Starting
Primary
School
in Tower Hamlets
Guide for Parents 2017/18
Closing date for
applications is
15 January 2017
Apply online at
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions
From September 2016
Read this booklet and consider which schools you want to apply for.
You can visit schools to help you decide.
September 2016 to January 15, 2017
Fill in an application form. Visit: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions
to fill in an online form. Alternatively, request a paper application form from your local
school or children’s centre.
Apply to six schools in preference order. If you want to apply for a voluntary (church)
or free school, you must also complete the school’s supplementary information form.
This is available from the school and must be returned to the school.
January 15, 2017
This is the closing date for applications. Make sure you apply online
or that Pupil Services receives your form by this date. You can give
your form to a school by January 6, 2017 to send to Pupil Services.
May 2, 2017
Deadline for you to accept your school offer with the school that has been offered.
May 17, 2017
Deadline for making an appeal for admission to a preferred school(s) or you
can also ask for your child’s name to be put on the school’s waiting list.
June/July 2017
Appeals heard and parents can attend the hearings. Pupil Services will write
to families that applied late and allocate (reserve) places where necessary.
September 2017
Your child starts school.
April 18, 2017
You will be sent a letter by Pupil Services and an email if you applied online
telling you the result of your application. If you are offered a place at a school, the
school will write to you to confirm the arrangements for you to accept the place.
January to April 2017
Pupil Services will process your application to decide
at which school your child can be offered a place.
Key dates at a glance
Foreword by the
Corporate Director
Dear parents and carers,
Starting nursery or primary school is a big
moment for both parents and children. We know
that you want your child to have the best start
in life and choosing the right place for your child
can often be a difficult decision. This booklet is
designed to help you make the right decision so
that your child is happy and successful at school.
This booklet provides information about schools
in Tower Hamlets, including addresses, phone
numbers and maps showing exactly where
they are. We have also tried to answer the most
frequently asked questions, together with offering
advice on how to help your child settle in and
learn well at school.
It is a good idea to visit some schools and take
the time to see the range of opportunities that
are available before making up your mind. School
staff are always pleased to meet new parents
and carers. As long as you make an appointment
first, they will be happy to show you around.
All our local schools produce brochures about
themselves, so you may want to contact those
you are most interested in to ask for a copy. For
more information and advice, please contact Pupil
Services on 020 7364 5006. We have a number
of multilingual as well as Bengali speaking
admissions officers.
You can make your application online and, if you
don’t have your own computer, you can access
the internet at any of the borough’s Idea Stores.
The website address is
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions.
Please see page 42 for more information.
Tower Hamlets has some of the fastest improving
schools in the country and the latest primary
school results show very high standards are
common in schools across the borough. This
has also meant a rise in the number of parents
wanting to send their children to our schools
and in turn there is a greater demand for school
places in the borough. Most schools in Tower
Hamlets receive more applications than there are
places available so some children may not be
offered a place at the most preferred school(s).
Please be aware of this when deciding which six
schools to apply to in order of preference.
I am sure you have very high aspirations for your
child and expect high levels of achievement as
well as good behaviour and regular attendance.
The council and our schools look to work in
partnership with parents and carers.
Together we can ensure your child and all children
in Tower Hamlets make the best of their time at
school and progress well. You can be sure our
teachers and other staff strive for nothing short of
excellence and, working with you, we are assured
to achieve this for your child.
We look forward to your child attending one of
our schools.
Yours sincerely,
Debbie Jones
Corporate Director for Children’s Services
1 Nursery schools, classes and early years units
• Choosing nursery education 5
• When and how to apply for a nursery place 6
• Frequently asked questions 7
2 Reception admissions
• Starting primary school 8
• How to apply 8
• Making changes to your application 9
• Oversubscription criteria and tie-break 11
• Outcome of your application 11
• Making further applications 12
• Deferring entry 13
• Frequently asked questions 15
3 In-year admissions, school transfer and
moving from infant to junior
• In-year admission 16
• Infant to junior transfer 17
4 School list and catchment area maps
• Catchment area maps 18
• School catchment area 1 (Stepney) 19
• School catchment area 2 (Bow) 20
• School catchment area 3 (Poplar) 21
• School catchment area 4 (Isle of Dogs) 22
• School catchment area 5 (Wapping) 23
• School catchment area 6 (Bethnal Green) 24
• List of Schools in Tower Hamlets 25
5 General advice for parents
• Settling in and regular attendance 28
• Home to school travel 30
• Free school meals, pupil premium and
school clothing grant 33
• Health and support services 34
• Additional information 36
• Glossary 37
6 Appendices
• Appendix A - Understanding school catchment areas
and the oversubscription criteria 38
• Appendix B - Summary of last year’s offers 41
• Appendix C - Step-by-step guide to applying online 42
• Useful addresses 47
This booklet explains how to apply
for a place at a primary school in
Tower Hamlets.
You will find this information useful
if you are applying for a nursery
place for your child, if your child is
due to start reception or you would
like your child to transfer from one
school to another.
You should start thinking about
which nursery or early years unit you
would like your child to go to when
your child is two years old.
If your child was born between
September 1, 2012 and August 31,
2013, they should start reception
in the 2017/18 school year.
You need to apply by
January 15, 2017 for a
school place for your
child to start in the
2017/18 school year.
Contents
4 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
1
Choosing nursery
education
Attendance at a nursery school or
in a nursery class gives children a
valuable introduction to school, the
opportunity to develop their skills
and to be part of a large group
of children of their own age in a
happy and relaxed atmosphere.
The nursery day is arranged to
allow each child to develop at their
own pace but more information
about how ‘early learning’ is
organised is available from the
nursery, school, or from the
Department for Education (DfE)
website (www.gov.uk/dfe). We
also have an Early Years website
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/
lgnl/education_and_learning/
childcare_and_early_years_
educ/childcare_and_early_
years_educ.aspx
The different types of
nursery provision
(i) Nursery schools/classes and
early years units (EYUs)
The list of schools on pages 25-
27 includes information on the
nursery schools and classes in the
borough. Parents who would like
a nursery place for their children
should get in touch with their
preferred school when the child
reaches the age of two.
The actual age at which children
can start will depend on the
number of places available but will
usually not be before the beginning
of the term after their third birthday.
For children of nursery age a place
in an EYU may be either full or part-
time. If you wish for your child to
be considered for a nursery place
at an EYU you should contact the
school when your child reaches the
age of two.
(ii) Council day nurseries
The local authority also runs
three day nurseries that provide
an integrated education and day
care service to support the most
vulnerable children in the borough.
Children are normally admitted
from 18 months to 3½ years
although there are some places
for younger children.
John Smith Sure Start
Children’s Centre
90 Stepney Way, E1 2EN
020 7364 0537
Mary Sambrook Day Nursery
125 The Highway, E1W 2BP
020 7488 3796
Overland Sure Start
Children’s Centre
60 Parnell Road, E3 2RU
020 7364 0538
(iii) Private or voluntary provision
In addition to nursery classes,
schools and EYUs, there is a
range of private, community and
voluntary under-fives provision
in Tower Hamlets. They aim to
provide high quality, affordable
childcare to allow parents to take
part in training and employment
opportunities. They are registered
and inspected by Ofsted. A list of
all the providers is available from
the Family Information Service on
020 7364 6495.
The age a child would
normally start nursery
Children will normally start nursery
school or a nursery class attached
to a primary school in the term
following their third birthday. It is
possible for eligible children to
access a funded place from the
beginning of the term after their
third birthday. Some nursery places
are for a half day (either a morning
or an afternoon); others are for the
whole day. This also applies to
places in Early Years Units (EYUs)
attached to schools. The EYUs
accept children aged from three to
five years inclusive.
Nursery schools, classes
and early years units
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 5
1
When and how to apply
for a nursery place
You can apply for a school nursery
place when your child reaches the
age of two.
Applications can be made by
parents or carers with parental
responsibilities and professionals
with parental agreement.
You need to apply direct to each
school for a nursery place and
it is advisable that you apply to
at least three. Paper application
forms are available from nursery
schools, primary schools with
nurseries/ EYUs and also from
Children’s Centres.
You are not able to apply online for
a nursery place.
The closing date for applications is
January 27, 2017 and you should
return your application direct to the
school or nursery.
Council day nurseries and private
or voluntary groups have different
admission arrangements and
you should contact the relevant
organisation for information and
guidance.
Making decisions on
applications to nursery
classes/schools/EYUs
Individual schools will make
decisions on applications for
nursery places. If a school
receives fewer applications than
the number of places available
every child will be offered a place.
If there are more applicants than
places available, decisions for
community schools are taken
according to the oversubscription
criteria used for both nursery and
reception. This can be found on
page 11 of this booklet.
Church schools, free schools
and academy schools have
different oversubscription criteria
and you should check these with
the school.
When you will hear about
the outcome of your
application
The headteacher of each individual
nursery you applied to will write
to you on May 8, 2017 to confirm
whether or not your child has
been offered a place. If your child
is offered a place at more than
one school, please contact the
nurseries that you no longer need
a place at, as soon as possible,
so that the place can be offered to
another child.
Deciding on whether
a child can be offered
a full-time or part-time
nursery place
This decision is taken by the
headteacher when places are
offered. Children in the following
categories will have priority for a
full-time place:
1. Children with special
educational needs;
2. Children looked after by the
local authority, previously
looked after children who left
care under a residence or
special guardianship order,
or those adopted from local
authority care;
3. Children for whom it is deemed
there is a strong medical or
social reason;
4. Children of working parents or
parents who are studying.
The information you provide on
the application form will determine
admission to the school and also
help decide whether your child
can be offered a full-time or part-
time place.
Appeals
Parents do not have the right of
appeal against the decision to
refuse their child a nursery place.
However, parents may contact
the school or nursery for more
information on the reason why their
child was not offered a place.
Nursery schools, classes
and early years units
6 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
1
Frequently asked questions
about nursery admission
Is there financial help
available for nursery
provision?
All children aged three and four are
entitled to 15 hours a week free
nursery education during school
term times (38 weeks a year)
from the term following their third
birthday. This entitlement can also
be taken in a private or voluntary
provision. If your child attends for
longer hours you will be asked to
pay for the additional services.
Some two year olds (Rising
Threes) may also be eligible for
15 hours funding for 38 weeks,
but must meet certain government
(income based) criteria. You can
check your eligibility online by
visiting www.myearlylearning.
co.uk/EarlyYears/About or with
the Family Information Service on
020 7364 6495.
Further information can be found
on the government website
www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-
costs/free-childcare-and-
education-for-2-to-4-year-olds
The private or voluntary nursery
or playgroup will be able to give
you more information or you can
contact the Family Information
Service.
Can my child attend more
than one provision?
It is not recommended for a child
to be attending more than one
type of under-fives activity (e.g.
playgroup in the morning and
nursery class in the afternoon).
The adjustment is too demanding
and confusing for most children of
this age and much of the benefit
from either activity could be lost.
Can I transfer my child
between nurseries?
Once children are admitted to
nursery education, it is in their
interests to remain at that school
until they have to move on. Children
take at least a term to settle and can
find it very upsetting to move at this
stage. Transfers are only considered
if a family has moved from the area
or on exceptional grounds.
When can a child move
from a school’s nursery
to primary school?
Children normally start the
reception year of primary school
at the beginning of the school
year (September) following their
fourth birthday. If your child is
born between 1 September 2012
and 31 August 2013 they would
start reception in September 2017.
Children who attend a school’s
nursery class do not automatically
transfer to reception as decisions
on primary school admissions
are taken separately. You must
apply for a reception place by 15
January 2017.
If a child is already in the
school’s nursery class,
is there an automatic
right to a place in the
reception class?
No. When parents apply for their
children to start reception, no
priority is given to children that
attend the nursery of the school.
The decision on whether or not a
place can be offered will be made
in accordance with the school’s
admission policy. The policy used
for community schools in Tower
Hamlets is explained on page 11.
Can I get help with free
early education
or childcare for my
two-year-old?
Your two-year-old child may be
entitled to 15 hours education
or childcare a week if you are
in receipt of low income welfare
benefit or your child meets other
criteria. For a list of the eligibility
criteria, please see the government
website: www.gov.uk/help-with-
childcare-costs/free-childcare-and-
education-for-2-to-4-year-olds
Your child would be eligible from
the beginning of the term after
their second birthday, if you
qualify for a funded place. For
more information, please contact
the Family Information Service on
020 7364 6495.
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 7
2
Reception admission
Starting primary school
Children start primary school in
reception at the start of the school
year in which they become five
years of age. A child born between
September 1, 2012 and August 31,
2013 will normally start school in
September 2017.
When to make your
application
If your child is due to start reception in
September 2017, you must complete
and submit your application by 15
January 2017. See section opposite
on ‘How on apply’.
What you should do
before you apply
Starting primary school in the
reception year is an important stage
in your child’s life. It is important
that you carefully consider which
schools to apply to.
Decide which schools
to apply for
You should visit your local schools
to help you decide. You can make
an appointment by contacting
each school direct. You should
also look at:
• the school’s prospectus
(information about how the
school runs);
• the school’s most recent
Ofsted inspection report
(www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports);
and
• the school’s performance
results (www.education.gov.uk/
schools/performance).
You should also consider the
likelihood of being offered a place
at the schools you most prefer.
This booklet explains the applications
process and how school admission
decisions are made.
How to apply
If you live in Tower Hamlets,
you will need to complete the
application via the local authority,
even if you want to apply to
schools outside of the borough.
You should apply online by visiting the
website: www.eadmissions.org.uk
Please see page 42 for instructions
on how to complete the Tower
Hamlets online application.
When you have completed and
submitted your application you
will receive an instant email
confirmation. You can then make
changes to your application up until
the 15 January 2017 closing date.
If you are not able to make an
online application, a paper form
is available from Tower Hamlets
Pupil Services on 020 7364 5006.
