 2011, until the closing date of 15 January, 2012.

When you have completed your application, you will get an email confirming it has been received. Make sure you keep a note of your password. You can make changes to your application and resubmit it as many times as you like until the closing date.

Each time you resubmit you will receive a confirmation email.

You can use the online system to tell us you would like to receive your school allocation by email on 27 April, 2012. A short video to help you complete your online application can be found at www.tameside.gov.uk/schools/admissions. It has audio in several languages.

Note: Some schools require supporting information. Please submit this as directed by your preferred school and clearly state your child’s name, address and date of birth.

Proof of address

Where the need arises, you may be asked to provide two proofs of address from the following list:

• Mortgage statement*
• Tenancy agreement or letter from landlord*
• Council Tax statement*
• Council Tax benefit statement*
• TV licence*
• Home contents insurance certificate*
• Buildings insurance certificate*
• Recent utility bill (gas, electricity, water, land-line telephone bill but not a mobile phone bill)**
• Letter from a solicitor confirming exchange of contracts on a house**

*issued within the last 12 months
**issued within the last 3 months

Timetable for admissions to Tameside schools

Early November 2011	Web page made available for applications online
15 January, 2012	Closing date for submitting application forms
24 February, 2012	Final date by which changes to applications (due to exceptional circumstances) can be accepted. Proof must be provided.
27 April, 2012	Offer Day - On this date, all offer letters will be posted first class to parents
30 April, 2012	Waiting lists for individual schools open

If you wish to appeal against the decision not to offer a place at your preferred school, you also need to be aware of the following dates:

18 May, 2012	Closing date for returning appeals forms
From June 2012	Appeals are heard by the Independent Appeal Panel
The end of the school year	Waiting lists for individual schools close unless individual school’s admission arrangements say otherwise.

Important information

• Each school application should be discussed with all those with parental responsibility for the child as only one application per child can be accepted.
• It is very important you consider the likelihood of your child being offered a place at your preferred schools. The allocation statistics section tells you how many applications each school received last year and the number of children they can admit. The number of applications and the furthest distance allocated varies each year and can only be used as a guide.
• If you put down three schools that are oversubscribed, and your child fails to meet the criteria in each case, you may not be offered a place at any of them. The council will offer you a place at the school nearest to your home which has places available.

• Putting your child’s name down at your preferred school does not guarantee a place.
• You should not put your child’s name down at more than one Tameside school.
• Only putting one preference on your application does not increase your chances of being offered a place at that school. You may still be allocated a school some distance from your home if closer schools get more applications than there are places.
• For the same reason, there is no advantage in listing fewer than three schools or including the same school more than once.
• Please note that all distances are measured using a geographical information system based on the Ordnance Survey. Other software packages may give a slightly different measurement. These will not be considered.
• An intention to change address cannot be considered by the council until proof is available. A solicitor’s letter confirming an exchange of contract on a property, or a tenancy agreement, and proof of disposal of your old property will be accepted up to 24 February, 2012.
• An application should be completed even if you want your child to attend an independent school.

Any fraudulent or misleading information on a schools application form my result in the withdrawal of a school offer.

Distance Check

If you would like us to measure the straight line distance to your preferred schools, please telephone us on 0161 342 3214.

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Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs go through a separate process to be allocated a place at primary school. It is set out in the Special Educational Needs (SEN) code of practice.

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

Tameside 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 – the school which the child will attend.

While in law it is the council which names the school, due regard has to be given to parents’ preferences. However, the SEN code requires the council to consider:

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

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

Parents and carers can discuss their preferences by telephoning an Assistant Education Officer (AEO) - see contact details.

After the school has been named in the Statement, parents/carers can contact the AEO to discuss the council’s reasons for naming the school in Part 4 of the Statement. If parents/carers are still unhappy with the school, a meeting can be arranged.

The letter issued with the amended statement tells parents/carers how to appeal to the SEN and Disability Tribunal (this needs to be within eight weeks of the Statement’s issue). Or the matter could be referred to the Disagreement Resolution Service - a less formal process.

Parents/carers might also want to seek support or advice from Tameside’s Parent Partnership Service - 0161 342 3383.

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

Parents who have gone through this process have found the following information helpful:

• Most children with special educational needs attend mainstream schools.
• All mainstream primary schools in Tameside receive resources, training and support to meet the requirements of children with special educational needs, including those who have a Statement.
• Every year some pupils transfer from one type of special school/specialist provision to another, depending on their special educational needs, recent progress, level of attainment and so on.
• Pupils with a Statement are not automatically entitled to assistance with home-to-school travel. Parents/carers need to carefully consider travel arrangements to and from school when deciding on their preferences. Assistance with travel between home and school – where necessary – is subject to the council’s transport policy. You can find details at www.tameside.gov.uk/traveltransport/smot.
• The Parent Partnership Service can give advice and support to parents/carers while they are making their decisions and/or speaking to the council about their preferred school.

