Finding a school place
in Newham
Starting school is an important
milestone in any child's life. It is our duty to offer your child a
suitable educational placement.
When your child reaches the age of five they
must start primary school in the school term following his or her
fifth birthday (unless a child is educated otherwise). They must
continue their education until year 11 and cannot leave until the
last Friday in the June even if they have found a job.
Parents of children of compulsory school age (5 to 16) are
required to ensure that they receive a suitable education by
regular attendance at school or the approved alternative method
arranged by yourself. Failure to comply with this duty can lead to
prosecution.
September 2012 admissions
How to find a reception class place September 2012
Moving from primary to secondary school September 2012
Further information about finding a school place
What
happens if I am not offered a place at any of my preferred
schools?
If we cannot offer a place at any of your preferred
schools, we will allocate an alternative place at the closest
school to your home address that has a suitable vacancy.
Your child will be automatically added to the waiting lists for any
school that you have named as your current preferences and you will
be offered your right to appeal for a place at the schools where
you have applied and been refused.
Waiting
Lists
If we cannot offer your child the Newham school you want, we will
put them on the school's waiting list. Their names will stay on the
waiting list until the end of the current school term. Click on the
links below to find out more about the waiting list procedure:
You must contact us before the end of the current school term, if
you want your child to remain on the waiting list for the following
term. To remain on the waiting list you will need to complete a
transfer request form.
These are available by calling the Newham Contact Centre on 020
8430 2000 or contacting
Pupil
Services directly. They will provide you with the necessary
transfer request form.
If you live outside Newham
If you live outside Newham but want your child to
go to one of our schools, please contact the Local Authority in
which you live. They will pass your information ion to us. We will
treat your request in the same way as other people who live in the
borough.
But we will not offer you another Newham school place if we cannot
offer you a place in one of your preferred schools.
If you do not
want a Newham school
If the school is in another London borough or one
of the County Councils next to London (for example, Essex) you
should apply for that school by by naming it on the Newham
application form. Please say which borough or council the school is
in and we will pass on your information to them. You cannot apply
to those boroughs or councils direct.
We strongly recommend that apply for a Newham school as well, just
in case your child does not get a place at an out of borough
school.
'In year' school
admissions (also known as 'casual', 'mid phase' or 'mid
term')
For admissions from 2011 'In Year' admission are now being
processed as part of PAN London Co-ordination which means we are
working in partnership with other London boroughs to make the
application process easier for you.
- To apply for any state maintained schools (non fee paying) you
only need to complete your home borough's common application form
(CAF) even if you want to apply for Voluntary Aided Faith schools
or schools outside of the borough.
- VA schools you may need to complete a Supplementary Information
Form (SIF) so their governing body can correctly determine your
child's priority group.
- We aim to process your completed application within 5 working
days of receipt in Pupil Services which means it will be on our
admissions database and if you are applying for voluntary aided
faith school, foundation school, academy or trust school we will
forward your application to their governing body using a secure
website.
- The notification of the school being offered will be sent to
applications in letter form by their home borough within 20 days of
receipt in Pupil Services.
Pan London 'In Year' Common Application Form 2011/12
(CAF)
Newham Residents can obtain a copy of our PAN London 'In Year'
admission common application form (CAF) by calling the Council on
020 8430 2000 or downloading the form below.
Please remember you can only use the application form from the
Local Authority where the child currently lives, if you are
planning to move into Newham and/or what you child to go to a
school in Newham you must use your home borough's form and name
Newham schools as your preferences - you cannot provide a future
address.
Supplementary Information Form 2011/12 (SIF)
Applicants can obtain a copy of the Supplementary Information Forms
(SIF) direct from the school, or by calling the council on 020 8430
2000 or download the form from the list below.
Requesting a transfer from
one Newham school to another Newham school
It's advisable to think carefully before taking this step as it has
been shown changing school can affect your child's achievement. It
is particularly crucial to keep them in the same school whilst they
are studying for exams in Year 10/11.
Forms for requesting a transfer are available by calling the Newham
Contact Centre on 020 8430 2000. They will provide you with the
necessary transfer request form.
If we can't offer your child a place at the school you would like
them to move to, we will put them on the school's
waiting list.
Documents needed
for admission to all Newham schools
If you are offered a place, you must accept it
within a week otherwise you might lose out.
The school will give you a date and time to see the head teacher.
When you see the headteacher take proof of:
1. Your child's birthdate:
- Birth certificate; or Passport
2. Your address:
- 2011/2012 council tax bill residential not commercial
- Current Newham Council rent book;
- Current housing benefit entitlement letter;
- Tenancy agreement for council housing;
AND
- Current gas bill; or
- Current electricity bill; or
- Current water bill
- Current telephone bill
School
admissions appeals
By law, if we refuse your child a place at the school or schools
you prefer, you can appeal against the decision.
Find out more about the admissions appeals process
here.