Please return your paper form by
the closing date to:
Pupil Services
Town Hall, Mulberry Place
5 Clove Crescent
London E14 2BG
Provide a stamped, self-addressed
envelope if you would like a receipt.
The different types of primary school in Tower Hamlets
There are five different types
of maintained primary
(government funded schools)
within Tower Hamlets:
Community – these schools are
run by the council and the local
authority decides which children
can be admitted.
Voluntary aided – these are
either Church of England or
Roman Catholic schools and
each school’s governing body
will decide on admissions.
Priority is given to children
whose families can provide
evidence they practice in the
school’s particular faith.
Foundation trust – these
schools are charitable trusts
and work in partnership with a
charity or businesses. Decisions
on admissions are made by the
local authority on behalf of the
school’s board of trustees.
Academy – schools that are
directly funded by central
government and independent of
local authority control. Decisions
on admissions are made by the
school’s trust board. However,
applications for admission must
be made via the local authority.
Free schools – these are
schools established by parents,
teachers, charities or businesses
and are independent of the
local authority. Decisions on
admissions are made by the
school’s board of trustees.
However, applications for
admission must be made via the
local authority.
A list of the Tower Hamlets
schools with their description,
location and contact details can
be found on pages 25 to 27 of
this brochure.
8 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
2
If your child is in a Tower Hamlets
nursery school or nursery class
you can give the form to the school
office and they will send it on to
Pupil Services for you.
However, you must do so before
6 January 2017 and you are
strongly advised to request a
receipt for your application.
Note: If you live in another
London borough you
can contact their School
Admissions Team for a copy of
their primary school brochure.
There will be the facility for you
to apply online. A list with
the contact details of nearby
London local authorities is
provided on page 47.
The number of schools
you can apply for
It is strongly advised that you apply
to six maintained primary schools. It
is important that you list the schools
you want to apply to in order of
preference. This will decide which
school is offered if your child qualifies
for admission at more than one of
the schools you have applied to.
You must not name independent
schools on your application and you
should apply direct to these schools.
You must complete
an application for a
reception place, even if
your child is already in
the school’s nursery
Children do not have an automatic
right to transfer from a school’s
nursery class to its reception. You
must therefore make a separate
application for a reception place.
Please also note that even by
making an application you are not
guaranteed that a place will be
offered as children in the nursery
are not given priority above
other applicants.
You must complete the
local authority application
form, even if you have
already completed the
school’s form
The school’s form will be a
‘supplementary form’ and is used
by voluntary aided (church) or
free schools to gather additional
information that will enable the
school to consider your application
under its faith criteria. You must
also complete the local authority
application form.
Changing your address
If you move address before 15
January 2017 and have applied
online, you will be able to log in and
update your address. You can also
make changes to the schools you
wish to apply to. If you completed
a paper application form, you must
inform Pupil Services in writing.
If you move address after 15
January 2017, you must inform
Pupil Services immediately. It may
still be possible to change your
choice of schools.
A change in your
circumstances
If an older child transfers to another
school after 15 January 2017 and
you need to change your younger
child’s school preferences because
of this, you should contact Pupil
Services on 020 7364 5006.
Depending on when your older
child transfers, it may be possible
to change your school preferences.
If any medical or social
circumstances within the family
change after 15 January 2017 that
means that you feel your child
would need a place at a particular
school, please also contact
Pupil Services.
If you live outside of Tower Hamlets,
you must complete and submit
your application to the borough
where you live.
Reception admission
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 9
2
Applying after the
closing date
Applications received after 15
January 2017 will be dealt with
after all on-time applications have
been considered. Most schools will
not have any places available after
considering on-time applications.
This is why it is really important to
apply on time.
Processing applications
The local authority’s Pupil Services
Team will process applications
and co- ordinate the decisions for
Tower Hamlets children, including
those applying to schools in other
boroughs. This is done as part of the
Pan London Admissions System,
which seeks to ensure that as many
children as possible are placed in
school at the earliest opportunity.
Your application for each school
is processed individually and, in
each case, a decision is taken to
determine whether or not your
child can be offered a place. If we
find that we can place your child
at more than one of your school
preferences only one school will
be allocated. This will be for the
highest preference school at which
an offer can be made.
Making the decisions
on applications
The decisions on applications for
Tower Hamlets community schools
are made by Pupil Services. If a
community school receives more
applications than places available
the council’s oversubscription criteria
are used to determine who can be
offered a place. The oversubscription
criteria are set out on the next page.
For voluntary aided schools, free
schools and academies it is the
school’s governors who will make
decisions and they will base their
decision on the information you
provided on your application
and the school’s supplementary
form. The admissions policy and
oversubscription criteria for these
schools can be found in each
school’s prospectus, its website or
at: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/
schooladmissions
If one or more of the schools
you have applied for is outside of
Tower Hamlets, the decision will
be taken by the local authority
or the admission authority for
the school and notified to Pupil
Services. Once all admission
decisions are made Pupil Services
will then co-ordinate the offers of
places as explained above.
NB: The Paradigm
Academies (Culloden, Old
Ford and Solebay) and St
Paul’s Way Foundation Trust
School have delegated
decisions on admissions to
the council and, therefore, use
the same oversubscription
criteria as Tower Hamlets
community schools.
The number of places
available at each Tower
Hamlets school
The number of children who can be
admitted to each Tower Hamlets
school for the school year 2017/18
is set out in the list on pages 25 to
27 of this booklet.
Reception admission
10 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
2
Reception admission
Oversubscription criteria
for Tower Hamlets
community schools and
nurseries
If a community school receives more
applications than places available
it will not be possible to offer every
child a place. Children with a
Statement of Special Educational
Needs or an Education, Health and
Care Plan, which names the school
applied to, will be placed before all
other applicants.
The remaining places will be filled in
the priority order below.
Priority 1 Children looked after
by the local authority, previously
looked after children who left
care under a residence or special
guardianship order, or those
adopted from local authority care.
Priority 2 Children for whom it is
deemed there is strong medical or
social reason to attend the school
applied to (see note 1).
Priority 3 Children living within the
catchment area who have a sibling
attending the school (including
the school of separate infants
and junior schools) and who will
continue to do so on the date of
admission (see note 2).
Priority 4 Children who live within
the catchment area of the school
and for whom the school applied
for is their nearest community
school within the catchment area.
Priority 5 Other children from within
the catchment area of the school.
Priority 6 Children living outside of
the catchment area of the school
applied to.
Tie-break
In the event of oversubscription within
categories 3, 4, 5, and 6 above,
priority will be given to children who
live closest to the school by the
shortest walking distance. A digital
ordnance survey map is used to
measure the distance from the home
address to the school’s designated
official entrance. The distance is
measured from the centre point of
the address to the centre point of
the main entrance of the school,
measuring along the centre line of the
shortest approved route. The system
will take account of local footpaths
and public walkways with regard
to the safety of the route. It does
not take account of the location of
pedestrian crossing points.
Distances measured by other
means i.e. private car, pedometer or
internet websites are likely to result in
different calculations that should not
be relied upon as evidence that the
local authority’s distance calculation
is incorrect.The local authority’s
measurement system is designed
to be reliable and consistent.
Catchment areas
The school catchment area maps
are on pages 18 to 24. Please
also see pages 38 to 40 for an
explanation of school catchment
areas and the tie-break criterion.
When you will hear about
the outcome of your
application
If your application was received
before the closing date (15 January
2017), Pupil Services will notify you
of the outcome by letter, which
will be sent on 18 April 2017. The
letter will name the school at which
a place has been offered for your
child. If you have applied online you
will receive notice earlier and by
email sent after 5pm on 18 April.
Confirming acceptance
of the school offer
Shortly afterwards, the school will
contact you to confirm whether you
want to accept or refuse the place.
You must inform the school of your
decision within ten school days.
You need to accept the offer by the
reply date or it could be withdrawn.
If an offer is withdrawn or you refuse
it, your child will not have a school
place. You are, therefore, advised to
accept the offer even if is not your
most preferred school.
Note 1: This can include the
parents’, carers’ or other family
members’ medical conditions
and the family’s social needs.
Parents must complete the
relevant section on the application
form and attach medical and/
or social reports from a suitable
professional (e.g. a doctor or
social worker) to support the
application, explaining why the
particular school is most suitable
with regards to the family’s
circumstances.
Note 2: Includes the sibling of
a child who does not live within
the school’s catchment area,
but who was admitted before
the start of the 2015/16 school
year. For this purpose “sibling”
means a whole, half or step-
brother or step-sister resident
at the same address.
NOTES
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 11
2
Providing the school with
proof of your address
When offering school places, the
council will check addresses to
prevent fraudulent applications. The
school will, therefore, need proof of
where you and your child are living.
You will need to provide the school
with your original 2016/17 Council
Tax bill or Council Tax Benefit letter
or notice, and one of the following
documents that show your address:
• A utility bill (gas, electricity
or water) from the last three
months. We do not accept
a mobile phone bill or an
internet bill.
• A statement from your bank
or building society or a credit
card statement from the last
three months.
• Your Child Benefit entitlement
letter from HM Revenue &
Customs for your 2016/17 claim.
Your name, your child’s name and
your address on these documents
must match the information on your
application form. If you change your
address at any time in this process,
you must provide proof of your new
address by sending the documents
shown above to Pupil Services. If
you do not inform Pupil Services that
you have moved, the offer made to
your child may be withdrawn if your
child gained an unfair advantage
over other applicants.
Families of UK service personnel
with a confirmed posting in Tower
Hamlets, or crown servants
returning from overseas to live in
Tower Hamlets, will need to provide
an official letter (i.e. from the MOD
or FCO) which declares a relocation
date and a unit postal address or
quartering area address.
If you have not got an
offer at any of the schools
you have applied for
If an offer cannot be made at any
of the schools you applied for, the
letter that Pupil Services sends you
on April 18 will name the school at
which a place has been reserved for
your child. The letter will also provide
information on the schools that still
have places remaining, how you can
add your child’s name to additional
school waiting lists and how you can
exercise your right of appeal.
Making further applications
If you are unhappy with the school
at which a place has been reserved
for your child, you can apply for a
place at one of the schools with
places remaining.
Please contact Pupil Services if you
wish to make a further application.
What happens next
Pupil Services will then advise
you of the outcome of any
further school applications you
make in June, 2017. It is strongly
recommended that you secure a
place at one of the schools that will
still have places.
Your child’s waiting list position
at your preferred schools, or the
outcome of an appeal that you
decide to make, will not be affected
by your child having an alternative
school place.
School waiting lists
Waiting lists are ordered using
the oversubscription criteria in the
council’s admission policy. The
date an application is made is not
taken into account. Therefore, a
child’s position on the waiting list
can go down as more names are
added to the waiting list.
If your child is not offered a place
at a community school you named
as higher preference they will
remain on the waiting list until
the October half-term. Normally
children are settled in school by
this stage. However, if you wish
for your child to remain on the
waiting list beyond this point, you
will need to complete an in-year
application form. This is available
from Pupil Services by contacting
020 7364 5006. Your child’s name
will then stay on the waiting list for
the remainder of the school year.
You will need to contact voluntary
aided schools, free schools and
academies directly to confirm their
waiting list procedures. Schools
outside of the borough may
operate waiting lists differently
and you should check with the
admission authority.
How to appeal against
a decision not to offer
a place
You will be able to appeal for
any of the schools listed on your
application form for which a place
could not be offered to your child.
If all six of your applications are
unsuccessful, you have the right to
appeal for all of them.
Appeal forms and guidance notes
are available from Pupil Services on
020 7364 5006.
You can also download a form
from: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/
schooladmissions
Appeals for community schools
should be made by 17 May 2017.
Reception admission
12 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
2
If you wish to appeal against the
refusal of a place at a voluntary
aided school, free school or
academy, you should contact
the school directly for details of
the appeals procedure and how
appeals have to be made.
Appeal timetable
Your appeal will normally be heard
within 30 school days of the
closing date from its receipt and
before your child is due to start the
reception year.
The independent
appeal panel
An independent panel made up
of three people with knowledge of
education will hear your appeal.
None of these people will have any
connection with the school
or admission authority. They are
served by an independent clerk
who will contact you to confirm
the date, time and venue for the
hearing and invite you to attend.
The appeal panel will accept
comments in writing or in person
at the appeal hearing. The appeal
panel’s decision is final and both
you and the local authority are
required to accept it.
Please note that government rules
limit school infant class size to a
maximum of 30 pupils.
These rules also mean that the
independent appeal panel would not
normally overturn a decision if it finds
that it was made fairly and correctly.
Consequently, there is much less
chance of a successful appeal for a
place in the reception class.
Reception admission
Deferring entry to the Reception Year
Children are normally admitted to their school reception class in
September, at the start of the school year following their fourth
birthday. Your child will get the most from their education in a
school reception class if they start at the same time as their friends
and other children of the same age. However, if you feel there are
particular reasons why your child should not start reception in
September, for example your child may have an EHCP, you can ask
for your child’s entry to be deferred until later in the school year. You
should first discuss this with the headteacher or manager at your
child’s current nursery or playgroup. This is especially important
if your child has significant developmental delay. Following a
discussion with the headteacher or manager at your child’s current
nursery, you should also speak with the headteacher of the school
your child will be attending.
A leaflet with further advice and a form to request your child’s deferral
can be obtained from the Pupil Services Team on Tel: 020 7364 5006.
You should not request to defer your child’s admission to one school
because you are awaiting a place at another.
Where a place is deferred it cannot be given to another child, but
your child must enter school by the beginning of the school term
following their fifth birthday and within the school year for which
the offer was made. You can also request that your child attends
reception part-time from September 2017 up until the latest date
entry can be deferred.
The latest point that your child’s entry can be deferred depends on
when your child was born:
Your child was born
between
Point until which entry
can be deferred
September 2012 – December 2012
January 2018
(Start of the spring term)
January 2013 – August 2013
April 2018
(Start of summer term)
Tower Hamlets schools will try to accommodate parents’ wishes
wherever possible and will try to ensure there is no gap in a child’s
education.
