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Education > Organisation and Admissions > School Admissions

School Admissions

Applications for In-Year Transfers between Schools
The School Admissions Team is continuing to receive an exceptionally high volume of In-Year Transfer applications. We are working hard to process these as quickly as possible however some applications are subsequently taking longer than usual. The Admissions Team will inform parents of the outcome of applications as soon as we can so please may we ask you not to chase progress as this contributes to further delays.
Please note that decisions cannot be made during school holidays.

Considering a school place for your child for the first time, moving from Primary to Secondary School or moving school during the school year (In-Year Transfer) is very important.

The information in this section is intended to help you through this process. However you still probably want to arrange a visit to see the schools that you are considering.

For more information about Tameside Schools please visit Find A School - www.tameside.gov.uk/schools

Some schools will have opens days or evenings usually held during their autumn term, but all schools welcome enquiries at any time of the year and Headteachers will be happy to make arrangements for you to visit.

All schools are regularly inspected by Ofsted. Many parents find this information useful when deciding on a school for their child.

For more information on the new Ofsted inspection framework, please visit this link www.gov.uk/government/news/ofsted-is-changing-how-it-inspects-schools

The privacy notice for Education Inclusion can be found at www.tameside.gov.uk/dataprotection/PrivacyNotice

Nursery Admissions

Admission into nursery classes in Tameside

Nursery place admissions are different from other applications and are made direct to the nursery provider. For information on how to apply for a place in a nursery class at a Tameside school please use the following link: Nursery Admissions. pdf

You may wish to apply for a school nursery or a Private, Voluntary or Independent setting. The Family Information Service can provide further information on nursery and childcare settings within Tameside.

Please note that attendance at a school nursery does not guarantee a place in the reception class at the same school.

Admission to Primary School (Reception)

How to Apply for a Primary Place (Reception Application)

Tameside residents should use the Tameside Citizen Portal to apply for a Reception place. If you do not live within Tameside but wish to apply for a place at a Tameside school, you should apply via your own Local Authority. (For example, if you are a Stockport resident you will need to apply via Stockport MBC admissions, for any Tameside School)

Independent/private school admissions are not processed by the Local Authority. For further information about places and admission processes please contact those schools directly.

Apply for a reception 2023 school place here, if:

Your child is starting school for the first time in September 2023; and
You are a Tameside resident

The closing date for submitting a Reception 2023 school application is 15 January 2023. (Applications submitted after this date will be processed as a ‘late’ application)

When will you be informed of your allocated school?

On-time applications - if your application was submitted on or before the closing date, 15 January 2023, you will be notified of your allocated school, by email, at some point during National Offer Day – 17 April 2023. You will also be able to view your allocated school by logging into your Citizen Portal after midnight on National Offer Day.
Late applications - if your application was submitted after the closing date, 15 January 2023, you will receive notification of your allocated school at a later date, by letter. Late allocations are not viewable via the Citizen’s Portal.

Timetable for applying for a primary school place

01 November 2022	The online admissions system opens for primary school places (Reception 2023).
15 January 2023	Closing date for applications. Ensure you submit your primary school application on or before this date. Otherwise, you will need to make a late application.
30 January 2023	The online admissions system opens for ‘late’ primary school applications (Reception 2023).
03 February 2023	Last date for any changes to the address in your application.
17 April 2023	National Offer Day.

What if I am not offered a place at my preferred school?
If you have included other schools in your application and they have places available, we will offer your child a place at one of those schools. If it is not possible to allocate a place at any of your preferred schools, the Local Authority will allocate a place at the nearest school to your home address that has a place available.

If you are not offered a place at the school(s) of your choice you will have the right to appeal against the decision. For information on school appeals, please visit our school appeals page here.

Please note: your child's name will be automatically placed on waiting lists (in accordance with each schools admission over-subscription criteria) for schools that you have ranked higher than your allocated school. You will retain the place you have been allocated until you secure a place at an alternative school.

