Starting Nursery in Tower Hamlets 2021
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Starting Nursery in Tower Hamlets 2021 For children born between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018 Closing date for applications: 16 February 2021 • Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions Applying for a nursery place – summary Your child would be If your child was born between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018 and you wish to eligible for a funded apply for a nursery place for September 2021, you must complete an online application nursery place from by 16 February 2021 through the E-admissions website: www.eadmissions.org.uk. the term following If you would like a nursery place at a voluntary aided school, free school or academy, their third birthday. you must – as well as completing an online application – complete the school’s Supplementary Information Form (SIF), if they have one. From 11 June 2021, If your application was received on or before the closing Pupil Services will date (16 February 2021), Pupil Services will notify you identify nursery Your Child of the outcome of your application by letter and email. places for any Starts The letter will be sent on 7 May 2021 and will name children that are the nursery at which a place has been offered for your unplaced and those Nursery child. The email will be sent after 5pm on the same that applied late. day. This offer will be for a part-time place only. If you have not been offered a place at your Once your child chosen nurseries, you will be sent a list of You must accept or decline the has been offered nurseries that still have places remaining and offer of a place by 21 May 2021. a part-time place, given the opportunity to visit and apply to one of If you do not reply by 21 May you may request these nurseries. Your child will also be placed on 2021, the offer will be withdrawn. a full-time place the waiting list for your preferred nursery. from your nursery. From September 2020, parents wishing to make an in-year transfer application, or parents who wish to make an application who have not yet done so, must make an application direct to the Local Authority using the ‘In-Year Nursery Admission 2020/21’ application form which will be available to download from the Tower Hamlets website or available from Pupil Services. If your child turns three during the 2020/21 school year, you may apply for a nursery place for the term following their third birthday. Please contact Pupil Services on 020 7364 5006 or email [email protected] for more information. Foreword by the Corporate Director Dear parents and carers, Starting nursery is a big moment for both You should make your application We’re proud that Tower Hamlets parents and children. We know that you online and, if you don’t have your own schools are inclusive and that children want your child to have the best start in computer, you can access the internet at with Special Educational Needs and life and choosing the right place for your any of the borough’s Idea Stores. Disabilities are educated well and thriving child can often be a difficult decision. in our mainstream settings. This booklet is designed to help you The website address is www. make the right choice so that your child towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions. I am sure you have very high aspirations is happy and successful at school. Please see page 36 for more information. for your child and expect high levels of achievement as well as good behaviour Inside you will find information about schools More than 97% of Tower Hamlets and regular attendance. in Tower Hamlets, including addresses, maintained nursery and primary phone numbers and maps showing exactly schools have now been judged ‘Good’ The council and our schools look to work where they are. We have also tried to answer or ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted and the in partnership with parents and carers. the most frequently asked questions. borough has some of the fastest Together we can ensure your child and all improving schools in the country. The children in Tower Hamlets progress well It is a good idea to visit some schools latest nursery and primary school and make the best of their time at school. and take the time to see the range of results show that very high standards You can be sure our teachers and other opportunities that are available before are common in schools across the staff strive for nothing short of excellence making up your mind. School staff are borough. This has meant a rise in the and, working with you, we can achieve always pleased to meet new parents number of parents wanting to send this for your child. and carers. As long as you make an their children to our schools and in turn appointment first, they will be happy to there is a greater demand for school We look forward to your child attending show you around. All of our local schools places in the borough. one of our schools. produce brochures about themselves, so Yours sincerely, you may want to contact those you are Most schools in Tower Hamlets receive most interested in to ask for a copy. For more applications than there are places James Thomas more information and advice, please call available, so some children may not Corporate Director, Children and Culture Pupil Services on 020 7364 5006. We be offered a place at the preferred London Borough of Tower Hamlets have a number of multilingual as well as school(s). Please be aware of this when Bengali speaking admissions officers. deciding which schools to apply to in order of preference. Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 3 Contents Maps of nursery schools and Introduction 5 1 3 schools with nursery classes 15 l Who is nursery education for? 5 l Schools list and catchment area maps 15 l The benefits of choosing nursery education 5 l School catchment area 1 (Stepney) 16 l Nursery provision in Tower Hamlets 6 l School catchment area 2 (Bow) 17 l Other pre-school provisions 6 l School catchment area 3 (Poplar) 18 l Nursery class sessions 6 l School catchment area 4 (Isle of Dogs) 19 l Part-time and full-time funding 7 l School catchment area 5 (Wapping) 20 l Early learning for two-year-olds 7 l School catchment area 6 (Bethnal Green) 21 l List of nursery schools and schools with nursery classes 22 2 Applying for a nursery place 8 l Start dates 8 Children’s centres 26 l How to apply 8 4 l Completing an application 8 l Closing date 9 Frequently asked questions 5 about nursery admission 28 l How decisions are made 10 l Admission arrangements for voluntary aided schools and academies 11 6 Primary place review for parents 31 l Notification of decisions 11 l Appeals 11 Appendices 33 l Waiting lists 11 7 l Post-offer process 12 l Appendix A – Understanding school catchment l Children with additional needs 12 areas and the oversubscription criteria 33 l Nursery readiness 12 l Appendix B – A step-by-step guide to applying online 36 l Applying for a nursery place in 2020/21 12 l Glossary 40 l Transferring from one nursery to another (in-year nursery transfer) 13 l Useful contacts 41 l Admission to primary school 13 l Data protection 14 1 Introduction This booklet is for parents with a child born between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018 who wish to apply for a place in a nursery school or a nursery class attached to a primary school in Tower Hamlets for September 2021. Children will usually start nursery in the September following their third birthday. It is possible for eligible children to access a funded nursery place from the beginning of the term after their third birthday. Both part-time (15 hours per week) and full-time (30 hours per week) places are available at Tower Hamlets nurseries. to be part of a large group of children of 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Some settings offer Who is nursery education for? their own age. We work in partnership wrap-around-care which means children with parents to give your child the best can attend breakfast club (e.g. from 8am) Nursery Education is free for all three to possible start to their education and and after school care (e.g. until 5:30pm). four-year-olds. Your child is entitled to prepare them for reception class. 15 hours free early years education per For more information on how a typical day week and this is available from the term Our nurseries are run by experienced, in nursery is arranged you can contact after their 3rd birthday. Eligible parents early years trained teachers and your local nursery. You can also learn more may also be entitled to an additional 15 supported by nursery nurses and early about the early years foundation stage from hours per week. Some parents of two- years trained teaching assistants. All www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/earlyyears year olds are also eligible for 15 hours nursery education in Tower Hamlets or the Department for Education (DfE) free nursery but must meet certain nursery schools and nursery classes website (www.gov.uk/dfe). government (income-based) criteria. in primary schools are rated good by Ofsted and many are rated outstanding. Nurseries welcome visits from parents as we want you to feel confident that you The benefits of choosing The nursery day is arranged to allow pick the right setting for your child.