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 13
2
Admission of children
outside their normal
age group
It is the view of the local authority
that children should start primary
school with their normal age group
i.e. the beginning of the school
year following their fourth birthday.
Primary schools in Tower Hamlets
are able to address an individual
child’s educational needs through
an appropriately differentiated and
enriched curriculum.
However, a parent may seek
admission for their child outside
the normal group, for example, if
the child is:
• gifted and talented;
• where the child has missed a
significant amount of education
due to ill-health; or
• where the child has been
born prematurely and would
otherwise be in the year below.
If you wish to request for your
child to be admitted outside the
normal year group you should
include a letter with your reception
application and also provide
a report from an appropriate
education or health professional.
Your request will be considered
by the admission authority
for the school. In the case of
community schools this will be
the local authority’s Service Head
for Learning and Achievement.
For schools which are their own
admission authority this will be
the governing body.
When considering your request the
admission authority will seek the
views of your child’s primary school
headteacher and other relevant
professionals, before deciding
whether or not your child’s needs
can be met within the current year
group. The decision will be notified
to you in writing.
If it is agreed that your child should
start school earlier than the normal
year group, it cannot be guaranteed
that a place will be offered at one of
your preferences. If your request is
for your child to start reception later
than the normal year group, and
this is refused, your child will need
to start school at the normal time.
Reception admission
14 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
2
Will my child definitely
get a place at one of the
schools I apply to?
The council expects that most
families will be offered a place
at one of their six preferred
schools. However, this cannot be
guaranteed. Unfortunately, it is
not always possible for everyone
to get a place at the school they
most prefer.
When a school receives more
applications than the number of
places available, not all children
can be admitted. It is important
therefore that you fully consider the
likelihood of your child getting a
place at a preferred school before
you make your application.
To increase the likelihood your
child getting a place at one of
your preferred schools you are
advised to apply to six schools.
If you are applying to community
schools, your child is more likely
to be offered a place at schools
in the catchment area for your
home address, especially if this is
your nearest community school
within your catchment area.
Is my child more likely to
be offered a place at my
first preference school?
Applications for each school
are determined in line with the
school’s admissions policy with
no consideration given to whether
or not it is the first, second,
third or sixth preference school.
However, if your child qualifies for
a place at more than one school,
the order in which you listed your
preferences on your application
form will determine the school
you are offered.
This school will be the highest listed
preference at which an offer can be
made. Your applications for schools
listed as lower preferences will
then be cancelled. This is why it is
important to list the schools you are
applying to in order of preference
on the application form.
Are voluntary aided
schools, free schools
and academies part of
the school catchment
area system?
All voluntary aided schools, Sir
William Burrough Academy and
the Canary Wharf free schools
have their own admissions policies
and do not use the catchment
area system.
The Paradigm Academies (Culloden,
Old Ford and Solebay) and St Paul’s
Way Trust Primary use the council’s
admissions policy and, therefore,
the catchment area system.
I live in one of the
neighbouring boroughs;
will I fall into one of the
school catchment areas?
Some of the school catchment
area boundaries cover areas in
neighbouring boroughs. If you live
in Hackney, Newham or the City
of London and your home address
is in one of the school catchment
areas your child will have the same
priority as those who are resident in
Tower Hamlets.
If you live outside of the school
catchment area, you are still
welcome to apply for a school
place in Tower Hamlets; however,
you will not have priority for those
schools. To find out the catchment
area for your home address, please
view the maps or visit the website:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/
equalchance
Can I apply to a school
that is not within my
catchment area?
You will still be able to apply to
any school within the borough.
However, if the school is not within
your catchment area, your child
will not have priority for that school
and will only be considered after
those children who live within the
school’s catchment area. You can
also apply to schools outside of
Tower Hamlets.
Frequently asked questions
on reception admission
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 15
3
In-year admission
In-year admission is where a child
starts primary school at a time
other than the normal point of entry
in reception. This is often when
a child has moved into the Tower
Hamlets area from another part of
the UK or abroad.
If you have recently moved to
the Tower Hamlets area, please
contact Pupil Services immediately.
They can tell you about the schools
with places that are nearest to your
home address and provide you with
an application form to complete for
your child’s school admission. Pupil
Services contact details are:
Pupil Services
Town Hall, Mulberry Place
5 Clove Crescent
London E14 2BG
Tel: 020 7364 5006
Email: school.admissions@
towerhamlets.gov.uk
School transfer
You may want your child to transfer
from one Tower Hamlets primary
school to another. This can be
arranged by Pupil Services, but you
will firstly need to speak with the
headteacher of your child’s current
school and together complete ‘Part
B’ of the in-year application form
that will be provided.
It is not always possible for a
child to transfer to another school
if that school is already full or if
there are more applicants than
places available at the time you
make your application. Your child
will, therefore, be placed on the
school’s waiting list in line with the
school’s admission criteria.
The local authority will consider
transfer requests twice a term in
line with the timetable below and
children are expected to transfer
at the beginning of the next half
term. Your child must, therefore,
continue to attend school whilst
awaiting a transfer.
You will need to re-apply in
September every year if you wish
for your child to remain on the
waiting lists for the schools you
wish for them to transfer to.
Children transfer to a secondary
school in the September after
reaching the age of 11. You will
receive a separate booklet with
information about the schools
and the application procedure
when your child begins year 6 of
primary school.
In-year admissions, school transfer
and moving from infant to junior
Entry point Application
closing date
Parents sent
outcomes
Autumn half term
(Nov 2016 start)
23 September 2016 14 October 2016
Spring term
(Jan 2017 start)
18 November 2016 8 December 2016
Spring half term
(Feb 2017 start)
13 January 2017 3 February 2017
Summer term
(April 2017 start)
3 March 2017 24 March 2017
Summer half term
(June 2017 start)
28 April 2017 19 May 2017
Autumn term
(Sept 2017 start)
22 June 2017 14 July 2017
16 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
3
In-year admissions, school transfer
and moving from infant to junior
Tower Hamlets Fair
Access Admission
Protocol
All schools in Tower Hamlets
follow the Fair Access Admission
Protocol. The protocol sets
standards for dealing with
applications that are made when
families move into the borough
or want to transfer their child
from one school to another. The
protocol also provides the early
admission to school or access to
alternative education for children
whose circumstances make
them ‘difficult to place’.
Pupil Services will let parents
know whether or not a place
can be offered within ten school
days of applying. Children out
of school would normally be
admitted within five school
days after the decision is
made, although more time is
allowed if a school has to make
arrangements to support the
child’s education in the school.
More information about the
protocol is available from Pupil
Services on 020 7364 5006.
Infant to junior transfer
If your child goes to an infant
school, they will transfer to a junior
school in September after their
seventh birthday.
Children at infant schools in the
borough will normally transfer to
their linked junior school at the age
of seven, but you must apply for
a junior school place. Most linked
schools are on the same site and
have the same name. We treat the
following as linked schools:
• Blue Gate Fields Infants
and Juniors
• Cubitt Town Infants and Juniors
• Elizabeth Selby Infants and
Lawdale Juniors
When your child is in a year 2 class,
you must apply for your child’s year
3 place even if this is for a place at
the linked junior school. We must
receive your application by 15
January 2017.
What you must do
You must fill in and return the
borough’s junior school transfer
request form, giving the name of
the school you want your child
to transfer to (even if that is your
child’s linked junior school). The
infant school your child goes to
will give you this form in October/
November 2016.
You must return your form to the
infant school by 15 January 2017.
If you do not fill in and return your
school transfer request form by
the closing date, your child will not
have a school place.
For all year 3 places at
community junior and primary
schools we use the admission
criteria listed on page 11 in
priority order to decide which
children should be offered places.
Pupil Services will offer places
based on the admissions criteria
and we will tell you our decision
on 18 April 2017.
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 17
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London Borough
of Newham
London Borough
of Southwark
London Borough
of Lewisham
London Borough
of Greenwich
Area 6
(Bethnal Green)
Area 5 (Wapping)
Area 1 (Stepney)
Area 2 (Bow)
Area 3 (Poplar)
Area 4 (Isle of Dogs)
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2 Arnhem Wharf
3 Bangabandhu
4 Ben Jonson
5 Bigland Green
6 Blue Gate Fields Infants & Junior
7 Bonner (Bethnal Green)
8 Bonner (Mile End)
9 Bygrove
10 Canary Wharf College East Ferry
11 Canary Wharf College Glenworth
12 Canon Barnett
13 Cayley
14 Children’s House
15 Chisenhale
16 Christ Church CE
17 Columbia Market Nursery
18 Columbia
19 Cubitt Town Infants & Juniors
20 Culloden
21 Cyril Jackson
22 Elizabeth Selby & Lawdale Junior
23 English Martyrs RC
24 Globe
25 Guardian Angels RC
26 Hague
27 Halley
28 Harbinger
29 Harry Gosling
30 Harry Roberts
31 Hermitage
32 John Scurr
33 Kobi Nazrul
34 Lansbury Lawrence
35 Malmesbury
36 Manoreld
37 Marion Richardson
38 Marner
39 Mayower
40 Mowlem
41 Old Church
42 Old Ford
43 Old Palace
44 Olga
45 Osmani
46 Our Lady & St Joseph
47 Rachel Keeling
48 Redlands
49 Seven Mills
50 Shapla
51 Sir William Burrough
52 Smithy Street
53 Solebay Primary School*
54 St Agnes RC
55 St Anne’s RC
56 St Edmund’s RC
57 St Elizabeth’s RC
58 St John’s CE
59 St Luke’s CE
60 St Mary & St Michael RC
61 St Matthias CE
62 St Paul’s With St Luke’s CE
63 St Paul’s Way Foundation
64 St Paul’s Whitechapel CE
65 St Peter’s (London Docks) CE
To nd out the catchment area for your home
address, please view the maps or visit the website:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/equalchance
66 St Saviours CE
67 Stebon
68 Stepney Greencoat CE
69 Stewart Headlam
70 The Clara Grant
71 Thomas Buxton
72 Virginia
73 Wellington
74 William Davis
75 Woolmore
* Since Sept 1, known as
Solebay Primary” (formerly CET)
Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets | Guide for Parents 2016/2017
1
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London Borough
of Hackney
London Borough
of Newham
London Borough
of Southwark
London Borough
of Lewisham
London Borough
of Greenwich
School list and
catchment area maps
1 Alice Model Nursery
2 Arnhem Wharf
3 Bangabandhu
4 Ben Jonson
5 Bigland Green
6 Blue Gate Fields Infants & Junior
7 Bonner (Bethnal Green)
8 Bonner (Mile End)
9 Bygrove
10 Canary Wharf College
East Ferry
11 Canary Wharf College
Glenworth
12 Canon Barnett
13 Cayley
14 Children’s House
15 Chisenhale
16 Christ Church CE
17 Columbia Market
Nursery
18 Columbia
19 Cubitt Town
Infants & Juniors
20 Culloden
21 Cyril Jackson
22 Elizabeth Selby
& Lawdale Junior
23 English Martyrs RC
24 Globe
25 Guardian Angels RC
26 Hague
27 Halley
28 Harbinger
29 Harry Gosling
30 Harry Roberts
31 Hermitage
32 John Scurr
33 Kobi Nazrul
34 Lansbury Lawrence
35 Malmesbury
36 Manorfield
37 Marion Richardson
38 Marner
39 Mayflower
40 Mowlem
41 Old Church
42 Old Ford
43 Old Palace
44 Olga
45 Osmani
46 Our Lady & St Joseph
47 Rachel Keeling
48 Redlands
49 Seven Mills
50 Shapla
51 Sir William Burrough
52 Smithy Street
53 Solebay Primary School*