In Tameside, children start school in the September of the school year in which they become 5 years of age, which means most children are 4 years old when they start school. Children born between 1 September 2018 and 31 August 2019 are eligible to start school in September 2023.

It is very important to read the Starting Out book, which explains the admission process in detail. It provides advice on what you need to know before you make an application and how places are allocated including the admission policies for each school. For example, some voluntary aided schools ask for additional information to support your application, such as proof of church attendance or a baptismal certificate. Please send this directly to each school as required. Similarly, if you are applying for schools outside of Tameside, please check with the individual school or local authority if you are required to provide any additional evidence.

Tameside Primary School Special Circumstances Form pdf

The Starting Out pdf book also describes what happens after your application is submitted and what to do if you do not get your preferred school place offer on National Offer Day. The “Starting Out 2023 Admissions Arrangements” document details the admissions arrangements in place for all Tameside Primary Schools for 2023. This document should be read in conjunction with “Starting Out 2023”.

The Children and Young People’s Partnership Forum have developed some useful advice for parents when their child is making the transition from their early years setting to primary school: moving into primary school from early years settings pdf

Apply for a reception 2023 school place here

Admission Infant to Junior School – Stalyhill Junior School Only

Stalyhill Junior School admits pupils from Year 3 through to Year 6 and it is the only junior school in Tameside. The school admission arrangements for admission into Year 3 are available on the school website https://www.stalyhill-jun.tameside.sch.uk/ and on the Tameside Council website https://www.tameside.gov.uk/TamesideMBC/media/admissions/Admission-Arrangements-for-Stalyhill-Junior-School_6.pdf The admission arrangements set out how places are allocated at the school and what happens if there are more applications than places available.

How to Apply for a Junior Place (Infant to Junior Application)

Tameside residents should use the Tameside Citizen Portal to apply for an Infant to Junior place. If you do not live within Tameside but wish to apply for a place at a Tameside school, you should apply via your own Local Authority. (For example, if you are a Stockport resident you will need to apply via Stockport MBC admissions, for any Tameside School)

Apply for an Infant to Junior 2023 school place here, if:

Your child is starting Junior school for the first time in September 2023; and
You are a Tameside resident

The closing date for submitting an Infant to Junior 2023 school application is 15 January 2023. (Applications submitted after this date will be processed as a ‘late’ application)

When will you be informed of your allocated school?

On-time applications - if your application was submitted on or before the closing date, 15 January 2023, you will be notified of your allocated school, by email, at some point during National Offer Day – 17 April 2023. You will also be able to view your allocated school by logging into your Citizen Portal after midnight on National Offer Day.
Late applications - if your application was submitted after the closing date, 15 January 2023, you will receive notification of your allocated school at a later date, by letter. Late allocations are not viewable via the Citizen’s Portal.

Timetable for applying for a primary school place

01 November 2022	The online admissions system opens for Junior school places (Junior 2023).
15 January 2023	Closing date for applications. Ensure you submit your primary school application on or before this date. Otherwise, you will need to make a late application.
30 January 2023	The online admissions system opens for ‘late’ Junior school applications (Junior 2023).
03 February 2023	Last date for any changes to the address in your application.
17 April 2023	National Offer Day.

Apply for an Infant to Junior 2023 school place here

Admission to High School (Year 7)

How to Apply for a High School Place (Year 7 Application)

Tameside residents should use the Tameside Citizen Portal to apply for a High School place. If you do not live within Tameside but wish to apply for a place at a Tameside school, you should apply via your own Local Authority. (For example, if you are a Stockport resident you will need to apply via Stockport MBC admissions, for any Tameside School)

Independent/private school admissions are not processed by the Local Authority. For further information about places and admission processes please contact those schools directly.