Mainstream or special school?

Tameside Council would normally name a local primary school in a Statement of SEN unless there are specific reasons why it is unable to do so.

When the authority names a placement in a mainstream school, it is likely to specify specialist resources provision in a mainstream school. Resourced provision for a small number of children is available at:

• The Heys, Ashton
• Russell Scott, Denton
• Oakfield, Hyde
• Buckton Vale, Stalybridge

All have resourced provision for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.

St John Fisher, Denton, has resourced provision for children with significant social and communication difficulties/ASD.

Linden Road, Denton, has resourced provision for pupils with significant hearing impairments.

Children must have a Statement to access-resourced provision, and the significant needs the resourced provision caters for.

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

• Oakdale, Dukinfield: For children with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties.
• Thomas Ashton School: For children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.
• Hawthorns, Audenshaw: For children with moderate learning difficulties.

Children must have a statement to access this provision.

• If your child has significant additional needs you may want to seek advice from your named lead professional or Liz Heeley (education officer) 0161 342 4433.

Please note: Children going through the statutory assessment process must follow the same application procedure as that set out for other children.

Further help and advice: Should you have any questions or concerns about your child which may result from a special educational need, contact the Assessment Review and Monitoring Team on 0161 342 4433.

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Tameside Parent Partnership Service

What is the role of the Parent Partnership Service?

The service is available to any Tameside parents whose child or children may be identified as having SEN.

Tameside Parent Partnership Service exists to encourage and develop partnership between parents, schools, the local education authority and all other partners involved in working to identify, assess and meet the special educational needs of children. The service offers impartial information, guidance and support to parents of children who have special/additional educational needs. The service is also available to parents of children and teenagers with additional needs, including the very young (0-19 years).

Range of support

The range and duration of support varies depending on individual needs. Parents are always welcome to seek further assistance from the service.

How to make a referral

Primarily, the service operates through a parent self referral process. However, on occasion, it may be considered appropriate for a professional to make contact on behalf of a parent. The service acts upon such requests only on the full understanding that parental consent has been given.

Our work with parents will be done in a way which promotes the following principles and values:

• Confidentiality - Client confidentiality is respected at all times. Information is only shared with the understanding and consent of parents.
• Equality - The service has an open-access policy. It aims to ensure that no one is restricted for any reason. The intention is to remove any barriers (real or perceived) such as disability, cultural or language differences. The service listens to parents’ views and places a high value on their contributions and feelings.
• Impartiality - The intention is to provide parents with all the facts necessary for them to make informed choices. It is not the role of the service to give direct advice about an individual child, but to remain impartial in respect of the information and support it provides.
• Independence - The service can make parents aware of alternative sources of support.

Tameside Early Years Quality Development Centre, Manchester Road, Audenshaw, M34 5GJ

Tel: 0161 342 3383
Fax: 0161 342 3305
Send a Message to the Tameside Parent Partnership

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Primary Schools in Tameside

Primary school age ranges are as follows:

• Key Stage 1 (Infants) 4 to 7 years
• Key Stage 2 (Juniors) 7 to 11 years

There are four types of maintained primary school in Tameside: community, voluntary- controlled, voluntary aided and community special. They all work with, and receive funding from, the council. However, there are some differences:

Community schools

The council employs the school’s staff, owns its land and buildings and is the admissions authority. It has primary responsibility for deciding the arrangements for admitting pupils. Some primary schools have specialist resourced provision to meet the needs of children who have significant special educational needs which cannot be met in schools without this provision. Only pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs are able to get this.

Community special schools

There are three of these, and their sole purpose is to meet the needs of pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs. Each is designated to cater for a specific need. Admission is through a Statement of Special Educational Needs where the special school is named in Part 4.

Voluntary Aided (VA) schools

In these schools the governing body is the employer and the admissions authority. The land and buildings will normally be owned by a charitable or religious foundation. The governing body will contribute towards the capital costs of running the school. It also decides the admission arrangements, but these are administered by the council through the co-ordinated admissions scheme.

Voluntary Controlled (VC) schools

The council is the employer and the admissions authority. However, the school’s land and buildings will normally be owned by a charitable foundation or a religious group.

Three lists of schools are in the allocation statistics section. Those in List A are community and voluntary-controlled schools. List B is voluntary-aided schools. List C is community special schools.

Those schools with an (N) after the head teacher’s name have a nursery section. Those with (VC) are voluntary controlled.

If you are considering a voluntary-aided school you will need to check details of its admission arrangements. These will be in its prospectus.

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Allocation statistics September 2011

List A - Community and voluntary controlled primary schools

The last distance at initial allocation varies year on year.

Key: (N) = Nursery, (VC) = Voluntary Controlled.

