Admissions

If you are considering Hawthorns School, please take the time to check our website for information to inform your decision-making.   We hold school tours once every half term during the Autumn and Spring . If you know someone who has had a child attend Hawthorns in the past, or who is attending the school at the moment, these are usually the best people to speak to.  They will have a parent’s perspective and this would help you to decide whether our school is right for your child or not.

Every child who attends Hawthorns has an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP). On this plan there is a named caseworker from Tameside Local Authority SEND team. Admissions to Hawthorns are determined by Tameside Local Authority and not the school. The LA have to consider the needs of the child, the type of provision we offer, the number of places we have available, and whether there are alternative settings that may also be suitable to support your child.

The school is consulted for their views, and we will make an assessment based on the paperwork we receive (which parents will have seen) and a visit to see your child in their current setting. Often other schools and settings are also consulted at the same time if they could also potentially meet the needs of your child. The named caseworker will then inform families of the decision that Tameside have made.  Once agreed with parents, a setting is then named on the child’s EHCP.

Demand for places at Hawthorns is currently very high, and there are never enough places available to meet the number of applications we receive. The school has tried to support as many families as possible by taking ever-increasing numbers of new admissions – we have grown by 100% in the last three years. There is now no further physical space at the school to expand numbers any more. We have opened a new interim provision based at Discovery Academy in Hattersley for some of our youngest pupils to try and accommodate more children. Both sites are oversubscribed and full at the present time. A new Hawthorns School is being built so that we can admit a further increase in pupil numbers, which is projected to open in late 2023/early 2024.

If you wish your child to attend Hawthorns School, please submit your application as early as possible. We try to keep to a September admission date, when places become available once our oldest pupils move on to high school. In-year admissions are usually not possible because our school and classes are always full, but occasionally a child leaves mid-year creating an available space.

We understand and appreciate the battles and hurdles you will have faced having a child with SEND. If you have questions, or you would like to discuss potential admission for your child, please contact the school for advice. If I am not available at the time, I will call you back when I can. Please also discuss school placement with your child’s named caseworker from the Tameside SEND team – they are your contact with the Local Authority admissions team, and part of their role is to support you through this process.

P. Coiffait

Pierre Coiffait,

Executive Principal

Click here to view our admissions policy