Apply for a Year 7 2023 school place here, if:

Your child is starting high school for the first time in September 2023; and
You are a Tameside resident

The closing date for submitting a Year 7 2023 school application is 31 October 2022. (Applications submitted after this date will be processed as a ‘late’ application)

When will you be informed of your allocated school?

On-time applications - if your application was submitted on or before the closing date, 31^st October 2022, you will be notified of your allocated school, by email, at some point during National Offer Day – 1^st March 2023. You will also be able to view your allocated school by logging into your Citizen Portal after midnight on National Offer Day.
Late applications - if your application was submitted after the closing date, 31^st October 2022, you will receive notification of your allocated school at a later date, by letter. Late allocations are not viewable via the Citizen’s Portal.

Timetable for applying for a high school place

01 September 2022	The online admissions system opens for high school places (Year 7 2023).
31 October 2022	Closing date for applications. Ensure you submit your primary school application on or before this date. Otherwise, you will need to make a late application.
11 November 2022	Last date for any changes to the address in your application.
14 November 2022	The online admissions system opens for ‘late’ high school applications (Year 7 2023).
1 March 2023	National Offer Day.

What if I am not offered a place at my preferred school?
If you have included other schools in your application and they have places available, we will offer your child a place at one of those schools. If it is not possible to allocate a place at any of your preferred schools, the Local Authority will allocate a place at the nearest school to your home address that has a place available.

If you are not offered a place at the school(s) of your choice you will have the right to appeal against the decision. For information on school appeals, please visit our school appeals page here.

Please note: your child's name will be automatically placed on waiting lists (in accordance with each schools admission over-subscription criteria) for schools that you have ranked higher than your allocated school. You will retain the place you have been allocated until you secure a place at an alternative school.

If your child was born between 1 September 2011 and 31 August 2012, they are usually due to transfer to secondary school in September 2023.

It is very important to read the Moving On pdf book, which explains the admission process in detail. It provides advice on what you need to know before you make an application and how places are allocated including the admission policies for each school. For example, some voluntary aided schools ask for additional information to support your application, such as proof of church attendance or a baptismal certificate. Please send this directly to each school as required. Similarly, if you are applying for schools outside of Tameside, please check with the individual school or local authority if you are required to provide any additional evidence.

Secondary Special Circumstances Form pdf

Secondary Supplementary Information Form pdf

The Moving On pdf book also describes what happens after your application is submitted and what to do if you do not get you preferred school place offer on National Offer Day.

The Children and Young People’s Partnership Forum have developed some useful advice for parents when their child is making the transition from primary school to secondary school: moving into secondary school from primary school pdf

Apply for a High School 2023 school place here

Moving School during the School Year (In-Year Transfer)

Tameside Council believes that it is detrimental to any child’s education to transfer schools other than going into Year 7 at a new high school or joining the Reception class at a new primary school.

It is generally in your child’s best interest to remain at the same school for the whole of the Key Stage and ideally, the whole of the primary or secondary phase. Often, problems experienced in one school will continue in another.

If your child is having difficulties, please try to work through these with the staff at their current school. If you are still considering a move, please make an appointment with the Head Teacher to discuss your concerns, and try to resolve them together.

In some circumstances, a transfer during the school year may be necessary. For example a permanent house move which makes it impossible to attend the current school.

Before you make your application, you should discuss the impending transfer with your child’s current or previous school.

Please note: that school place availability can change daily therefore places cannot be guaranteed during the application process.

Please note that decisions on transfer applications cannot be made during school holidays because school staff are not available.

How to Apply for an In Year Transfer

All applications for In Year Transfer to a Tameside School must use the Tameside Citizen Portal to apply for a School place. If your preferred school is not within Tameside you should apply directly to the Local Authority the school is located. (For example, if you are a Tameside resident and wish apply for a school in Stockport you will need to apply via Stockport MBC admissions)

Independent/private school admissions are not processed by the Local Authority. For further information about places and admission processes please contact those schools directly.