Ashton-under-Lyne

School Name	Headteacher	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011	Furthest distance at initial allocation (miles) 2011
Ashton West End Primary William Street West End OL7 0BJ	Mr M Cummings 330 4234 (N)	45	296	104	N/A
Broadoak Primary Norman Road OL6 8QG	Mrs F Goddard 330 3105 (N)	45	241	78	N/A
Holden Clough Community Primary Off St Alban’s Avenue OL6 8XN	Ms B McGowan 330 5248 (N)	30	210	77	0.635
Hurst Knoll St James CE Primary Ladbrooke Road OL6 8JS	Mrs S Nelson 330 4049 (N) (VC)	30	201	91	1.495
Parochial CE Primary Keppel Street OL6 6NN	Ms M Wright 343 6070 (N) (VC)	30	207	91	0.245
Rosehill Methodist Community Primary Rosehill Road OL6 8YG	Mrs G Simm 343 8485 (N) (VC)	60	373	86	N/A
St James CE Primary Romney Street OL6 9HU	Mrs V Marsh 330 2008 (N) (VC)	30	186	86	1.654
The Heys Primary Whiteacre Road OL6 9NS	Mrs S West 330 1847 (N)	30	208	159	0.320
Waterloo Primary Worthington Street OL7 9NA	Mrs L Ironmonger 330 1280 (N)	60	367	132	N/A

Audenshaw

School Name	Headteacher	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011	Furthest distance at initial allocation (miles) 2011
Aldwyn Primary and Motor Impaired Resource Base Lumb Lane M34 5SF	Mr S Clark 370 3626 (N)	45	290	85	0.810
Audenshaw Primary Ash Street M34 5NG	Mr J Gray 370 2504	30	205	60	N/A
Poplar Street Primary Ravenswood Drive M34 5EF	Mr I Linsdell 336 4134 320 8006 (N)	60	296	109	N/A

Denton

School Name	Headteacher	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011	Furthest distance at initial allocation (miles) 2011
Corrie Primary Cemetery Road M34 6FG	Mrs N Cartledge 336 4265 (N)	60	271	116	N/A
Dane Bank Primary Thornley Lane South Reddish SK5 6QG	Ms A Todhunter 336 5896 (N)	30	194	82	0.412
Greswell Primary Percy Road M34 2DH	Mrs M Parker 336 6854 (N)	60	334	75	N/A
Linden Road Primary And Hearing Impaired Resource Base Linden Road M34 6EF	Mrs A Chesters 320 0002 (N)	30	176	78	0.797
Manor Green Primary Mancunian Road M34 7NS	Mrs J Lomas 336 5864 (N)	60	390	117	N/A
Russell Scott Primary Clare Street M34 3LQ	Mr S Marsland 320 5186 (N)	60	358	142	2.892
St Anne’s Primary St Anne’s Road M34 3DY	Ms S Hyman 336 2956	30	203	102	0.699
Denton West End Primary Balmoral Drive M34 2JX	Mrs L Pennington 336 3409 (N)	60	417	102	0.477

Droylsden

School Name	Headteacher	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011	Furthest distance at initial allocation (miles) 2011
Fairfield Road Primary Fairfield Road M43 6AF	Mrs C Dobson 370 3625 (N)	60	233	88	N/A
Greenside Primary And Early Years Centre Greenside Lane M43 7RA	Mr J M Rogers 370 8496 (N)	60	393	166	0.399
Manchester Road Primary Manchester Road M43 6GD	Mr P Beaumont 370 3079 (N)	60	331	90	N/A
Moorside Primary Market Street M43 7DA	Mr P Coiffait 370 3614 (N)	60	374	136	N/A

Dukinfield

School Name	Headteacher	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011	Furthest distance at initial allocation (miles) 2011
Broadbent Fold Primary Tennyson Avenue SK16 5DP	Mrs V Walker 303 9411 (N)	30	184	85	0.677
Lyndhurst Community Primary Hill Street SK16 4JS	Mrs J Woolfenden 330 7220 (N)	30	198	87	0.39
Ravensfield Primary Clarendon Street SK16 4JG	Mrs B Allford 344 2905 (N)	60	328	96	N/A
St John’s CE Primary Westmorland Avenue SK16 5JA	Ms V Hewitt-Lee 338 5821 (N) (VC)	30	203	130	0.305
Yew Tree Community Primary Yew Tree Lane SK16 5BJ	Mrs A Short 338 3452 (N)	70	386	132	N/A

Hattersley

School Name	Headteacher	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011	Furthest distance at initial allocation (miles) 2011
Arundale Primary Lowry Grove Mottram SK14 6PW	Mr S Clark 01457 762328 (N)	30	141	52	N/A
Pinfold Primary Hattersley Road East SK14 3NL	Mr S Clark 368 3732/4346 (N)	60	303	75	N/A