54 St Agnes RC
55 St Anne’s RC
56 St Edmund’s RC
57 St Elizabeth’s RC
58 St John’s CE
59 St Luke’s CE
60 St Mary & St Michael RC
61 St Matthias CE
62 St Paul’s With St Luke’s CE
63 St Paul’s Way Foundation
64 St Paul’s Whitechapel CE
65 St Peter’s (London Docks) CE
66 St Saviours CE
67 Stebon
68 Stepney Greencoat CE
69 Stewart Headlam
70 The Clara Grant
71 Thomas Buxton
72 Virginia
73 Wellington
74 William Davis
75 Woolmore
To find out the catchment area for your home address, please view the maps or visit the website:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/equalchance
* Since Sept 1, known as
Solebay Primary” (formerly CET)
18 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
4
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London Borough of Hackney
London Borough
of Newham
London Borough
of Southwark
London Borough
of Lewisham
London Borough
of Greenwich
Area 6
(Bethnal Green)
Area 5 (Wapping)
Area 1 (Stepney)
Area 2 (Bow)
Area 3 (Poplar)
Area 4 (Isle of Dogs)
n
Academy with Nursery
n
Free/Academy/Foundation Trust Schools
l
Community Primary Schools
l
Community Primary Schools with Nursery
l
Nursery Schools
Voluntary Aided Primary Schools
Borough Boundary
1 Alice Model Nursery
2 Arnhem Wharf
3 Bangabandhu
4 Ben Jonson
5 Bigland Green
6 Blue Gate Fields Infants & Junior
7 Bonner (Bethnal Green)
8 Bonner (Mile End)
9 Bygrove
10 Canary Wharf College East Ferry
11 Canary Wharf College Glenworth
12 Canon Barnett
13 Cayley
14 Children’s House
15 Chisenhale
16 Christ Church CE
17 Columbia Market Nursery
18 Columbia
19 Cubitt Town Infants & Juniors
20 Culloden
21 Cyril Jackson
22 Elizabeth Selby & Lawdale Junior
23 English Martyrs RC
24 Globe
25 Guardian Angels RC
26 Hague
27 Halley
28 Harbinger
29 Harry Gosling
30 Harry Roberts
31 Hermitage
32 John Scurr
33 Kobi Nazrul
34 Lansbury Lawrence
35 Malmesbury
36 Manoreld
37 Marion Richardson
38 Marner
39 Mayower
40 Mowlem
41 Old Church
42 Old Ford
43 Old Palace
44 Olga
45 Osmani
46 Our Lady & St Joseph
47 Rachel Keeling
48 Redlands
49 Seven Mills
50 Shapla
51 Sir William Burrough
52 Smithy Street
53 Solebay Primary School*
54 St Agnes RC
55 St Anne’s RC
56 St Edmund’s RC
57 St Elizabeth’s RC
58 St John’s CE
59 St Luke’s CE
60 St Mary & St Michael RC
61 St Matthias CE
62 St Paul’s With St Luke’s CE
63 St Paul’s Way Foundation
64 St Paul’s Whitechapel CE
65 St Peter’s (London Docks) CE
To nd out the catchment area for your home
address, please view the maps or visit the website:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/equalchance
66 St Saviours CE
67 Stebon
68 Stepney Greencoat CE
69 Stewart Headlam
70 The Clara Grant
71 Thomas Buxton
72 Virginia
73 Wellington
74 William Davis
75 Woolmore
* Since Sept 1, known as
Solebay Primary” (formerly CET)
Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets | Guide for Parents 2016/2017
1
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Bonner (Bethnal Green)
Globe
Rachel Keeling
Bangabandhu
Guardian Angels RC
Solebay
Harry Roberts
Ben Jonson
Alice Model
John Scurr
Redlands
Smithy
Halley
Cayley
Stepney Greencoat CofE
Sir William Burrough
Marion Richardson
Old Church
Area 1 (Stepney)
n
Academy with Nursery
n
Free/Academy/Foundation Trust Schools
l
Community Primary Schools
l
Community Primary Schools with Nursery
l
Nursery Schools
Voluntary Aided Primary Schools
Borough Boundary
Voluntary primary schools:
25 Guardian Angels RC
68 Stepney Greencoat CE
Academy/free schools:
51 Sir William Burrough
53 Solebay - a Paradigm Academy (uses same
admissions policy as community schools)
Schools in the
catchment area
Community schools:
Alice Model Nursery
Bangabandhu
Ben Jonson
Bonner (Bethnal Green)
Cayley
Globe
Halley
Harry Roberts Nursery
John Scurr
Marion Richardson
Old Church Nursery
Rachel Keeling Nursery
Redlands
Smithy Street
1
3
4
7
13
24
27
30
32
37
41
47
48
52
Area covered:
• South of Approach Road and Old Ford Road
• West of Regents Canal (up to the Railway Bridge on Grove Road)
• West of Grove Road and Burdett Road
• North of Limehouse Cut from Burdett Road to River Thames
• North of River Thames
• East of Brodlove Lane and Devonport Street
• East of Lukin Street
• North of Commercial Road (from Lukin Street to Sidney Street)
• East of Sidney Street and Cambridge Heath Road
To nd out the catchment area for your home address, please view the
maps or visit the website: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/equalchance
19
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School catchment area 1 (Stepney)
Schools in the catchment area
Community schools:
1 Alice Model Nursery
3 Bangabandhu
4 Ben Jonson
7 Bonner (Bethnal Green)
13 Cayley
24 Globe
27 Halley
30 Harry Roberts Nursery
32 John Scurr
37 Marion Richardson
41 Old Church Nursery
47 Rachel Keeling Nursery
48 Redlands
52 Smithy Street
Voluntary primary schools:
25 Guardian Angels RC
68 Stepney Greencoat CE
Academy/free schools:
51 Sir William Burrough
53 Solebay – a Paradigm Academy
(uses same admissions policy as
community schools)
Area covered
• South of Approach Road and Old Ford Road
• West of Regents Canal (up to the
Railway Bridge on Grove Road)
• West of Grove Road and Burdett Road
• North of Limehouse Cut from Burdett Road to River Thames
• North of River Thames
• East of Brodlove Lane and Devonport Street
• East of Lukin Street
• North of Commercial Road (from Lukin Street to Sidney Street)
• East of Sidney Street and Cambridge Heath Road
School catchment area 1
(Stepney)
To find out the catchment area for your home address, please view the maps or visit the website:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/equalchance
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 19
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Marner
The Clara Grant
Manorfield
St Paul with St Luke CofE
St Paul’s Way Foundation
Stebon
St Saviour’s CofE
Culldon
Lansbury Lawrence
Bygrove
Mayflower
Our Lady & St Jospeh
Cyril Jackson
Woolmore
Area 3 (Poplar)
n
Academy with Nursery
n
Free/Academy/Foundation Trust Schools
l
Community Primary Schools
l
Community Primary Schools with Nursery
l
Nursery Schools
Voluntary Aided Primary Schools
Borough Boundary
Schools in the
catchment area
Community schools:
9 Bygrove
21 Cyril Jackson
34 Lansbury Lawrence
36 Manoreld
38 Marner
39 Mayower
67 Stebon
70 The Clara Grant
75 Woolmore
Voluntary primary schools:
46 Our Lady & St Joseph RC
62 St Paul’s with St Luke’s CE
66 St Saviours CE
Academy/foundation trust schools:
20 Culloden - a Paradigm Academy
(uses same admissions policy as
community schools)
63 St Paul’s Way Foundation
Area covered:
• South of the railway line connecting Limehouse and Bromley by Bow
• West of River Lea
• East of Burdett Road and the River Thames
• North of South Dock Entrance
To nd out the catchment area for your home address, please view the
maps or visit the website: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/equalchance
21
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School catchment area 3 (Poplar)
!
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$
N
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Chisenhale
Old Ford
Olga
Malmesbury
Wellington
Bonner (Mile End)
St Agnes RC
Old Palace
Childrens House
Area 2 (Bow)
n
Academy with Nursery
n
Free/Academy/Foundation Trust Schools
l
Community Primary Schools
l
Community Primary Schools with Nursery
l
Nursery Schools
Voluntary Aided Primary Schools
Borough Boundary
Voluntary primary schools:
54 St Agnes RC
Academy/free schools:
42 Old Ford - a Paradigm Academy
(uses same admissions policy as
community schools)
Area covered:
• South of Approach Road and A106 Victoria Park Road
• South of Cadogan Terrace
• West of River Lea
• East of Regents Canal (from Railway Bridge on Grover Road)
and Burdett Road
• North of the railway line connecting Limehouse and Bromley by Bow
To nd out the catchment area for your home address, please view the
maps or visit the website: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/equalchance
Schools in the
catchment area
Community schools:
8
14
15
35
43
44
73
Bonner (Mile End)
Children’s House Nursery
Chisenhale
Malmesbury
Old Palace
Olga
Wellington
Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets | Guide for Parents 2016/2017
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School catchment area 2 (Bow)
School catchment area 2
(Bow)
Schools in the catchment area
Community schools:
8 Bonner (Mile End)
14 Children’s House Nursery
15 Chisenhale
35 Malmesbury
43 Old Palace
44 Olga
73 Wellington
Voluntary primary schools:
54 St Agnes RC
Academy/free schools:
42 Old Ford –
a Paradigm Academy (uses
same admissions policy as
community schools)
Area covered
• South of Approach Road and
A106 Victoria Park Road
• South of Cadogan Terrace
• West of River Lea
• East of Regents Canal (from
Railway Bridge on Grover Road)
and Burdett Road
• North of the railway line
connecting Limehouse and
Bromley by Bow
To find out the catchment area for your home address, please view the maps or visit the website:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/equalchance
20 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
4
Marner
The Clara Grant
Manorfield
St Paul with St Luke CofE
St Paul’s Way Foundation
Stebon
St Saviour’s CofE
Culldon
Lansbury Lawrence
Bygrove
Mayflower
Our Lady & St Jospeh
Cyril Jackson
Woolmore
Area 3 (Poplar)
n
Academy with Nursery
n
Free/Academy/Foundation Trust Schools
l
Community Primary Schools
l
Community Primary Schools with Nursery
l
Nursery Schools
Voluntary Aided Primary Schools
Borough Boundary
Schools in the
catchment area
Community schools:
9 Bygrove
21 Cyril Jackson
34 Lansbury Lawrence
36 Manoreld
38 Marner
39 Mayower
67 Stebon
70 The Clara Grant
75 Woolmore
Voluntary primary schools:
46 Our Lady & St Joseph RC
62 St Paul’s with St Luke’s CE
66 St Saviours CE
Academy/foundation trust schools:
20 Culloden - a Paradigm Academy
(uses same admissions policy as
community schools)
63 St Paul’s Way Foundation
Area covered:
• South of the railway line connecting Limehouse and Bromley by Bow
• West of River Lea
• East of Burdett Road and the River Thames
• North of South Dock Entrance
To nd out the catchment area for your home address, please view the
maps or visit the website: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/equalchance
21
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School catchment area 3 (Poplar)
School catchment area 3
(Poplar)
Schools in the catchment area
Community schools:
9 Bygrove
21 Cyril Jackson
34 Lansbury Lawrence
36 Manorfield
38 Marner
39 Mayflower
67 Stebon
70 The Clara Grant
75 Woolmore
Voluntary primary schools:
46 Our Lady & St Joseph RC
62 St Paul’s with St Luke’s CE
66 St Saviours CE
Academy/free schools:
20 Culloden –
a Paradigm Academy (uses
same admissions policy as
community schools)
63 St Paul’s Way Foundation
Area covered
• South of the railway line
connecting Limehouse and
Bromley by Bow
• West of River Lea
• East of Burdett Road and the
River Thames
• North of South Dock Entrance
To find out the catchment area for your home address, please view the maps or visit the website:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/equalchance
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 21
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Seven Mills
Arnhem Wharf
Cubitt Town Infants & Junior
St Edmund RC
Harbinger
St Luke’s CofE
Canary Wharf College Glenworth
Canary Wharf College East Ferry
Area 4 (Isle of Dogs)
n
Academy with Nursery
n
Free/Academy/Foundation Trust Schools
l
Community Primary Schools
l
Community Primary Schools with Nursery
l
Nursery Schools
Voluntary Aided Primary Schools
Borough Boundary
Schools in the
catchment area
Community schools:
2 Arnhem Wharf
19 Cubitt Town Infants & Junior
28 Harbinger
49 Seven Mills
Voluntary primary schools:
56 St Edmund’s RC
59 St Luke’s CE
Academy/free schools:
10 Canary Wharf College East Ferry
11 Canary Wharf College Glenworth
NB Canary Wharf College 3 (see note below)
Area covered:
• South of South Dock Entrance
• North of River Thames
To nd out the catchment area for your home address, please view the
maps or visit the website: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/equalchance
Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets | Guide for Parents 2016/2017
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School catchment area 4 (Isle of Dogs)
School catchment area 4
(Isle of Dogs)
To find out the catchment area for your home address, please view the maps or visit the website:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/equalchance
Schools in the catchment area
Community schools:
2 Arnhem Wharf
19 Cubitt Town Infants & Junior
28 Harbinger
49 Seven Mills
Area covered
• South of South Dock Entrance
• North of River Thames
Voluntary primary schools:
56 St Edmund’s RC
59 St Luke’s CE
Academy/free schools:
10 Canary Wharf College East Ferry
11 Canary Wharf College Glenworth
NB Canary Wharf College 3 (see note)
NB: At the time of going
to print, the site for
Canary Wharf College 3
was yet to be determined.
22 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
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Seven Mills
Arnhem Wharf
Cubitt Town Infants & Junior
St Edmund RC
Harbinger
St Luke’s CofE
Canary Wharf College Glenworth
Canary Wharf College East Ferry
Area 4 (Isle of Dogs)
!