Apply for an In Year Transfer here, if:

Your preferred school is located within Tameside
You are applying to move schools during the academic year

IN-YEAR APPLICATIONS FOR FAIRFIELD HIGH SCHOOL SHOULD NOW BE MADE DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOL. PLEASE VISIT SEE THE NOTES BELOW.

In-Year Applications for Fairfield High School for Girls - from September 2022, the Local Authority will no longer process in-year transfer applications for this school. You will need to make any application direct to the school, and you will not be able to apply for the school via the Citizen Portal. More information can be found on the school website (Fairfield High School for Girls - Home) or the school can be contacted on 0161 370 1488. Please note that this arrangement only applies to applications made during the school year; if you wish to name this school on your Year 7 allocation application, you can still do so via the Citizen Portal.

Cared for Children
Cared for children and Children Formerly in Care are defined as previously Cared for Children who have ceased to be so because they have been Adopted or became subject to a Child Arrangement Order or Special Guardianship Order immediately following being cared for. Children in this category are afforded priority under the School Admissions Code for in year transfers. This means schools can offer places above the PAN as an exceptional circumstance. If your child is a child formerly in care then you must provide a copy of the Adoption Certificate, Child Arrangement Order or Special Guardianship Order at the time of application for your child to be considered under this criterion.

Apply for an In Year Transfer here

The Fair Access Protocol and Guidance

Fair Access Protocols

Fair access protocols exist to ensure that unplaced children outside the normal admissions round, especially the most vulnerable, are offered a suitable school as quickly as possible and to ensure that all schools in the area admit their fair share of children with challenging behaviour.

The Primary Fair Access Protocol is here:
The Secondary Fair Access Protocol is here:

The protocol applies to all local authority maintained schools, community, voluntary aided, voluntary controlled and academies. It does not apply to maintained or private nurseries, independent schools, sixth form schools or colleges.

The operation of the fair access protocol is outside the arrangements of co-ordination and is triggered when a parent of an eligible child has not secured a school place under the in-year admission arrangements.

Initiation of the Fair Access Protocol

If a child who falls under one of the fair access categories is unable to find a school place, the local authority will initiate the protocol. Parental preference will be taken into consideration. However, under the protocol, parental preference no longer applies, and the local authority can approach any suitable school and ask them to admit the child. If a school does not want to admit the child, they can refer the case to the in-year fair access panel for consideration.

The panel will consider the circumstances of the case, taking account of both the needs of the child and the school. As these applications can be a little more complex, it may be up to 20 school days before the decision of the panel and the name of the school the child is to attend will be communicated to the parent. Admission to the school should then be arranged within ten school days.

If your child is refused a place at your preferred school you have the right of appeal. Where practical, your child should continue attending their current school whilst an appeal is being processed.

Apply Online

The step by step process for applying for a school place online in the Citizen Portal is as follows:

Please ensure you have read the relevant admission policy to ensure you meet the criteria for the school(s) you have chosen.
Before you make your application, if you have not registered previously, you will need to register using a valid, working email address and choose a password. You may have used the Citizen Portal previously to apply for a school place or for two-year old funding. If so, you should use the same login details. If you cannot remember your login details please follow the links provided in the Citizen Portal and these will be sent to you.
If you are applying for more than one child you will need to fill in an application for each child.
If you change your mind after submitting your application you can:
1. Primary & Secondary (Reception & Year 7) – You can amend you application at any time up to and including the closing date (15 January 2023 for Primary and 31 October 2022 for Secondary). You MUST remember to RESUBMIT your application. After the closing date you will NOT be able to amend your application. If you need to make any changes, please contact school admission for further information.
2. Moving School during the School Year (In-Year Transfers) – you can login to your Citizen Portal account and change your application at any point. You must remember to resubmit your application.

(Please note – any re-submitted application will overwrite your previous application and submission date)

If any additional information is required in support of your application, e.g. exceptional circumstances form, it is your responsibility to ensure it reaches us at schooladmissions@tameside.gov.uk before the deadline date.