Hyde

School Name	Headteacher	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011	Furthest distance at initial allocation (miles) 2011
Bradley Green Primary Bradley Green Road SK14 4NA	Ms J Matthews 368 2166 (N)	30	153	88	0.444
Dowson Primary Marlborough Road SK14 5HU	Mrs J Rathburn 366 0177 (N)	60	412	200	0.423
Flowery Field Primary Main Street off Old Road SK14 4SN	Mrs Y Daly 368 1466 (N)	60	387	111	0.707
Gee Cross Holy Trinity CE Primary Higham Lane SK14 5LX	Ms S Lane 368 2911 (VC) (N)	30	210	141	0.464
Godley Primary St John’s Drive SK14 2QB	Ms S Clawley-Welton 368 3162 (N)	30	203	148	0.138
Greenfield Primary Queen Street SK14 1QD	Ms N Frost 368 1898 (N)	45	247	71	N/A
Leigh Primary Walker Lane SK14 5PL	Mrs J Connor 368 3366 (N)	45	267	78	0.607
Oakfield Primary and Moderate Learning Difficulties Resource Base St Mary’s Road SK14 4EZ	Mrs H Farrell 368 3365 (N)	30	208	68	0.496

Longdendale

School Name	Headteacher	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011	Furthest distance at initial allocation (miles) 2011
Broadbottom CE Primary Mottram Road Broadbottom SK14 6BB	Ms E Bland 01457 762382 (VC)	15	101	40	0.379
Hollingworth Primary Market Street Hollingworth SK14 8LP	Ms S Finn 01457 762136 (N)	30	179	50	0.196

Mossley

School Name	Headteacher	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011	Furthest distance at initial allocation (miles) 2011
Livingstone Primary Valeside OL5 0AP	Ms L Zrada 01457 832495 (N)	20	122	47	N/A
Micklehurst All Saints CE Primary The Rowans OL5 9DR	Ms E Horridge 01457 832499/832128 (N) (VC)	30	151	34	N/A
Milton St John’s CE Primary Mill Lane OL5 0BN	Ms C Dobson 01457 832572 (N) (VC)	30	206	68	0.726

Stalybridge

School Name	Headteacher	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011	Furthest distance at initial allocation (miles) 2011
Arlies Primary Broadhill Road SK15 1HQ	Ms S Collins 338 4854 (N)	45	164	78	N/A
Buckton Vale Primary Swallow Lane Carrbrook SK15 3NU	Ms C May 01457 833102	40	254	50	N/A
Gorse Hall Primary Forrester Drive SK15 2DP	Ms A Stringer 338 4262 (N)	60	393	175	0.748
Millbrook Primary Bank Road Off Huddersfield Road SK15 3JX	Ms P Tankard 01457 834314 (N)	30	163	71	N/A
Ridge Hill Primary and Nursery School Crescent SK15 1EA	Ms D Mason 338 2475 (N)	60	257	51	N/A
Stalyhill Infant School Stalyhill Drive SK15 2TR * Linked to Stalyhill Junior School	Mrs S Nuttall 01457 763598	60	174	114	N/A
Stalyhill Junior School Hereford Way Mottram Old Road SK15 2TD *Linked to Stalyhill Infant School	Ms S Kitchen 338 4290	60	227	60
St Paul’s CE Primary Huddersfield Road SK15 2PT	Mrs J Hand 338 2060 (VC)	45	273	117	2.154
Wild Bank Primary Demesne Drive SK15 2PG	Mr S Lees 303 7404 (N)	30	85	28	N/A

List B - Voluntary aided primary schools

Key: (CE) = Church of England (RC) = Roman Catholic

Ashton-under-Lyne

School Name	Headteacher	Religious Affiliation	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011
Canon Burrows CE Primary Oldham Road OL7 9ND	Mrs E Horridge 330 4755 (N)	CE	60	420	173
Canon Johnson CE Primary Elgin Street OL7 9DD	Mrs S Warburton 330 3169 (N)	CE	30	198	112
Holy Trinity CE Primary Kenyon Street OL6 7DU	Mr S Brereton 330 1065 (N)	CE	30	204	67
Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Primary Holden Street OL6 9JJ	Mr A Brown 330 9521 (N)	RC	30	207	72
St Christopher’s RC Primary St Christopher’s Road OL6 9DP	Mrs S Gedzielewski 330 5880 (N)	RC	30	208	98
St Peter’s CE Primary Oxford Street OL7 0NB	Mrs K Burns 330 1691	CE	30	189	88

Audenshaw

School Name	Headteacher	Religious Affiliation	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011
St Anne’s RC Primary Clarendon Road M34 5QA	Mrs E Gaffney 370 8698 (N)	RC	30	194	63
St Stephen’s CE Primary Audenshaw Road M34 5HD	Ms C Masztalerz 330 3818	CE	30	186	87

Denton

School Name	Headteacher	Religious Affiliation	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011
St John Fisher RC Primary and Autistic Spectrum Disorder Resource Base Manor Road Haughton Green M34 7SW	Ms H Hayes 336 5308 (N)	RC	26	185	76
St Mary’s RC Primary Kynder Street M34 2AR	Ms D Reeves 336 3322 (N)	RC	30	216	78