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Canon Barnett
Harry Gosling
St Mary’s & St Michael’s
Bigland Green
Blue Gate Fields
Infants & Junior
St Peter’s London Docks CofE
Hermitage
St Paul’s Whitechapel CofE
Shapla
English Martyrs RC
City of London
Area 5 (Wapping)
n
Academy with Nursery
n
Free/Academy/Foundation Trust Schools
l
Community Primary Schools
l
Community Primary Schools with Nursery
l
Nursery Schools
Voluntary Aided Primary Schools
Borough Boundary
Schools in the catchment
area
Community schools:
5 Bigland Green
6 Blue Gate Fields Infants & Junior
12 Canon Barnett
29 Harry Gosling
31 Hermitage
50 Shapla
Voluntary primary schools:
23 English Martyrs RC
60 St Mary & St Michael RC
64 St Paul’s Whitechapel CE
65 St Peter’s (London Docks) CE
Area covered:
Tower Hamlets
• South of Wentworth Street (up to Osborn Street)
• South of Commercial Road (from Whitechurch Lane to Lukin Street)
• South of Poonah Street
• West of Lukin Street, Devonport Street and Brodlove Lane
• North of River Thames
• East of Trinity Square, Mansell Street and Middlesex Street
City of London
• South of Cornhill, Leadenhall Street, Aldgate High Street
• South of Harrow Place (from White Kennet Street)
• West of Middlesex Street, Mansell Street and Trinity Square
• North of River Thames
• East of King Williams Street
To nd out the catchment area for your home address, please view the
maps or visit the website: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/equalchance
23
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School catchment area 5 (Wapping)
School catchment area 5
(Wapping)
Schools in
the catchment area
Community schools:
5 Bigland Green
6 Blue Gate Fields Infants & Junior
12 Canon Barnett
29 Harry Gosling
31 Hermitage
50 Shapla
Voluntary primary schools:
23 English Martyrs RC
60 St Mary & St Michael RC
64 St Paul’s Whitechapel CE
65 St Peter’s (London Docks) CE
Area covered
Tower Hamlets
• South of Wentworth Street (up to Osborn Street)
• South of Commercial Road (from Whitechurch Lane to Lukin Street)
• South of Poonah Street
• West of Lukin Street, Devonport Street and Brodlove Lane
• North of River Thames
• East of Trinity Square, Mansell Street and Middlesex Street
City of London
• South of Cornhill, Leadenhall Street, Aldgate High Street
• South of Harrow Place (from White Kennet Street)
• West of Middlesex Street, Mansell Street and Trinity Square
• North of River Thames
• East of King Williams Street
To find out the catchment area for your home address, please view the maps or visit the website:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/equalchance
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 23
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Mowlem
St Elizabeth’s RC
St John’s CofE
Columbia
Columbia
Market
Lawdale Junior
Elizabeth Selby Infants
Hague
Stewart Headlam
Virginia
William Davis
St Matthias CofE
Thomas Buxton
St Anne RC
Osmani
Christ Church CofE
Kobi Nazrul
City of London
Area 6
(Bethnal Green)
Hackney
n
Academy with Nursery
n
Free/Academy/Foundation Trust Schools
l
Community Primary Schools
l
Community Primary Schools with Nursery
l
Nursery Schools
Voluntary Aided Primary Schools
Borough Boundary
Schools in the
catchment area
Community schools:
17 Columbia Market Nursery
18 Columbia
22 Elizabeth Selby Infant*
22 Lawdale Junior*
26 Hague
33 Kobi Nazrul
40 Mowlem
45 Osmani
69 Stewart Headlam
71 Thomas Buxton
72 Virginia
74 William Davis
*Linked infant and junior schools
Area covered:
Tower Hamlets
• South of Hackney Road (from
Shoreditch High Street to
Goldsmiths Row), South of
Teale Street Pritchard’s Road and
Regent’s Canal
• West of Approach Road and Old
Ford Road
• West of Cambridge Heath Road
and Sidney Street
• North of Commercial Road
(from Sidney Street to
Whitechurch Lane)
• North of Wentworth Street
(from Osborn Street to
Middlesex Street)
• East of Middlesex Street, Norton
Folgate and Boundary Street
Hackney
• South of Ash Grove and Earlston Grove
• East of Fremont Street
• West and South of Christchurch Square
• North of Regent’s Canal (up to Ash Grove)
• South of Dunloe Street (from Dawson Street to Columbia Road)
• West of Columbia Road
• North of Hackney Road
• East of Weymouth Terrace (from Hackney Road to 14 Dunloe Court)
• South of Cremer Street
• West of Hackney Road, Boundary Street and Shoreditch High Street
• North of Worship Street East of Scrutton Street, Christina Street,
Gatesborough Street, Great Eastern Street and Curtain Road
• East of Shoreditch High Street (from Rivington Street to Waterson
Street) and Nazrul Street City of London
• South of South Place, Sun Street, Appold Street and Worship Street
• West of Norton Folgate and Bishopsgate
• North of Cornhill
• East of Prince’s Street and Moorgate
Voluntary primary schools:
16 Christ Church CE
55 St Anne’s RC
57 St Elizabeth’s RC
58 St John’s CE
61 St Matthias CE
Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets | Guide for Parents 2016/2017
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School catchment area 6 (Bethnal Green)
School catchment area 6
(Bethnal Green)
Schools in the catchment area
Community schools:
17 Columbia Market Nursery
18 Columbia
22 Elizabeth Selby Infant*
22 Lawdale Junior*
26 Hague
33 Kobi Nazrul
40 Mowlem
45 Osmani
69 Stewart Headlam
71 Thomas Buxton
72 Virginia
74 William Davis
*Linked infant and junior schools
Voluntary primary schools:
16 Christ Church CE
55 St Anne’s RC
57 St Elizabeth’s RC
58 St John’s CE
61 St Matthias CE
To find out the catchment area for your home address, please view the maps or visit the website:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/equalchance
Area covered
Tower Hamlets
• South of Hackney Road (from
Shoreditch High Street to
Goldsmiths Row), South of Teale
Street Pritchard’s Road and
Regent’s Canal
• West of Approach Road and
Old Ford Road
• West of Cambridge Heath Road
and Sidney Street
• North of Commercial Road
(from Sidney Street to
Whitechurch Lane)
• North of Wentworth Street (from
Osborn Street to Middlesex Street)
• East of Middlesex Street, Norton
Folgate and Boundary Street
Hackney
• South of Ash Grove and Earlston Grove
• East of Fremont Street
• West and South of Christchurch Square
• North of Regent’s Canal (up to Ash Grove)
• South of Dunloe Street (from Dawson Street to Columbia Road)
• West of Columbia Road
• North of Hackney Road
• East of Weymouth Terrace (from Hackney Road to 14 Dunloe Court)
• South of Cremer Street
• West of Hackney Road, Boundary Street and Shoreditch High Street
• North of Worship Street East of Scrutton Street, Christina Street,
Gatesborough Street, Great Eastern Street and Curtain Road
• East of Shoreditch High Street (from Rivington Street to Waterson
Street) and Nazrul Street City of London
• South of South Place, Sun Street, Appold Street and Worship Street
• West of Norton Folgate and Bishopsgate
• North of Cornhill
• East of Prince’s Street and Moorgate
24 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
4
Nursery and
Primary Schools
Catchment Area
Number on Map
Telephone
Type of School
and Age Range
Reception
Admission Number
(Sept 2015)
Nursery Class/
Early Years Unit
Breakfast Club*
After School Club*
Website Address
Alice Model
Beaumont Grove, E1 4NQ
1 1 020 7790 5425 Nursery 3-5 N/A Yes No No www.alicemodel.weebly.com
Arnhem Wharf (A)
Arnhem Place, E14 3RP
4 2 020 7515 4310 Community 3-11 90 Yes Yes Yes www.arnhemwharfprimaryschool.com
Bangabandhu (A)
Wessex Street, E2 0LB
1 3 020 8980 0580 Community 3-11 60 Ye s Ye s Yes www.bangabandhu.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Ben Jonson (A)
Harford Street, E1 4PZ
1 4 020 7790 4110 Community 4-11 90 No Yes No www.benjonson.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Bigland Green (A)
Bigland Street, E1 2ND
5 5 020 7702 7088 Community 3-11 60 Yes No Yes www.biglandgreen.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Blue Gate Fields Infant (A)
King David Lane, E1 0EH
5 6 020 7790 3611 Community 3-7 90 Yes Yes No www.bluegatefields-inf.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Blue Gate Fields Junior (A)
King David Lane, E1 0EH
5 6 020 7790 3616 Community 7-11 N/A N/A Yes Yes www.bluegatefieldsjuniors.co.uk
Bonner (Bethnal Green) (A)
Stainsbury Street, E2 0NF
1 7 020 8980 1004 Community 4-11 60 No Yes Yes www.bonner.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Bonner (Mile End) (A)
Ropery Street, E3 4QE
2 8 020 8980 1004 Community 3-11 60 Ye s Ye s No www.bonner.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Bygrove (A)
Bygrove Street, E14 6DN
3 9 020 7538 4925 Community 3-11 30 Yes Yes Yes www.bygrove.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Canary Wharf College East Ferry (S)
East Ferry Road, E14 3BA
N/A 10 020 7515 2328 Fre e 4-11 40 No No No www.canarywharfcollege.co.uk
Canary Wharf College Glenworth (S)
Saunders Ness Road, E14 3EB
N/A 11 020 7515 2328 Fre e 4-11 40 No No No www.canarywharfcollege.co.uk
Canon Barnett (A)
Gunthorpe Street, E1 7RQ
5 12 020 7247 9023 Community 3-11 45 Yes No Yes www.canonbarnett.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Cayley (A)
Aston Street, E14 7NG
1 13 020 7790 1490 Community 3-11 90 Yes Yes Yes www.cayley.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Children’s House (A)
Bruce Road, E3 3HL
2 14 020 8980 4662 Nursery 3-5 N/A Yes Yes Yes www.childrenshouse.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Chisenhale (A)
Chisenhale Road, E3 5QY
2 15 020 8980 2584 Community 3-11 45 Yes Yes Yes www.chisenhale.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Christ Church CE (S) (A)
Brick Lane, E1 6PU
N/A 16 020 7247 0792 Voluntary 3-11 30 Yes Yes Yes www.christchurchprimarybricklane.org
Columbia Market Nursery
Columbia Road, E2 7PG
6 17 020 7739 4518 Nursery 3-5 N/A Yes Yes Yes www.columbiamarket.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Columbia
Columbia Road, E2 7RG
6 18 020 7739 3835 Community 3-11 60 Yes Yes Yes www.columbia.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Cubitt Town Infants (A)
Manchester Road, E14 3NE
4 19 020 7987 3373 Community 3-7 90 Yes Yes Yes www.cubitttowninf.co.uk
Cubitt Town Juniors (A)
Manchester Road, E14 3NE
4 19 020 7987 4362 Community 7-11 N/A N/A Yes Yes www.cubitttownjuniorschool.co.uk
Culloden (A)
Dee Street, E14 0PT
3 20 020 7364 1010 A ca de my 3 -11 90 Yes Yes Yes www.culloden.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Cyril Jackson (A)
Three Colt Street, E14 8HH
3 21 020 7987 3737 Community 3-11 60 Yes Yes Yes www.cyriljackson.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Elizabeth Selby (A)*
Linked with Lawdale Junior School
Old Bethnal Green Road, E2 6PP
6 22 020 7739 6187 Community 3-7 75 Yes Yes Yes www.elizabethselby.towerhamlets.sch.uk
English Martyrs RC (S)
St Mark Street, E1 8DJ
N/A 23 020 7709 0182 Voluntary 3-11 30 Yes Yes Yes www.englishmartyrs.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Globe (A)
Gawber Street, E2 0JH
1 24 020 8980 1738 Community 3-11 45 Yes Yes Yes www.globeschool.org.uk
Guardian Angels RC (S)
Whitman Road, E3 4RB
N/A 25 020 8980 3939 Voluntary 4-11 30 No Yes Yes www.guardianangelsprimary.org.uk
Hague
Wilmot Street, E2 0BP
6 26 020 7739 9574 Community 3-11 30 Yes No Yes www.hague.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Nursery and primary schools
in Tower Hamlets
(CE) Church of England. (S) Applicants must also complete the school’s supplementary form as well as the local authority application form.
(RC) Roman Catholic. (A) Accessible school – see page 27 for more information. * Linked infant and junior schools.
NB: Canary Wharf College 3 – At the time of going to print the site for Canary Wharf College 3 is yet to be confirmed.
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 25
4
Nursery and primary schools
in Tower Hamlets
Nursery and
Primary Schools
Catchment Area
Number on Map
Telephone
Type of School
and Age Range
Reception
Admission Number
(Sept 2015)
Nursery Class/
Early Years Unit
Breakfast Club*
After School Club*
Website Address
Halley (A)
Halley Street, E14 7SS
1 27 020 7265 8061 Community 3-11 30 Yes No Yes www.halley.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Harbinger
Cahir Street, E14 3QP
4 28 020 7987 1924 Community 3-11 45 Yes Yes Yes www.harbingerschool.co.uk
Harry Gosling (A)
Fairclough Street, E1 1NT
5 29 020 7481 1650 Community 3-11 60 Yes Yes Yes www.harrygosling.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Harry Roberts (A)
Commodore Street, E1 4PF
6 30 020 7790 6711 Nursery 3-5 N/A Yes No No www.harryroberts.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Hermitage (A)
Vaughan Way, E1W 2PT
5 31 0207 702 1037 Community 3-11 45 Yes Yes Yes www.hermitage.towerhamlets.sch.uk
John Scurr (A)
Cephas Street, E1 4AX
1 32 0207 790 3647 Community 3-11 60 Yes Yes Yes www.johnscurr.ik.org
Kobi Nazrul (A)
Settles Street, E1 1JP
6 33 020 7375 3626 Community 3-11 30 Yes Yes Yes www.kobinazrul.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Lansbury Lawrence
Cordelia Street, E14 6DZ
3 34 020 7987 4589 Community 3-11 60 Yes Yes Yes www.lansbury.org.uk
Lawdale* Linked with
Elizabeth Selby Infant School
Mansford Street, E2 6LS
6 22 020 7739 6258 Community 7-11 N/A N/A No Yes www.lawdaleschool.com
Malmesbury (A)
Coborn Street, E3 2AB
2 35 020 8980 4299 Community 3-11 75 Yes Yes Yes www.malmesbury.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Manorfield (A)
Wyvis Street, E14 6QD
3 36 020 7987 1623 Community 3-11 90 Yes Yes Yes www.manorfield.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Marion Richardson
Senrab Street, E1 0QF
1 37 020 7790 1441 Community 3-11 60 Yes Yes Yes www.marionrichardson.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Marner
Devas Street, E3 3LL
3 38 020 7987 2938 Community 3-11 90 Yes Ye s Yes www.marner.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Mayflower (A)
Upper North Street, E14 6DU
3 39 020 7987 2782 Community 3-11 45 Yes Yes Yes www.mayflower.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Mowlem (A)
Mowlem Street, E2 9HE
6 40 020 8249 6880 Community 3-11 30 Yes Yes Yes www.mowlem.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Old Church (A)
Walter Terrace, E1 0RJ
1 41 020 7790 2824 Nursery 3-5 N/A Yes Yes Yes www.oldchurch.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Old Ford
Wrights Road, E3 5LD
2 42 020 8980 1503 Ac ad e m y 3-11 90 Yes Ye s Yes www.oldford-pri.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Old Palace
St Leonards Street, E3 3BT
2 43 020 8980 3020 Community 4-11 60 No Yes Yes www.oldpalaceprimary.co.uk
Olga (A)
Lanfranc Road, E3 5DN
2 44 020 8981 7127 Community 3-11 60 NB Yes No Yes www.olga.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Osmani
Vallance Road, E1 5AD
6 45 020 7247 8909 Community 3-11 60 Yes Yes Ye s www.osmani.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Our Lady & St Joseph (S) (A)
Wades Place, E14 0DE
N/A 46 020 3764 8860 Voluntary 3-11 60 Yes Yes Yes www.olsj.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Rachel Keeling (A)
Morpeth Street, E2 0PS
1 47 020 8980 5856 Nursery 3-5 N/A Yes Yes No www.rachelkeelingnursery.weebly.com
Redlands
Redman’s Road, E1 3AQ
1 48 020 7790 4534 Community 3-11 60 Yes Yes Ye s www.redlands.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Seven Mills
Malabar Street, E14 8LY
4 49 020 7987 2350 Community 3-11 30 Yes Yes Yes www.sevenmills.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Shapla (A)
Wellclose Square, E1 8HY
5 50 020 7480 5829 Community 3-11 30 Yes No No www.shaplaprimary.co.uk
Sir William Burrough
Salmon Lane, E14 7PQ
N/A 51 020 7987 2147 A ca de my 3 -11 45 Yes Yes Yes www.sirwilliamburrough.net
Smithy Street (A)
Smithy Street, E1 3BW
1 52 020 7702 7971 Community 3-11 60 Yes Yes Yes www.smithystreet.org.uk
Solebay Primary School
Solebay Street, E1 4PW
1 53 020 8980 2414 Fr ee 4 -11 69 No Yes Yes solebayacademy.paradigmtrust.org
(CE) Church of England. (S) Applicants must also complete the school’s supplementary form as well as the local authority application form.