Apply here

Requests for Education Outside of the Normal Age Group

Education outside of the normal year group
Parents may seek a place for their child outside their normal age group if, for example, the child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health or has special needs not covered by an Education Health and Care Plan.

In addition, parents of summer born children may request that their child is educated outside of their normal age group.

Summer born children
The school admissions code requires all admission authorities to provide for the admission of all children in the September following their fourth birthday.

Parents can however defer the date their child is admitted until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which they reach compulsory school age and not beyond the start of the final term of the school year for which the application was made.

For example, a child who is 4 in September but turns 5 by the end of December must start school full time in January.

In addition, where parents wish, the child may attend part time until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which they become compulsory school age.

For example, a child who is 4 in September but turns 5 by the end of March may attend part time until the start of the summer term at which they must attend school full time.

The school admissions code allows admission authorities to consider education outside the normal year group for reception children born between 1 April and 31 August for them to start school in the September following the fifth birthday.

Read the summer born children school admission guidance for parents on gov.uk

Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan
For children with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), if it is in the child's interests to be educated outside the normal year group, this will form part of the plan. For children with an EHCP who wish to defer starting school in reception please email schooladmissions@tameside.gov.uk for an application form. For all other requests you would need to speak to your child's SEND Officer.

Education outside the normal year group in other cases
For all other children it is expected that they will be educated in their normal year group with few exceptions.
There may also be some cases where a child shows exceptional ability or talent and these may be considered for education outside the normal year group. Equally there may be a child who has missed education due to health problems or has special needs not covered by an Education Health and Care Plan and it may be appropriate for that child also to be educated outside their normal year group. You should discuss this with the head teacher of your child's current school.

Request admission outside the normal age group
If parents wish to make an application for their child to be educated outside the normal cohort they should email schooladmissions@tameside.gov.uk to request a form. Parents are then asked to read the guidance notes and complete the application form. Decisions for community and controlled schools are made by Tameside LA, and decisions for voluntary aided, academy and free schools are made by the schools themselves or by their academy trust.

If any additional information is required in support of your application, e.g. exceptional circumstances form, it is your responsibility to ensure it reaches us at schooladmissions@tameside.gov.uk before the deadline date. Regarding baptism certificates, church attendance and proof of address these should go directly to requested schools.

Appeals

School Admissions Appeals

If you are unhappy with the school place your child has been offered, you have a right to appeal to the independent appeals panel.
If you are appealing for a voluntary aided school or academy your appeal will be forwarded to the relevant school.

You can only appeal for a school for which you have expressed a preference and have been refused. Please note that no places are ‘held back’ for appeals. Parents of pupils with an EHCP have the right to appeal to the SEN Tribunal.

Appeal dates for September 2023 entry (includes in-year transfers).

School type	Offer date	Appeals to be lodged by	Appeals to be heard
Secondary	01 March 2023	31 March 2023	Within 40 school days of the deadline for lodging appeals
Primary	17 April 2023	15 May 2023	Within 40 school days of the deadline for lodging appeals

For late applications, appeals will be heard within 40 school days from the deadline for lodging appeals where possible, or within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.

For applications for in-year admissions, appeals will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.

You’ll be sent notification of your appeal hearing, alongside relevant documentation, including details of how to join the hearing, at least 10 school days in advance of your hearing date.

If you wish to submit further evidence, which was not included with your initial appeal application, you must ensure that we receive it at last 3 working days in advance of your hearing date. You can send this to schoolappeals@tameside.gov.uk Any additional evidence or information received after this date might not be considered at the appeal hearing. The Independent Appeal Panel will then decide whether it should be considered, taking into account its significance and the effect of a possible need to adjourn the hearing.

For more guidance on appealing a school place decision, please click here

School Admission Arrangement

If a school has more places available than applications then all those children will be offered a place. If a school has more requests than places available, the admission arrangements are used to decide who gets the available places.