Droylsden

School Name	Headteacher	Religious Affiliation	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011
St Mary’s CE Primary Church Street M43 7BR	Ms K Hampson 370 3948 (N)	CE	30	210	114
St Stephen’s RC Primary Chappell Road M43 7NA	Mr B Marley 370 2071 (N)	RC	60	339	89

Dukinfield

School Name	Headteacher	Religious Affiliation	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011
St Mary’s Catholic Primary Cheetham Hill Road SK16 5LD	Mr J Murray 368 4824	RC	30	202	106

Hattersley

 

School Name	Headteacher	Religious Affiliation	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011
St James’ Catholic Primary Cheriton Close SK14 3DQ	Mrs J Walker 368 3455 (N)	RC	30	94	25

Hyde

School Name	Headteacher	Religious Affiliation	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011
St George’s CE Primary School Henry Street SK14 1JL	Mrs P Walker 368 2848 (N)	CE	30	207	121
St Paul’s Catholic Primary Turner Lane SK14 4AG	Ms M Flynn (Acting) 368 2934 (N)	RC	30	201	78

Longdendale

School Name	Headteacher	Religious Affiliation	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011
Mottram CE Primary War Hill Mottram SK14 6JL	Ms T Higgins 01457 763368	CE	20	136	72

Mossley

School Name	Headteacher	Religious Affiliation	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011
St George’s CE Primary Stamford Street OL5 0HT	Ms C Divers 01457 832496 (N)	CE	25	145	47
St Joseph’s RC Primary Market Street OL5 0ES	Mrs S Partington 01457 832360 (N)	RC	20	136	45

Stalybridge

School Name	Headteacher	Religious Affiliation	Published Admission Number	Number on roll in Jan 2011	Number of Requests 2011
St Peter’s Catholic Primary Hough Hill Road SK15 2EQ	Mrs E Summersgill 338 3303 (N)	RC	30	204	94
St Raphael’s Catholic Primary Huddersfield Road SK15 3JL	Mr P Johnson 338 4095 (N)	RC	26	153	60

List C - Community special schools

Community Special Schools

• Only children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs will be placed in one of these schools
• Children will only be placed at a school designated to meet their primary special educational need
• Placement at a special school is not dependent upon admission numbers, number of pupils on roll or religious affiliation.

School Name	Headteacher	School designated to meet the needs of pupils with
Oakdale School Cheetham Hill Road Dukinfield SK16 5LD	Ms L Lester 367 9299	Severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties
Thomas Ashton School Grange Road Hyde SK14 5NU	Mrs S Halligan 368 1718	Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
Hawthorns School Lumb Lane Audenshaw M34 5SF	Mrs M Thompson 370 1312	Moderate learning difficulties

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Over-subscription Criteria

Community and voluntary-controlled Schools (List A) Over-subscription criteria

1. Children in public care (Looked-after children)

2. Children and families with exceptional medical or social needs.

Written evidence must be provided by a suitable qualified profession – a GP or consultant for medical needs, or a social worker for social needs – that the child has an exceptional need which makes it essential they are admitted to a particular school. A panel of officers from Tameside Council will make a decision on whether to admit a child under this criterion, using the evidence provided. All information will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Details must be provided using the online form.

3. Siblings

This will apply where there are brothers or sisters attending the school or the linked junior school at the time of application, and who will be still be attending at the time of admission – the September when a pupil goes into Reception. Preference will be given to children living nearest to the school.

The sibling criterion includes natural brothers/sisters, half-brothers/sisters, step-brothers/sisters, adopted brothers/sisters, brothers/sisters of fostered children, children of the parent/carer’s partner. In each case they must be living at the same address. This allows for the admittance of children whose siblings will still be attending the preferred school.

4. All other applications on distance

Preference will be given to pupils living nearest to the school, taking into account ease of access to, and distance from, alternative schools. Ease of access will be considered when parents provide details of particular reasons which mean their child could reach the nearest school but would face a disproportionately long journey to another school if denied admission to their nearest school. Details must be provided on the online form.

Voluntary-aided schools (List B) Over-subscription criteria

In voluntary-aided schools (List B) the governing body is responsible for determining the admissions arrangements and for allocating places.

Many voluntary-aided schools require applicants to provide additional information - for example a certificate of baptism for Roman Catholic schools or confirmation of church attendance for Church of England schools – if they wish to be considered under faith-based criteria. This may mean completing a supplementary form.

The admissions arrangements are posted on the Tameside Council website at www.tameside.gov.uk/schools/admissions/1213.

Definitions for admissions arrangements

Unless stated otherwise in the admissions arrangements, which can be obtained in full from the school or the Tameside Council website – www.tameside.gov.uk – the following definitions will apply.

Definition of distance

Distance will be measured as a straight line from the child’s home address, using the address point assigned by the National Land and Property Gazetteer, to the
school’s main gate. Measurements will be made using the local authority’s school admissions data mapping software, which uses a geographical information system based on the Ordnance Survey.

