Admissions to Secondary School (High School)

 

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

It is very important to read the Moving On 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.

Tameside residents should use the Tameside Citizen Portal to apply for a High School place, even if that school is located outside of Tameside. 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. 
 
Independent/private school admissions are not processed by the Local Authority. For further information about places and admission processes please contact those schools directly.

If your child is starting Secondary School for the first time in September 2025 AND you are a Tameside resident, please use the application portal below for 2025 admissions:

Apply for a Year 7 2025 school place here
 
The closing date for submitting a Year 7 2025 school application is 31^st October 2024. 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 is submitted on or before the 31^st October 2024, you will be notified of your allocated school, by email, during National Offer Day – 3rd March 2025. You will be able to view your allocated school by logging into your Citizen Portal after midnight on National Offer Day.
• Late applications - if your application is submitted after the 31^st October 2024, 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 Secondary School Place

 

01 September 2024	The online admissions system opens for high school places (Year 7 2025).
31 October 2024	Closing date for applications. Ensure you submit your secondary school application on or before this date. Otherwise, you will need to make a late application.
7 November 2024	Last date for any changes to the address in your application.
14 November 2024	The online admissions system opens for ‘late’ high school applications (Year 7 2025).
3 March 2025	National Offer Day.

 

What if You Are Not Offered a Place at Your 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 for schools that you have ranked higher than your allocated school. It is important to inform us if you wish to be removed from any waiting lists if you are happy with 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^st September 2013 and 31^st August 2014, they are usually due to transfer to secondary school in September 2025
 
If your child was born between 1^st September 2012 and 31^st August 2013, they are usually due to transfer to secondary school in September 2024

It is very important to read the Moving On 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. 

Secondary Special Circumstances Form
 
Secondary Supplementary Information Form

The Moving On 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
 

Apply for a High School 2025 school place here