(RC) Roman Catholic. (A) Accessible school – see page 27 for more information. * Linked infant and junior schools.
NB: It is proposed to stage the expansion of Olga School. The school will offer 60 Reception places in 2016/17 and 90 Reception places in 2017/18.
26 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
4
Nursery and
Primary Schools
Catchment Area
Number on Map
Telephone
Type of School
and Age Range
Reception
Admission Number
(Sept 2015)
Nursery Class/
Early Years Unit
Breakfast Club*
After School Club*
Website Address
St Agnes RC (S)
Rainhill Way, E3 3ER
N/A 54 020 8980 3076 Voluntary 3-11 30 Yes Yes No www.stagnesprimary.co.uk
St Anne’s RC (S) (A)
Underwood Road, E1 5AW
N/A 55 020 7247 6327 Voluntary 3-11 45 Yes Yes Yes www.stannesschool.org.uk
St Edmund’s RC (S) (A)
Westferry Road, E14 3RS
N/A 56 020 7987 2546 Voluntary 3-11 30 Ye s Ye s Yes www.st-edmunds.towerhamlets.sch.uk
St Elizabeth’s RC (S) (A)
Bonner Road, E2 9JY
N/A 57 020 8980 3964 Voluntary 3-11 60 Yes Yes Yes www.stelizabeth.co.uk
St John’s CE (S)
Peel Grove, E2 9LR
N/A 58 020 8980 1142 Voluntary 3-11 30 Yes Yes No www.stjohns-sch.com
St Luke’s CE (S)
Saunder Ness Road, E14 3EB
N/A 59 020 7987 1753 Voluntary 3-11 60 Ye s Ye s Yes www.st-lukes.towerhamlets.sch.uk
St Mary & St Michael RC (S) (A)
Commercial Road, E1 0BD
N/A 60 020 7790 4986 Voluntary 3-11 60 Yes Yes Ye s www.st-marymichael.towerhamlets.sch.uk
St Matthias CE (S) (A)
Bacon Street, E2 6DY
N/A 61 020 7739 8058 Voluntary 3-11 30 Yes Yes Ye s www.st-matthias.towerhamlets.sch.uk
St Paul’s Whitechapel (S)
Wellclose Square, E1 8HY
N/A 64 020 7480 6581 Voluntary 3-11 30 Yes Yes Yes www.st-pauls.towerhamlets.sch.uk
St Paul’s Way Foundation
Wallwood Street, E14 7BW
N/A 63 020 7987 1883
Foundation Trust
4-11
60 No Yes Yes www.spwt.net
St Paul’s With St Luke’s CE (S) (A)
Leopold Street, E3 4LA
N/A 62 020 7987 4624 Voluntary 3-11 30 Ye s Ye s Yes www.spsl.towerhamlets.sch.uk
St Peter’s (London Docks) CE (S) (A)
Garnet Street, E1W 3QT
N/A 65 020 7488 3050 Voluntary 3-11 30 Ye s Ye s Yes www.stpetersprimary.org.uk
St Saviours CE (S) (A)
Chrisp Street, E14 6BB
N/A 66 020 7987 4889 Voluntary 3-11 30 Yes Yes Yes www.st-saviours.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Stebon
Wallwood Street, E14 7AD
3 67 020 7987 4237 Community 3-11 90 Yes Yes Yes www.stebon.org.uk
Stepney Greencoat CE (S)
Norbiton Road, E14 7TF
N/A 68 020 7987 3202 Voluntary 4-11 30 No Yes Yes www.stepneygreencoat.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Stewart Headlam
Tapp Street, E1 5RE
6 69 020 7247 1201 Community 3-11 60 Yes Yes Ye s www.stewartheadlam.towerhamlets.sch.uk
The Clara Grant
Knapp Road, E3 4BU
3 70 020 7987 4564 Community 3-11 60 Yes Yes No www.claragrant.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Thomas Buxton (A)
Buxton Street, E1 5AR
6 71 020 7247 3816 Community 3-11 60 Yes Yes Yes www.thomasbuxton.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Virginia
Virginia Road, E2 7NQ
6 72 020 7739 6195 Community 3-11 30 Yes Yes Yes www.virginia.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Wellington (A)
Wellington Way, E3 4NE
2 73 020 8980 2413 Community 3-11 60 Yes Yes Yes www.wellington.towerhamlets.sch.uk
William Davis
Wood Close, Cheshire St, E2 6EU
6 74 020 7739 1511 Community 3-11 30 Yes Yes No www.williamdavis.org.uk
Woolmore
Woolmore Street, E14 0EW
3 75 020 7987 2778 Community 3-11 90 Yes Yes Yes www.woolmore.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Nursery and primary schools
in Tower Hamlets
(CE) Church of England. (S) Applicants must also complete the school’s supplementary form as well as the local authority application form.
(RC) Roman Catholic. (A) Accessible school – see section below for more information. * Linked infant and junior schools.
Accessible schools
These are schools that have wheelchair access that enable the national curriculum to be taught and children to
be able to access other important areas of the school. Other facilities such as a hygiene room with grab rails, an
adapted toilet, a low sink, a changing bench, and room for a hoist may be available.
If your child has any mobility issues, please speak to the SEN Co-ordinator at your child’s current nursery or to
the SEN team by calling 020 7364 4880.
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 27
5
Settling in
Your child should settle into school
quickly and happily but, if there are
any difficulties, you can discuss
these with the class teacher and,
if necessary, with the headteacher.
In addition, there is an Attendance
and Welfare Service which may
be able to help. Your headteacher
will know how you can contact
the school’s Attendance and
Welfare Adviser or telephone
020 7364 3416.
Attendance at school –
Every day matters, every
minute counts
All children must receive education
from the age of five; if you need to
know the exact date that applies for
your child, contact Pupil Services.
In order for children to get the best
out of their education it is essential
that they attend regularly and
punctually. Children who arrive late
disrupt the rest of the class as well
as their own education.
If your child cannot go
to school:
• make sure that the absence is
absolutely unavoidable;
• let the school know the reason
why as soon as possible;
• if your child is ill, tell the school
what is wrong and when your
child may be back at school.
You should not allow your
child to miss school:
• to care for brothers or sisters
• to translate for family or friends
• to go shopping
• to spend long weekends away
• to go on holiday
• to go on trips abroad.
Children with attendance of 90 per
cent or less are classified as having
persistent absence and will be the
subject of rigorous follow-up and
close monitoring by their school.
As a parent, you face serious
consequences if you do not ensure
that your child attends school
regularly and on time. You could
receive a penalty notice (a fine) or
be prosecuted. The local authority
may also consider applying to the
Family Proceedings Court for an
Education Supervision Order.
If you are concerned that
your child may be missing
school or truanting:
• check the attendance with
the school
• speak to your child to try
to find out why
• speak to the headteacher
or class teacher
Remember that education is a vital
opportunity for your child and is
too precious to waste. If you need
advice about school attendance
issues, you can get help from the
school’s Attendance and Welfare
Adviser; telephone 020 7364 3450.
More advice on attendance is
available from the DfE Publications
Centre:
DfE Publications Centre
PO Box 5050
Sudbury CO10 6ZQ
Tel: 0845 60 222 60
Fax: 0845 60 333 60
Email: dfe@prolog.uk.com
General advice – settling in
and regular attendance
28 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
5
Holiday in term time and
extended leave
Parents should not take children
out of school because of the effect
that absence has on children’s
educational progress. Schools
expect parents to support their
children’s learning by ensuring that
they attend regularly and punctually.
Family holidays should be taken
during the school holidays when
the children can enjoy them without
their education being affected.
There is no right to take leave or a
holiday in term time.
Tower Hamlets Council has
advised headteachers and
governing bodies that applications
for leave in term time should not
normally be approved.
In most cases, schools will
refuse the request and the child’s
place will not be held open
indefinitely. The local authority
advises parents to alter their travel
arrangements to coincide with
school holiday periods.
It is better to make sure your
children’s school places are safe by
keeping them in school.
Taking children out of school can
disrupt their education:
• many children who go on
leave in term time do worse in
national tests and examinations
• children who do not take leave
in term time are likely to do
better in tests
• the absence from school will
be marked as truancy
• your children’s school places
may be lost and they may not be
able to return to the same school
• often the nearest school with a
place is a long way from home
• days missed from school due
to leave in term time may lead
to your child being identified as
having persistent absence
• where a child’s attendance is
poor, any unauthorised leave
will be taken into account
when parents are prosecuted
for failing to send their children
to school regularly
General advice – settling in
and regular attendance
School term and holiday dates 2016/17
Autumn half term Thursday 1 September – Friday 16 December 2016 (Half term 24 – 28 October 2016)
Spring term Tuesday 3 January – Friday 31 March 2017 (Half term 13 – 17 February)
Summer term Tuesday 18 April – Wednesday 26 July 2017 (Half term 29 May – 2 June)
Please note that these dates are for guidance only. Some schools may have slightly different dates.
Please check with the individual school.
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 29
5
General advice –
home to school travel
Free bus travel from
home to school
All school children can travel free
on buses within London if you
pay a one-off cost of £10 for a Zip
Oyster card. Children under 11 can
also travel free on tubes and trains
with a Zip Oyster card. Find out
all about your and your children’s
travel options at: www.tfl.gov.uk.
The local authority expects residents
of Tower Hamlets to make use of
the concessions offered by TfL.
Assistance with home
to school travel
If travel assistance is required outside
the scope of free travel arrangements
and any other alternatives, you
can make an application to Pupil
Services for travel assistance.
Please check whether you are
eligible for travel assistance before
completing the form.
Who is eligible?
The local authority can provide
assistance for eligible children of
compulsory school age who meet
the following criteria:
• children unable to walk safely to
school because of the nature of
their special educational needs,
disability or mobility problems
(including temporary medical
conditions)
• children unable to walk in safety
to school because of the nature
of the route
• children living outside ‘statutory
walking distance’ (two miles for
children under eight and three
miles for children over eight
years of age)
• children whose parents are in
receipt of their maximum level
of Working Tax Credit
• children attending a school
where the education provided
is that of the faith to which the
parent adheres
• children whose parent/carer’s
disability prevents him/her from
accompanying a child along
a walking route which can be
considered safe
In most cases, children will only be
eligible for travel assistance if the
local authority cannot offer a place
at a suitable alternative school.
Therefore, please ensure that you
make an application to six of your
local schools before submitting
an application.
Supporting documentation
You must be resident in Tower
Hamlets to apply for travel
assistance and be able to provide
us with proof of your address, such
as a recent council tax bill.
If you have any medical/social reason
you would like to be considered with
your application then please provide
evidence with this application that
is supported by a professional
(such as a doctor’s report). Please
also provide the correct proof of
parental income as required.
Please note that if you do not
provide the necessary supporting
documentation, the application form
may be returned to you and this will
delay the assessment of your form.
For an application form, visit:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk
and follow the links from Advice
and Benefits to Grants to School
Travel Support.
Making a decision
Pupil Services will decide on the
form of travel assistance that is
most suitable (i.e. bursary, travel
pass for parent or child, place on
the school bus etc.) taking into
account the age and needs of the
child, the distance from home to
school, transport provision currently
available and any other relevant
factors. If your application for travel
assistance is refused, then you
have a right of appeal against the
decision and you will be advised of
this in your letter.
Appreciate and love your local
area more by walking or cycling
to school on a daily basis. Allow
enough time for your journey so that
you can enjoy it without rushing.
Explore different routes regularly
with your children so you both get
to know Tower Hamlets better.
Choose a school where the daily
journey is easy and pleasurable.
Your child will make over 4,500
home-school journeys through their
school life – so choose your child’s
school to make the daily journey
as easy as possible, where your
child can be in control of their own
journey routes and times.
30 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
5
General advice –
home to school travel
How to value and enjoy
the new daily journey to
and from school
An extra 30 minutes’ journey time
every day mounts up to 190 hours
spent away from home each year –
that’s the equivalent of another 12
weeks of your child’s evening free
time every year!
The benefits of a quick and easy
sustainable journey to school which
doesn’t need your involvement
every day will also give you as
a parent much more personal
freedom and time.
If you were originally thinking of
driving your child to school, the
Travel Champion at the school or
the council’s School Travel Adviser
(020 7364 6918) will help you
choose a different option that will
improve both you and your child’s
quality of life and self-esteem.
The council discourages use of
the car for environmental reasons,
reducing congestion, saving money
on parking and petrol and for health
and fitness reasons.
We encourage the use of public
transport for long school journeys
and walking and cycling for
shorter ones.
We have one of the biggest, most
frequent transport networks in the
world and Tower Hamlets has some
of the best transport links in London.
All school children can travel free on
buses within London if you pay a
one-off cost of £10 for a Zip Oyster
card. Children under 11 can also
travel free on the tube and trains
with a Zip Oyster card. Find out all
about your and your children’s travel
options at: www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets
Your child should be getting at
least 60 minutes of moderate
intensity physical activity each day
(three hours for under-fives). The
walk to and from school can be
incorporated into this – easy if you
live within 2km of school.