Home address

The address from which distance will be measured is the permanent residential address (at the time of application) of the parent with whom the child normally lives. Where parents have shared responsibility – the child lives with each for part of the week – the home address is the one from which the child travels to school the most during a week. If the number of days is equal, the home address will be that of the parent who receives the child benefit.

Tie-breaker

If a school is over-subscribed within any of the criteria, priority will be given to those children living nearest to the school. In the event of distances being the same for two or more applicants, where the distance would be the last place(s) to be allocated, a lottery will be implemented between the applicants where the distance is the same. The lottery will be carried out in a place accessible to the public and supervised by someone independent of the school. All the names will be entered into a hat and the required number of names drawn out.

Parent

Throughout this guide the term “parent” includes

• All natural parents, whether or not they are married.
• Any person who, although not a natural parent, has parental responsibility for a child or young person.
• Any person who, although not a natural parent, has care of a child or young person.

Data Protection Act

Tameside Council maintains a register entry in respect of education which includes the administration relating to pupils.

Personal information provided in the application is treated in confidence and complies with the requirements of the Act. This information may be shared with other local authorities.

Verification of information: The council may verify information you have provided in the application, which could involve contacting other departments of the council, or other councils which maintain appropriate records. In instances where the information provided is different to that held by them, they may use the information in the application.

Stalyhill Junior School

Tameside has only one junior school: Stalyhill in Stalybridge. Parents who wish to be considered for a transfer to Stalyhill Junior School in September, 2012, must complete the application and submit it to Stalyhill Infant School if that is where your child goes, or direct to the council’s admissions section by January 6, 2012. Further information about the admissions arrangements is available on the Tameside Council website at www.tameside.gov.uk/schools/admissions/1213.

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The Online Application Process

What you need to do

1. Go to the online application system.
2. Click ‘Register’ and then enter your information and email address, along with a password. The email address will allow you to receive your child’s school offer on April 27, 2012.
3. Log in to your personal email inbox and click the link provided via email to verify your registration. This will take you back to the Admissions home page.
4. Log in to the Admissions system using your email address and password previously provided. Then click ‘Go’ to create a new application. Enter your child’s date of birth and select the ‘Primary 2012 transfer group’. Click on ‘No UID’
5. After confirming your child’s details, select your school preferences. For each one you’ll be asked to provide supplementary information to support your application. You can change the order of your preferences if you wish to by choosing the appropriate green arrow that will appear on the preference page after each school selection.
6. After making your three preferences, click ‘Continue’ and submit your application by confirming you agree to the terms and conditions of the school admissions process. You must click ‘Submit’ for us to receive your application. You will then get an email confirmation of your preferences.

It’s important that you send any supplementary information forms directly to the school (if applicable). For a step-by-step guide, watch the admissions video at www.tameside.gov.uk/schools/admissions.

For any further information, visit www.tameside.gov.uk/schools/admissions.

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Allocations, Waiting Lists & Appeals

Notification of school allocations

Allocation letters will be sent out on Friday, 27 April, 2012. If you are not satisfied with your allocation, there are two options open to you. You can:

• Ask to be considered for a school which has places available after allocation.
• Submit an appeal.

You will retain the place you have been allocated until you are allocated an alternative school.

Waiting lists for Tameside schools

If we have not been able to allocate you a place at your first preference school, you will automatically be placed on the waiting list for all schools you have ranked higher than your allocated school. All waiting lists will be held in over-subscription criteria order and will be held until the end of the school year.

If the appeals process leads to the admission of pupils beyond the published admission number, any places which are given up later will not be offered to those on the waiting list until levels fall below the published number.

The number of children on a school’s waiting list can vary from day to day. If new or late applications have a higher priority under the oversubscription criteria, they will be ranked higher than those who have been on the waiting list for some time.

Waiting list positions will not be available for discussion until the last week of May, 2012, approximately two weeks after the appeals closing date.

The admissions team will contact you if a place becomes available and your child can be allocated a place. There is no need to telephone.

Waiting lists for schools in neighbouring local authorities

Parents should check with the relevant council for their waiting-list arrangements.

Calls to the admissions team

Please do not phone the admissions team on Friday, 27 April, to inquire about your offer. Your letter is posted on that day, so you will receive it a day or two later. The admissions team understand parents’ anxiety at the time of school allocations and will do what they can to help. In return we ask you to treat our staff with courtesy and respect.

Appeals

Parents who have been refused admission to one of their preferred schools in Tameside have the right to appeal to an independent panel.

To do so, you should complete a form and return it to Democratic Services, Level B, Council Offices, Wellington Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 6DL by 18 May, 2012, stating your grounds. Any appeals received after this date may be heard after others for that particular school. If you are appealing for a voluntary aided school, it will be forwarded to the relevant establishment.