Please use the following links for the full admission arrangements for every maintained school in Tameside.

For information on how we have allocated places at primary and secondary schools in previous years, please visit our allocation statistics page.
If you are not offered a place at the school(s) of your choice you will have the right to appeal against the decision. For information on school appeals, please visit our school appeals page and see the additional information below.

Allocation Statistics

School places allocation information

The information on this page shows how school places have been allocated in Tameside over the last few years.

Tameside secondary schools

Tameside primary schools

Pupil numbers at all schools

View pupil numbers at all schools within Tameside.

Transport Support

Eligibility for a Zero Fare Bus Pass / Train Pass / Cycle Allowance for School Pupils

You should read the full home to school transport policy before making an application which can be found here.

Zero fare bus passes: Please visit the zero fare bus pass web pages for information on if your child would be eligible for a zero fare bus pass and how to apply.

Annual Report

Annual Report to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator

In accordance with the requirements of the School Admissions Code, the Council is required to submit an annual report to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator on aspects of the admission arrangements of the relevant schools in its area.

The Report to the School Adjudicator outlines a range of issues to do with school admissions in Tameside:

How admissions arrangements serve the interest of looked after children and previously looked after children, children with disabilities and children with special educational needs
The number and percentage of lodged and upheld parental appeals
An assessment of the effectiveness of Fair Access Protocols and co-ordination including how many children were admitted to each school

Previous reports can be viewed here:

OFSTED
For information on Ofsted and the way they inspect schools please click here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ofsted-is-changing-how-it-inspects-schools

In-Year Transfers - Frequently Asked Question

How are places allocated?
How will I know when my child has been offered a school place?
What can I do if my child is refused a place? Can I appeal?
Can my child’s name be placed on a waiting list for a school?

How are places allocated?

Places in community and voluntary controlled schools are allocated using the published oversubscription criteria in the primary or secondary school's admission policy.

For admission to voluntary aided schools, free schools and academies the Admissions Team will send details of your application to the relevant school's governing body for their decision.

Some voluntary aided schools may require supplementary information. The school will contact you if this is the case. Supplementary forms are available direct from the relevant schools.

Where your child can be offered a place at one of your preferred schools, you will be asked to contact the school to arrange a suitable admission date.

Where your child has been refused a place at one of your preferred schools, you will be informed of your right of appeal. If you are moving into the Tameside borough, and your child is no longer able to attend their previous school, the school admissions team will make an alternative offer of a place at a school within reasonable walking distance of your current or proposed address as applicable. You will need to inform the local authority if you do not require the alternative school offered.

How will I know when my child has been offered a school place?

You will receive an email from the School Admissions Team. This will ask you to log in to the Citizen Portal. In the Citizen Portal you will be able to view the decision against each of your preferred schools. Where you have been refused a school place you will be offered the right of appeal.

Once the local authority has informed you that you have been offered a school place, you can contact that school directly to arrange a start date.

What can I do if my child is refused a place? Can I appeal?

If you are not offered a place at your preferred school you will have the right to appeal against the decision.
However, the law on infant class sizes states that from 1 September 2000 no five, six or seven year olds should be in a class of more than 30 pupils. Therefore, the circumstances where an appeal committee can uphold an appeal for these year groups are limited

Can my child’s name be placed on a waiting list for a school?

Your child’s name will automatically be added to relevant active waiting lists. This includes all Tameside community schools. Please let School Admissions know if you do not want your child’s name added to a community school waiting list.

Other category schools (e.g academy, voluntary aided, free schools) may not operate in-year waiting lists. Details of in –year waiting lists at other category schools can be found within individual school admission arrangements.

If your child is refused a place at your preferred school and the alternative offered is not suitable, you will need to re-apply for a place at your preferred school if a waiting list is not in operation and you still require a place.