Older children living within 5km
can cycle to school, or get off a
few bus stops early and walk the
last ten minutes if they choose
free bus travel.
Children learning about all
aspects and modes of travel, and
experimenting with them during
their teenage lives, can enrich
their adult lives through better,
cheaper, faster and above all more
enjoyable travel, giving access to
better employment prospects,
more leisure time and the ability to
discover and explore new places.
Nursery school
Start the active travel habit the
moment your child enters nursery
– this is the moment when they
should be walking on a regular
basis every day. If they have
difficulty keeping up with you, then
let them use a scooter – most
nurseries in Tower Hamlets have
somewhere to store scooters.
Nursery schools in the borough
actively promote active travel for
health and fitness, and to develop
social skills. Tower Hamlets offers
free cycle confidence, skills and
safety training sessions to parents
who would like to cycle their
young children to school using
a child seat. Find out more at:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/
cycling or call 020 7364 6940.
Primary school
Many of our primary schools
provide lessons to pupils to help
them travel safely, actively and
independently, such as cycle skills,
on road cycle training, road safety
training, travel awareness and
journey planning. If you have had
advice on planning a sustainable
journey and your adviser agrees
that you have no practical
alternative to driving, then you
should drive – and park – safely,
legally and considerately.
Do not drive anywhere near the
school entrance, but park well away
from the school and walk with your
child to the gate. Just two minutes’
walk is enough to park even a few
streets away, and if you vary where
you park every day it will make the
journey more interesting.
You will also have the opportunity
to remind your child how to be
safe on the streets and when
crossing roads every day so that it
becomes second nature to them.
Many younger children want to
cycle whilst their parents walk with
them. Tower Hamlets offers free
cycle confidence, skills and safety
sessions to all residents, so that
when your children get a few years
older you can both cycle to school
safely and confidently on roads and
cycle paths.
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 31
5
General advice –
home to school travel
If you still have to drive
to school
Be a responsible driver – show
and tell your children why you
drive and park safely, legally and
considerately.
Allow plenty of time for your journey
to prevent rushing, taking chances
and breaking the law.
Re-read The Highway Code – you
might be surprised how useful this
is. Take an official practice driving
theory test to see whether you
would still pass today.
Stopped and parked cars outside
schools are a risk as they obstruct
sight lines for children, and so
Keep Clear markings are used to
keep traffic moving: even stopping
for a few seconds on them puts
children at risk, and is considered
serious enough an offence to
attract a fine of £130.
Do not drive near or past the
entrance to the school – park
safely and legally in another street
and walk between the car and the
school leaving the entrance area
clear for pedestrians and cyclists.
The School Travel Plan
(STP)
A School Travel Plan (STP) is a
package of measures tailored to
a school’s needs to help make
journeys to school safer, healthier
and environmentally friendly.
Every school in Tower Hamlets
has an appointed School Travel
Champion and an approved STP.
STPs include initiatives to help
pupils walk, cycle and use
public transport more and travel
independently to school, reducing
car use on the school run and
removing barriers to travelling
sustainably to school.
School travel initiatives
Key initiatives that you should look
out for when choosing a school for
your child to attend that encourage
sustainable travel include:
• personal travel planning and
safety training
• buddy walk or cycle to school
schemes
• cycle training
• covered secure cycle parking
• bike It
• walk and Bike to school
campaigns
• organised walks for families
within and outside school hours
• school crossing patrols and
Junior Road Safety Officers
• finding friendly, easy routes to
walk or cycle to school
• school curriculum travel and
transition materials
• safer Neighbourhoods Teams
and Community Police Support
links.
Ask your new school what support
and schemes they have in place to
help you travel sustainably or actively
to school every day.
32 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
5
General advice – free school meals,
pupil premium and school clothing grant
Free school meals
All children attending Tower
Hamlets primary schools will be
eligible to receive free school
meals. Research has proven that
there is a clear link between good
nutrition and strong academic
performance. By providing healthy
and nutritious meals using fresh
ingredients it ensures that your
child is well nourished and ready to
learn to their full potential. Parents
will need to make an application
to receive free school meals. The
information you provide in your
application will also be used to see
if your child’s school can access
additional funding for your child in
the form of the Pupil Premium.
You can apply online at:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/benefits
and follow the link to Benefit Forms
to apply for free school meals.
The headteacher will also discuss
this with you when you are arranging
for your child to start school.
Pupil premium
The school that your child attends
will be able to claim the pupil
premium if you receive one of the
following:
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseekers
Allowance
• Income-related Employment
and Support Allowance
• An income-related employment
• and support allowance
• Support under part VI of the
Immigration and Asylum
Act 1999
• Child Tax Credit, provided they
are not entitled to Working
Tax Credit and have an annual
income (as assessed by HM
Revenue & Customs) that does
not exceed £16,190
• The Guarantee element of State
Pension Credit
• Working Tax Credit ‘run-on’
– the payment someone may
receive for a further four weeks
after they stop qualifying for
Working Tax Credit
This gives schools an additional
£600 per child to spend on your
child’s education so it is important
that you complete an application.
School clothing grant
If you live in Tower Hamlets, help
with school clothing is available
for some children transferring to
secondary school at age 11 only.
Grants currently worth £110
are available. Families must be
receiving certain types of financial
support from the Department for
Work and Pensions (DWP), such as
Income Support.
An application form is available
on the internet at:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/benefits
Follow the link to School Clothing
Grants and Vouchers. Applications
must be made between June and
September.
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 33
5
The School Health Service
The School Health Service is
provided by a team of school nurses
and school doctors, supported by
child health nursery nurses and
school nurse assistants, based at
a local health centre. The school
nurse is a qualified nurse with
additional training in school health.
Parents may meet the school nurse
at a new parents’ meeting at the
school and receive a questionnaire
to complete to give an up-to-date
summary of their child’s health
and any particular needs which
may require assistance or support
during the school day. They will also
be given details of how to contact
their school nurse if needed.
A member of the school health
team will have regular contact with
each school as agreed with school
education staff.
Each pupil will be offered a vision,
growth and hearing screen during
their first full year in school and a
growth check in year 6. Parental
consent will be required before
any of these screening checks are
undertaken. Parents will be advised
of the outcome of each check.
Some pupils may be offered an
appointment for a health assessment
with their parent or carer.
Following a health assessment, it
may be necessary for the child to
be referred to the school doctor.
The school doctor will see children
where there are concerns about
how their health may be affecting
their education.
Referrals to the school doctor are
usually made via the school nurse
or the school’s Special Educational
Needs Co-ordinator and are only
done with parental involvement
and agreement.
The parent/carer must be present
at any appointments so that health
problems can be explained and
discussed.
The school health team will work
closely with other professionals
involved with the child, for
example, the general practitioner
(GP), hospital specialists or
therapists as necessary.
Some children have more complex
health needs, for example an
ongoing health condition or special
needs and will have an agreed
health care plan drawn
up by the school health team in
conjunction with the parents and
school staff. These plans will be
regularly reviewed and updated.
Some children require additional
services such as physiotherapy,
occupational therapy or speech
therapy. The therapists will liaise
with the school and may be able
to provide some treatment in
school, to avoid the child having
to miss school and to ensure that
their needs are met appropriately
in school.
Your child’s health
If your child appears unwell,
you should seek advice from
your child’s general practitioner,
including when it is appropriate for
the child to return to school.
Educational Psychology
Service (EPS)
All schools have a link educational
psychologist who can give
advice on the needs of children
and young people who are
experiencing difficulties affecting
their education. This could include
learning, behavioral, emotional,
sensory (hearing or visual) or
communication difficulties.
Educational psychologists can
offer support to families and
schools in meeting these needs.
You may, yourself, ask for help
through the school or direct by
telephoning 020 7364 4323. In
addition, the EPS holds a monthly
drop in surgery in partnership
with the Parents’ Advice Centre
(PAC). Appointments can be made
through the PAC.
General advice –
health and support services
34 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
5
Tower Hamlets Parents’
Advice Centre
The Parents’ Advice Centre is a
self-referring service which offers
mediation, advocacy and telephone
support for parents/carers of
children and young people with
Special Educational Needs (SEN)
and supports parents of children
with SEN through transition and the
admission system. The service is
free and available to parents and
carers resident in Tower Hamlets.
It operates a telephone helpline
Monday to Friday from 9am
to 5pm and a drop-in advice
service on Tuesdays and Fridays
from 9.30am to 3.30pm and
Wednesdays 4.00-6.30
Advice can be provided in Bengali,
Somali and other languages by
request.
Parents’ Advice Centre
30 Greatorex Street, London E1 5NP
Tel: 020 7364 6489
Email: pac@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Children with learning
difficulties
Tower Hamlets has an inclusive
policy which allows all children to
attend a mainstream school if their
parents wish, regardless of their
physical needs or learning ability.
Advice for parents whose
children have learning difficulties
or disabilities can be sought from
the Parents’ Advice Centre on
020 7364 6489. If your child
already has a Statement of
Special Educational Needs or
Education, Health and Care Plan
it is essential that the school are
aware of this so that they can plan
to meet your child’s needs.
Special Educational
Needs (SEN)/ Education,
Health and Care Plan
If you feel that your child may have
special educational needs, you
should discuss your concerns
with the headteacher and Special
Educational Needs Co-ordinator
(SENCO) as early as possible.
If your child has a Statement of
Special Educational Needs or an
Education, Health and Care Plan
(EHCP), the SEN Section will work
closely with Pupil Services to
arrange a school place. When you
complete the Common Application
Form, please ensure that you have
clearly stated that your child has a
statement/EHCP.
The SEN Section will then consult
your preferred school to see if it
can meet your child’s needs. The
school must then respond to us
before a place is offered – please
bear in mind that schools do have
the right to object if they do not
feel that they are able to meet a
child’s needs. If this happens we
can offer advice.
Please contact the SEN Section
on 020 7364 4880 if you have
any queries. You may also wish to
contact the Parents’ Advice Centre.
Transition Support
Programme for non
SEN children
The Transition Support Programme
is provided by Tower Hamlets
Parent and Family Support Service
and is available to all parents and
carers including new arrivals into
the borough, parents with English
as an additional language and/or
learning difficulties/disabilities and
families who find the admissions
process difficult to navigate.
The aim is to provide independent
and impartial advice to all service
users at key points of transition and
to make it easier to understand
the transition process. They
support parents with applications
for nursery and reception places,
secondary transfer for Year 5
and Year 6 as well as in-year
admissions. They support parents
and carers with completing
application forms, advise on how
to choose suitable schools, make
arrangements to visit schools and
advice on how to follow up their
applications as well as supporting
parents whose children have been
excluded or are being bullied.
They also support parents through
one to one meetings at the Parents
Advice Center. Parents and carers
can contact them via the telephone
number or dedicated email address
and arrange a meeting where they
can speak with parents at length
and provide the relevant support or
arrange follow ups if needed.
They have workshops in July and
September in primary schools
to offer advice and information
on secondary transfer and have
established a regular weekly drop
in session Tuesday 9.30am –
3.30pm during term time which is
open to parents and carers.
Please contact Altafur Rahman
or Aleha Khanom at:
Tower Hamlets
Parents Advice Centre
30 Greatorex Street
London E1 5NP
Tel: 020 7364 6460
General advice –
health and support services
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 35
5
After-school clubs
After-school clubs are usually
based in schools and are open
from 3.30-5.30pm/6pm during
term time. They provide a play,
educational, social and childcare
function. You can enrol your
child in an after-school club by
contacting the Worker-in-Charge.
For details of after school clubs
see the table on pages 25 to 27 or
contact the Junior Youth Service
team on 020 7364 4692.
Holiday play schemes
The Junior Youth Service organises
play schemes for children aged
5-11 years. Some schemes are also
available for three and four year
olds. For further details contact
the Junior Youth Service on
020 7364 4692.
Child employment
Children under 13 may not take
part in paid employment unless
they are appearing in stage, film,
television, modelling or sport.
Child Performance Licenses
are issued by the local authority
in which the child resides. If
you need further advice please
contact Pupil Services, telephone
020 7364 5006.
Tower Hamlets Family
Information Service
The Family Information Service
provides information on any
service for local people from
birth-25 including helping local
parents and carers find high quality
childcare, advice on tax credits
and childcare vouchers.
Tower Hamlets Family
Information Service:
Tel: 020 7364 6495
(available between 8am-6pm
Monday to Friday)
Email: fis@towerhamlets.gov.uk
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/fis
Equal opportunities
Tower Hamlets Council is
committed to providing relevant
and accessible services to all the
people who live and work in Tower
Hamlets. The council will work hard
to ensure that the different needs
and expectations of its diverse
communities are met.
The council is committed to:
• opposing all forms of
discrimination - individual
and institutional, direct and
indirect. It will actively oppose
discrimination carried out
on the grounds of gender,
colour, ethnicity or national
origin, religion, disability,
social background, HIV status,
responsibilities as a carer,
age, marital status, sexual
orientation, people with spent
convictions or any other
disadvantaged groups
• challenging the beliefs
(sometimes systemic) about
different groups in society such
as racism, sexism, homophobia,
disabilitism and ageism
• promoting and celebrating the
diversity of the people of Tower
Hamlets.
* Notwithstanding any legal
limitations e.g. persons
aged over 65 or under-18 in
certain jobs
Additional information
36 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
5
Definition of words used in this booklet
Academy An academy is a publicly funded school which operates outside of local authority control.
It is funded directly by central government and does not have to follow the National
Curriculum. It can choose its own curriculum, as long as it is ‘broad and balanced’.
Admission Entry to school.
Admission
authority
The organisation that draws up the admission arrangements and sets out the
admission criteria for the schools it maintains. The local authority is the admission
authority for community schools. Each voluntary, academy or free school is its own
admission authority. All admission authorities within an area liaise closely to co-
ordinate their admission arrangements.
Admission
number
The number of places available at a school for each year group.