All appeals are heard separately. Every effort will be made to hear them before the start of the autumn term, but no guarantee can be made in the case of late appeals.

You will be given 10 school days’ notice of your date and will be sent a copy of the school’s case. You can attend the hearing to present your child’s case and you may bring along a friend as long as there is no conflict of interest with the school. A representative of the school or the council will present the school’s case.

The clerk to the panel will inform you in writing of its decision. The decision is binding and parents have no further right of appeal for the same school in the same school year, unless there is a significant change in circumstances.

Please note that no places are held back for appeals.

Parents of pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs have the right to appeal to the SEN tribunal.

While you are awaiting your appeal, you are advised to consider alternative schools in case you are unsuccessful. This could include the school you have been allocated. You could also request a change of preference to a school which has places available.

Please note that the law places restrictions on the circumstances in which a panel can uphold an appeal for the admission of a child to an infant class. In normal circumstances an independent panel cannot uphold an appeal for your child if it means that a Key Stage 1 (infant) class will have more than 30 pupils. Appeals against a refusal to admit on the grounds of class size can be upheld only where a panel is satisfied that one of the following conditions applies:

1. That the child would have been offered a place if the admission arrangements had been properly implemented.
2. That the child would have been offered a place if the arrangements had not been contrary to mandatory provisions in the school admissions code and the SSFA 1998.
3. That the decision was not one which a reasonable council/governing body (the admissions authority) would make.

Full details about the appeals process can be found at www.tameside.gov.uk/schools/admissions.

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Assistance for Pupils and Parents

Assistance with travel

Tameside has an overall vision for sustainable travel which is outlined in its sustainable modes of travel strategy “Promoting Sustainable School Travel”.

It encourages sustainable choices on the journey to and from school which will help in fostering a long term change in the travel habits of children, parents, teachers and, hopefully, the wider community, so that they are more likely to take up walking, cycling and public transport.

The strategy’s overall aim is to reduce car-use for travel to school, improve safety and security on the school journey, improve the health of children by encouraging use of active modes, and to contribute to the improvement of the environment through reduced emissions.

It also contains information on a host of associated initiatives including school travel plans, bus services, pedestrian and cycle training and, most importantly, an action plan setting out initiatives to take forward the plan over the longer period.

A full copy of the strategy can be found at www.tameside.gov.uk/traveltransport/smot.

Bus pass applications

It is the responsibility of the parents/carers of a pupil to make sure that he/she attends school. However, the council may provide assistance with transport to school for some pupils who live in Tameside.

The following groups of primary pupils are eligible for a zero-fare bus or train pass.

Group 1

Pupils whose nearest qualifying school is beyond walking distance. Walking distance here is more than:

• Two miles for children of school age but under eight.
• Three miles for youngsters aged eight to 16.

Group 2

Primary school pupils from low-income families travelling to:

• One of the nearest three qualifying schools when they live more than two miles but less than six miles from that school.
• The nearest school preferred by reason of a parent’s faith or belief, where the school is more than two miles but less than 15 miles from the child’s home.

To check if your child is eligible for a zero-fare bus pass, phone 0161 342 4068/3214.

Notes

Low income is defined as pupils eligible for a school clothing grant.

The distance between home and school is measured by the nearest available walking route. The same method as used to allocate places and as defined in the oversubscription criteria.

A cycle allowance of £30 a year is payable instead of a bus pass if requested.

Assistance with the cost of uniforms

A clothing grant is assistance towards the cost of school clothing and footwear.

Families who are eligible are those with children of compulsory school age who are in receipt of income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance, income related employment support allowance, Guaranteed Element of State Pension Allowance or child credit only, with an income less than £16,190. Please provide evidence of benefit entitlement.

Families with an income of less than £16,190, who are in receipt of working tax credit, should qualify for a school clothing grant or their child(ren) providing a copy of the tax award notice as issued by HM Revenue and Customs is attached.

Self-employed persons should provide either an accountant’s letter stating the recent figures submitted to HM Revenue and Customs or, if you prepare your own accounts, a letter from the tax office.

Assistance with the cost of school meals

Free school meals are offered to the children of families who are in receipt of employment support allowance (income-related), income support, income-based job seeker’s allowance or guaranteed element of state pension credit. They are also offered to children of families who are in receipt of child tax credit only, but who are not entitled to working tax credit, and whose annual income (as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs) does not exceed £16, 190. If you are in receipt of child tax credit, you will need to visit one of the council’s customer service centres and present your child tax credit award notice.

Important Note

The home-to-school transport policy and provision of school clothing grants will be reviewed during the 2012-13 school year and changes may be made.

At present the council provides passes and financial assistance to some groups of pupils when it is not required to do so by law. These are the main areas that may be considered.

The main areas which could be affected relate to assistance with uniform costs, and zero-fare bus passes for pupils who move in to Tameside, are in Year 6, and wish to remain at their current school.

