Essential Guide to North Tyneside Schools School Admission 2 016 Apply online at www.northtyneside.gov.uk Essential Guide to North Tyneside Schools 2 016 www.northtyneside.gov.uk Apply online at Useful Contact Telephone Numbers Admission to Nursery Education The school/nursery class direct Admission to Community and Learning Trust Schools Commissioning and Investment (0191) 643 8724 Admission to Voluntary Aided Schools Roman Catholic and Church of England The school direct Your Catchment Area School www.northtyneside.gov.uk log onto: or ring (0191) 643 8724 Childcare for Children 0 – 14 years The Front Door Service 0345 2000 109 Disability & Additional Needs Service (DANS) 0345 2000 109 The Front Door Service Early Years Service The Front Door Service 0345 2000 109 Education Placement and Welfare Service (0191) 643 8399 Education Psychology Service (0191) 643 8739 Exclusions from School Commissioning and Investment (0191) 643 8725 Parental Partnership 0345 2000 109 The Front Door Service School Governors (0191) 643 8715 Law and Governance School Meals (0191) 643 8355 School Meals Hotline Transport (Special Schools) Commissioning and Investment (0191) 643 8726 Transport (School Bus Passes) Commissioning and Investment (0191) 643 8725 Contents 4 Ways to apply for your child’s school place 5 Important Dates – What Happens When? 7 Introduction 8 Early Education Provision 10 Admission Arrangements for Community Schools 12 Advice for Parents 15 Admission to First and Primary Schools 19 Admission to Middle and High Schools 22 Open Evenings 22 Education Appeals 25 School Statistics 31 Admission Policies for Trust and Voluntary Aided Schools 60 General Information 2 Essential Guide to North Tyneside Schools 2 016 www.northtyneside.gov.uk Apply online at Foreword by Cllr Ian Grayson, Cabinet Member responsible for Children, Young People and Learning Dear Parent/Carer As a parent, I understand how important it is to choose the right school for your child. You want that school to be a place where your child will be valued and encouraged, challenged and supported, and feel safe and happy. North Tyneside is a place where we set high standards for all of our children and young people, at every stage of their learning journey. We encourage high aspiration and work tirelessly to provide the teaching, experiences, opportunities and support our young people need to fulfil their potential. As a result our borough-wide attainment at GCSE exceeds the national average, year after year. It’s also a place where we value each child as an individual, helping them to flourish personally, socially and spiritually, and develop their understanding of the world around them and their place within it. This guide should provide you with the information you need when considering which school you would like your child to attend next September. Our Headteachers will be pleased to make an appointment for you to visit their school, and provide you with a copy of their prospectus. I hope this guide helps you to make the right choice for the next step in your child’s education. I wish your child all the very best for their learning journey. 3 Essential Guide to North Tyneside Schools 2 016 www.northtyneside.gov.uk Apply online at Ways to apply for your child’s school place Friday 11 September 2015 From you can apply for • Check that you have clicked on the correct your child’s school place online. You can only apply school(s) online to the authority where you live. Only North Tyneside residents can apply using the North Tyneside • Press the ‘submit application’ button online system. • You will then receive an email confirmation with Advantages of applying online: the schools you have applied for • Applying online is quicker, as well as safe and • If you do not receive an email confirmation this secure means that you have not submitted your • There are clear simple prompts to guide you application correctly through making your application • You will get an email confirmation that we have If you want to change anything on your application received your application prior to the deadline dates you can do so by • By making a note of your password you can accessing your application form by typing in the change the details on your application up until the website address: northtyneside.gov.uk and click ‘online deadline dates admissions’ as before, and making the changes. • Your application cannot get lost in the post • Available 24 hours a day 7 days a week up until Remember you must then click ‘submit application’ our deadline dates you will get an email confirmation to say that your • You do not have to wait for your letter as you will application form has been re-submitted successfully. be sent an email informing you which school your child has been offered on the ‘offer day’ **If you do make multiple applications i.e. paper and **If you apply online you do not need to submit a online the last application we receive from you will be paper application form the application we process. To complete your online application If you have any problems applying contact: the Access Team on telephone number (0191) 643 8724. Access the internet on your computer and type in www.northtyneside.gov.uk Schools and Education • Click on School Admissions • Click on online admissions • Click on and follow the instructions for completing the form you will • If you have not used the service before need to register first once you have done this you will receive an email. Click on the link in your email and this will take you back to the online application where you must enter your email (please make a note of address and password your password as you will need it to log back into the system on ‘Offer Day’ to view and accept the school place you have been offered) 4 Essential Guide to North Tyneside Schools 2 016 www.northtyneside.gov.uk Apply online at Important dates – what happens when? Timetable for Middle and High Schools Friday 11 September 2015 Information on how to apply issued to parents via First and Primary Schools. We recommend that you apply online. Friday 11 September 2015 Application process opens. September - October Schools hold their open evenings. Friday 30 October 2015 Application deadline You must apply by this date either online or by returning your paper Online system closed after this date. application to the Access Team. Tuesday 1 March 2016 ‘Offer Day’ If you apply online you will be notified which school your child has been offered by email on this day. If you completed a paper application this is the day your letter will be sent out informing you which school your child has *We are unable to inform you of been offered (sent out by 2nd class post). the decision over the telephone. Tuesday 15 March 2016 Deadline for parents to accept the school place. Tuesday 15 March 2016 Deadline for parents to request to place their child’s name on a waiting list. Tuesday 22 March 2016 Any places that become available will be offered from the waiting list. May – July 2016 Appeals to be heard. Timetable for First and Primary Friday 11 September 2015 Information on how to apply issued to parents via Nursery Classes/Schools. We recommend that you apply online. Friday 11 September 2015 Application process opens Friday 15 January 2016 Application deadline You must apply by this date either online or by returning your paper Online system closed after this date. application to the Access Team. Monday 18 April 2016 ‘Offer Day’ If you apply online you will be notified which school your child has been offered by email on this day. If you completed a paper application this is the day your letter will be sent out informing you which school your child has *We are unable to inform you of been offered (sent out by 2nd class post). the decision over the telephone. Friday 29 April 2016 Deadline for parents to accept the school place Friday 29 April 2016 Deadline for parents to request to place their child’s name on a waiting list Monday 9 May 2016 Any places that become available will be offered from the waiting list May – July 2016 Appeals to be heard. 5 Essential Guide to North Tyneside Schools 2 016 www.northtyneside.gov.uk Apply online at Points to remember before completing your application form • Do read the information in this booklet very • Academies, Voluntary Aided and Trust Schools carefully before completing your application form. may have different Admissions Policies to Community Schools in North Tyneside, which • Check your catchment area school by logging decide how they will offer their places. www.northtyneside.gov.uk onto or by contacting the Access Team on telephone number (0191) • All Schools in North Tyneside operate an equal 643 8724. preference system for processing parental preferences (please refer to page 10). • Look at the statistics from the previous year in this booklet this will show you which schools received • If your child qualifies for a place at more than one more applications than places available and the school your highest ranked preference will be number of appeals that were heard. These figures offered and any lower ranking offers will be should not be taken as a guarantee that your child disregarded. will automatically transfer to that school; you should also be aware that these figures could • We strongly advise that you name more than one change significantly from year to year. school. • Sometimes living near to a school is not enough • Putting down more than one school does not to guarantee admission.