Introduction

Dear Parent/Guardian

This booklet - Starting Out 2010 - has been produced as a guide for parents/carers of those children due to start primary school in September 2010.

Starting school is a very exciting and important time for both children and parents; we hope this booklet will help by giving you the information you need and details of who to contact if you need more advice. We do hope you will take the time to read the booklet carefully, even if you have older children and have applied for a primary school place before.

Tameside primary schools include: community schools, voluntary controlled schools, voluntary aided schools and, for children with statements of special educational needs, primary schools with resource bases, and special schools.

In order 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 will use just one form to apply for up to 3 schools in the Tameside area, and you will receive a single offer of a place. An equal preference system will be used to allocate school places.

Tameside now offers an online application which is quick and easy to use and we would encourage all parents to make use of this simple system. If you do not have access to the internet, you can use the facilities in your local library; you will need an e-mail address.

There is some information about schools in the booklet; more detailed information about individual schools is available from Headteachers, and you may wish to visit the school and talk to the Headteacher before completing your application form.

Should you have further queries, staff in the Admissions Section, telephone 0161 342 3208/3204 - will be pleased to help you.

If you need assistance with English, call in at any of the Customer Service Offices throughout the borough, or contact your local library regarding the In Touch Centres.

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

Yours faithfully,

Jim Taylor
Executive Director
Services for Children and Young People