Admission
criteria
Conditions set by the admission authority, which are used to decide whether or not a
place can be offered to a child when a school receives more applications than place
available.
Appeal The independent process for questioning a decision not to offer your child a place at
the school you have applied for.
(CAF) Common
Application Form
The name of the local authority form used by anyone applying for a school place.
Community
schools
Schools maintained only by the local authority. The local authority is responsible for
admitting children to these schools.
(DfE) Department
for Education
The central government department responsible for setting appropriate laws and
guidance to help educate children and young people in England and Wales.
Equal preference
system
A model where all applications are treated equally in accordance with the admissions
policy. Therefore, if a school receives more applications than it has places available;
the admission criteria will be applied to each application with no consideration given
to whether or not the school is the first, second or third preference.
Free school Free schools are schools which are set up by groups of parents, teachers, charities,
Trusts, religious and voluntary groups. They are funded in the same way as
academies - directly from central government.
Governing
bodies
Responsible for making sure that the school is managed in line with laws and follows
policies in line with the conditions set by the DfE.
Infant, junior or
primary schools
‘Infant schools’ provide education for children aged four to seven, ‘junior schools’ for
children aged seven to 11, and ‘primary schools’ for children aged four to 11.
Local authority The council is responsible for many services and this includes providing education
across schools within the local authority’s boundaries.
Glossary
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 37
6
Understanding school
catchment areas and the
oversubscription criteria
Tower Hamlets Council seeks to
operate an admissions system
that provides equal and fair
opportunities to all applicants.
This includes having due regard
to children living in areas where
there are limited options in
applying for a local school place.
School catchment area
A school catchment area is a
geographically defined boundary
used to help provide children with
fairer access to a local school and
ensure all schools in an area have
an equal share of children.
A child living in the school’s
catchment area will, therefore, be
given priority over a child living
outside of the school’s catchment
area. This does not affect admission
categories where children with a
Statement of Special Educational
Needs or an Education, Health and
Care Plan are considered before
any other admission.
Catchment areas also do not
affect looked after children who
are given first priority in the
admission policy. Other exceptional
cases, such as medical and
social reasons, will also be given
priority before children living in the
catchment area.
There are six school catchment
areas for admission to Tower
Hamlets community schools.
The Paradigm Academies
(Culloden, Old Ford and Solebay)
and St Paul’s Way Trust Primary
also use these catchment areas
in their admissions criteria. Each
catchment area has a number
of schools that you can choose
from. Maps of each catchment
area and the schools within them
can be found on pages 18 to 24.
To find out the catchment area you
live in, please view the maps on
pages 18 to 24 or visit the website:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/
equalchance
Nearest school within
the catchment area
Higher priority is given to children
who apply to their nearest school
within their catchment area.
This reduces the possibility of
a family having to undertake an
unreasonable journey to school
and provides equal opportunity
for families living in parts of the
borough where there are a limited
number of schools. Please see the
examples on the next page which
show how this works in practice.
‘Tie-break’ criterion
When there are more children
within one of the admission
priorities than there are places
remaining at the school, the council
must decide who to offer places
to. The ‘tie-break’ gives priority
to children that live the shortest
walking distance from the school.
For example, a school may have 25
places remaining once all children
for whom the school is the nearest
school in the catchment area have
been considered, but there are 30
other children who have applied
and live within the same catchment
area. The 25 children that live
closest to the school will be offered
a place and the five children that
live furthest from the school will
not be offered a place.
Appendix A – Understanding school catchment
areas and the oversubscription criteria
38 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
6
Appendix A – Understanding school catchment
areas and the oversubscription criteria
Example 1
In this ‘tie-break’ example, Child A, Child B,
Child C and Child D have all applied to
Green School.
Green School is the nearest school for Child
A, Child B and Child C. The nearest school for
Child D is Blue School.
Given that Green School is Child A, Child B
and Child C’s nearest school, their applications
will have higher priority than Child D’s.
The highest priority would be given to Child
B who lives 250m away from Green School,
followed by Child C, who lives 400m away
and then Child A, who lives 800m away.
These children would, therefore, be ranked in
order of priority as follows:
Admissions
Criteria
Ranking
Order
Priority 4 –
nearest school in
catchment area
1. Child B
2. Child C
3. Child A
Priority 5 –
catchment area
3. Child D
Note: Although Child D lives closer
to Green School than Child A,
Child A will have higher priority
because Green School is Child A’s
nearest school.
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 39
6
Appendix A – Understanding school catchment
areas and the oversubscription criteria
Example 2
This example is similar to the first one, but here
Child B has decided not to apply to Green
School, which is Child B’s nearest school.
Even though Child B lives closer to Green
School than the other children, Child B
would not be considered for a place at
Green School, because no application was
made. The ranking in order of priority would
therefore be as follows:
Admissions
Criteria
Ranking
Order
Priority 4 –
nearest school in
catchment area
1. Child C
2. Child A
Priority 5 –
catchment area
4. Child D
Note: Child B’s applications to Blue
and White School would not be
considered under the nearest school
criterion because neither of these
schools are Child B’s nearest school.
40 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
6
Appendix B – Summary of last
year’s application and offers
The table below shows the number of applications and offers made for schools that use the admissions criteria
for Tower Hamlets community schools that received more applications than places available for the 2016/17
school year. If a community school does not appear on this list it means that the school was able to offer a place
to every child that applied or those that applied were offered a place at a higher preference school.
Last year, every child who had an older sibling already attending a community school was offered a place at the
same school as long as an on-time application was made. You can also see that very few places were offered to
children who live outside of the catchment area for the school.
School
Number of
applications
Number of places
available
Statement
of Special
Educational Needs
Looked after
children
Medical / Social
need
Sibling
Children living in
catchment Area
Children living
outside of the
catchemnt area
Tie-break cut off
distance (metres)
Ben Jonson 203 90 3 0 4 47 33 3 4,272.77
Bigland Green 214 60 1 1 1 33 24 0 351.18
Blue Gate Fields 222 90 6 1 1 39 37 6 550.63
Bonner Bethnal Green 257 60 1 0 1 30 28 0 611. 52
Bonner Mile End 187 60 0 0 0 19 34 7 1,015.45
Bygrove 269 30 3 0 0 18 9 0 189.54
Chisenhale 203 45 0 2 0 21 22 0 654.29
Columbia 188 60 0 0 2 33 25 0 534.42
Cubitt Town Infants 190 90 0 0 2 45 44 0 1,796.52
Cyril Jackson 168 60 3 0 0 24 33 0 1,589.03
Globe Primary 186 45 0 1 0 24 20 0 1,058.32
Halley Primary 192 30 0 0 1 16 13 0 606.24
John Scurr 140 60 0 0 1 25 33 1 314.71
Lansbury Lawrence 225 60 3 1 2 29 25 0 621.18
Marion Richardson 167 60 1 0 3 33 23 0 489.97
Mayflower 187 45 1 0 1 18 25 0 9 95.19
Old Ford 244 90 2 0 1 55 32 0 649.49
Old Palace 161 60 0 0 1 27 32 0 554.89
Seven Mills 89 30 0 0 0 23 7 0 4 37. 52
The Clara Grant 175 60 3 0 1 36 20 0 3 9 0.15
Virginia 92 30 3 0 0 12 15 0 6 07.14
Wellington 178 60 1 0 2 32 25 0 1,014.10
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 41
6
Appendix C – A step by step
guide to applying online
Registration
• If you have previously applied
using the online system you will
be able to log in without the
need for registration.
• Click on ‘Register to apply
online’ and enter your details
including the home address
where you and your child live.
• Please include your phone
number so that the school may
contact you to arrange for your
child’s admission to school.
• Once complete, click ‘Register’.
• You will receive an email with
a username and a link. Click
on the link to validate your
email address.
• You will then receive another
email containing your
username and password to
apply online. This email will
include a link to the start of the
application process.
• Click on this link and log in using
your username and password.
To start your online application please visit:
www.eadmissions.org.uk
You can also use the link from the council’s website:
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions
42 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
6
Appendix C – A step by step
guide to applying online
Step 1
Child’s details
• Click on ‘Start Application for
Ne w Ch ild’.
• Enter your child’s details. Your
child’s name should be their
legal name given on their birth
certificate or passport. Make
sure the child’s date of birth
you are applying for is between
September 1, 2012 and August
31, 2013. You will need to apply
on a paper form if you are
applying for a nursery place or
for a place in-year.
• If your child is a twin or triplet
please indicate this on the
application. You will need to
complete a separate application
for each child.
• If your child is a looked after
child (public care/foster care) or
was previously a looked after
child before being adopted or
became subject to a residence
order or special guardianship
order, please indicate the
responsible local authority for
your child.
• If your child has a Statement of
Special Educational Needs or
has an Education, Health and
Care plan please indicate this
on your application.
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 43
6
Appendix C – A step by step
guide to applying online
Step 2
Add the schools you wish
to apply to
Using the drop down lists:
1. Select which borough the school
you want to apply to is in.
2. Select the six schools you want
to apply to in order of preference.
3. You can also choose a school
using the ‘map’ or ‘keywords’
function. Please ensure that
you select the correct school
especially when there are
schools with similar names.
4. Once the school has been
selected you can also add
details about any older siblings
(brothers or sisters) attending
the school or if there are any
medical or social reasons
affecting you, your child or other
family members why you need a
place at a particular school.
5. If the school you are applying
to needs you to also complete
a supplementary information
form (SIF), this will automatically
be flagged up by the system.
Please ensure that all SIFs are
completed and returned to the
school by January 15, 2017.
6. Once you have inputted all six
schools you would like to apply
to click ‘Next’.
Schools selected can be moved up or down, added to
or deleted up until January 15, 2017.
44 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
6
Appendix C – A step by step
guide to applying online
Step 3
Check and submit
• Check all the details in your
application are correct and that
the schools you wish to apply
to are in the correct order.
• Click ‘Back’ at the bottom of the
screen if you need to make any
changes to your application.
• If you are applying to any
voluntary aided (church)
schools, free schools or
academies that require
supplementary information
forms (SIF) please make a note
of this and ensure that you
complete the form(s) at the
school before January 15, 2017.
• If you have older children at any
of the schools you have applied
to, make sure you have filled in
their details correctly. Siblings
should be currently on roll at the
school in the current reception
class up to year 5 (i.e. born
between September 1, 2011 and
August 31, 2007). Sibling priority
is not given for children who,
at the time of the application,
attend nursery or year 6.
Apply online at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions 45
6
Appendix C – A step by step
guide to applying online
Step 4
Checklist, declaration and
submitting your application
• Read the checklist to make
sure that you have completed
all the necessary steps
when you were making your
application.
• Read the declaration and
understand that you must
contact Pupil Services of any
change of circumstances
including if you move house.
• Failure to do so may mean
that your application is
deemed invalid or lead to the
offer of a school place being
withdrawn.
• Confirm that you have
read and accepted the
declaration and click ‘Submit
Application’.
• If you make any changes to
your application you will need
to resubmit your application.
Confirmation
Your application is now complete.
You will receive an application
reference number to confirm
the form has been submitted
correctly. You will also receive an
email confirming submission with
the reference number, along with
a reminder about which schools
require SIFs.
46 Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets – Guide for Parents 2017/2018
Useful contacts
Pupil Services
Town Hall, Mulberry Place
5 Clove Crescent
London E14 2BG
Tel: 020 7364 5006
Fax: 020 7364 4311
Email: school.admissions@
towerhamlets.gov.uk
Website:
•www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/
schooladmissions
•www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/
equalchance
•www.eadmissions.org.uk
Early Years Service
Tel: 020 7364 1553
Email:
early.years@towerhamlets. gov.uk
Family Information Service
Tel: 020 7364 6495
Email: fis@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Special Educational Needs
Tel: 020 7364 4880
Email: sen@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Parents Advice Centre
Tel: 020 7364 6489
Useful websites
www.eadmissions.org.uk
www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk
www.gov.uk/dfe
www.ofsted.gov.uk
www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk
Free internet access is
available at our Idea Stores
Idea Store Bow
1 Gladstone Place, Roman Road
London E3 5ES
Idea Store Canary Wharf
Churchill Place
London E14 5RB
Idea Store Chrisp Street
1 Vesey Path
East India Dock Road
London E14 6BT
Idea Store Watney Market
260 Commercial Road
London E1 2FB
Idea Store Whitechapel
321 Whitechapel Road
London E1 1BU
Help with free school
meals and clothing
grants can be obtained
from One Stop Shops
Bethnal Green
1 Rushmead
Bethnal Green
London E2 6NE
Tel: 020 7364 5020
Bow and North Poplar
Gladstone Place
1 Ewart Place (off Roman Road)
London E3 5EQ
Tel: 020 7364 5020
Stepney and Wapping
Cheviot House
227-233 Commercial Street
London E1 2BU
Tel: 020 7364 5020
260 Commercial Road
London E1 2FB
Tel: 020 7364 5020
South Poplar and
Isle of Dogs
15 Market Square Chrisp Street
London E14 6AQ
Tel: 020 7364 5020
Contact details for
surrounding London
authorities
Barking and Dagenham
Tel: 020 8215 3004
www.barking-dagenham.gov.uk
Camden
Tel: 020 7974 1625
www.camden.gov.uk
City of London
Tel: 020 7332 3998
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
Greenwich
Tel: 020 8921 8043
www.greenwich.gov.uk
Hackney
Tel: 020 8820 7000
www.hackney.gov.uk
Islington
Tel: 020 7527 5661
www.islington.gov.uk
Lewisham
Tel: 020 8314 8282
www.lewisham.gov.uk
Newham
Tel: 020 8430 2000
www.newham.gov.uk
Redbridge
Tel: 020 8708 3139
www.redbridge.gov.uk
Southwark
Tel: 020 7525 2910
www.southwark.gov.uk
Westminster
Tel: 020 7745 6433
www.westminster.gov.uk
Useful addresses
Apply online at
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/schooladmissions