Any proposed changes will be the subject of public consultation during which parents will be able to make their views known in a variety of ways. Any changes are likely to come into effect in September, 2012.

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Additional Information

School transfers

Generally, Tameside Council believes it is in a child’s best interests to remain at the same school for the whole primary phase. They should only transfer at the end of Year 6, when they move up to secondary school.

Studies show that many children experience difficulties settling in to a new school and, in most cases, attainment dips when transfers take place. For example, it can be difficult to join established friendship groups; the curriculum may be organised differently, so that pupils may find they are repeating some units of work and have missed others; and they will have to get used to new routines and timetables.

In addition, it is often the case that problems experienced in one school re-occur in another.

If your child is experiencing difficulties, please try to work through these with the school staff. If you are still considering a move, make an appointment with the headteacher to discuss your concerns so that you can try to resolve them in conjunction with the school.

A decision to move your child from one school to another should not be taken lightly. In view of the upheaval it is likely to cause to your child’s education, it should only be considered as a last resort.

We do realise that, in certain circumstances, it may be necessary to transfer your child – for example if you are moving house and the distance would make it impossible to attend their current school. However, on these occasions, we cannot guarantee a place will be available at a particular school.

Transfer applications must be made to your home local authority.

Fair access protocol

All local authorities have a fair access protocol for in year transfers. It ensures the speedy admission and fair distribution of pupils with agreed additional needs.

With specific short-term exceptions, all Tameside’s schools participate in the protocol, which may result in schools admitting pupils over their published admission number.

Independent schools

If you want your child to attend an independent school, it is not the policy of Tameside Council to pay the fees or any other expenses. Consequently, you will have to make your own arrangements for your child to attend this type of school. Parents are advised to submit an application for a place at a Tameside school, even if you have applied to an independent school.

Home education

It is a parental right to educate a child at home. However, should you choose to do this, the council would insist on assessing and approving the provision being made. Phone 0161 342 3226 for more details.

Out-of-school provision

Headteachers can supply details of any out-of-hours clubs based at their school or operating in the area. Alternatively, parents can contact the council’s Families Information Service on 0161 342 5434 for information about children’s activities and childcare provision before and after school and during the holidays.

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Checklist For Applicants

Have you done all you need to do?

Please ensure that you have:

• Read the Starting Out information online.
• Watched the “How to Apply Online” video.
• Listed your schools in order of preference on your application.
• Included the names of any brothers or sisters who will be attending any of your preferred schools from September, 2012.
• Included details of any exceptional social or medical needs.
• Submitted additional information which may be required by any of your preferred schools.
• Completed the online application by Sunday, 15 January.

Do not ask your child’s nursery or foundation unit staff to write a letter of support for an application to a school as no notice will be taken of it.

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Important Contacts

The School Admissions Team

If you need further information or have any questions about applying for a primary school place, please do not hesitate to contact us – we will be happy to help.

Paula Barnett	Principal Admissions Officer	342 3208
Pearl Outram	Senior Pupil Support Officer	342 3226
Pauline Duffy	Pupil Support Officer	342 3204
Cathy Miller	Pupil Support Officer	342 4068
Andrew Flint	Pupil Support Officer	342 3214
Michele Roberts	Pupil Placement Officer	342 3310
Catherine Moseley	Head of Service	342 3302

Send a Message to the Admissions Team

Education Welfare Service

Free school meals	342 3257
Uniform grants	342 3258
Education Welfare Service (Attendance)	342 2290/2294/2295

Assessment, Review & Monitoring Team

Sue Cooley	Assistant Education Officer	342 4433
Steve Eccles	Assistant Education Officer	342 4433
Liz Heeley	Education Officer	342 4433

Neighbouring Local Authorities

For details of schools in other Local Authorities, please contact the relevant admissions team:

Local Authority	Address	Phone number	Appeals number
Derbyshire	St Helena Centre Sheffield Rd Chesterfield, Derbyshire S41 7LU	01629 537479	0845 605 8058
Manchester	Manchester Education Office Overseas House, Quay St Manchester M3 3BB	0161 234 7151	0161 234 7150
Oldham	Civic Centre West St, Oldham OL1 1XJ	0161 770 4214	0161 770 4214
Stockport	Education Division Town Hall Stockport SK1 3XE	0845 644 4313	0161 474 3216

Advisory Centre for Education (ACE): 0808 800 5793.

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Tameside Families Information Service (FIS)

 

Information and advice for all Tameside families

Would you like further support and information about applying for a school place for your child?

FIS Choice Advice Can

• Offer information about local schools
• Explain the different admissions policies for schools in Tameside and how places are allocated
• Help you to understand and complete the application
• Give information about what to do if you are not offered your preferred school

FIS can also offer information on

• Childcare
• Parenting and family support
• Money matters
• Leisure activities for children and young people
• Health and well-being

You can contact Choice Advice or a FIS officer on the advice line 0161 342 5434 or find out more on the Families Information Service page.

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