Secondary school open evenings for primary school pupils and parents

Secondary schools across Manchester are opening their doors to showcase what they have to offer to the city's ten and eleven year olds who will be starting secondary school next September 2010.

Details of the dates and times of open evenings being held at every secondary school can be found online on the Council's website at: www.manchester.gov.uk/schoolopenevenings

All parents of pupils currently in their last year of primary school have to apply for a secondary school place for their child by the strict deadline of 5 pm on October 23 to give their child the best chance of getting a place at one of their preferred schools.

Parents should have already received an admissions application pack from Manchester Children's Services.  Applications can be made either on the paper form contained in this pack and returned by post, or can also be made online at www.manchester.gov.uk/admissions

Parents are encouraged to name each of their preferred schools when they make their application up to a maximum of six, and to rank their preferred schools to show which of them would be their first, second, third preference etc, if places were available at those schools.

Manchester operates an equal preference system when considering school admission applications.  This means that each of the school preferences given by a parent on their application form will be considered at the same time.  If, as a result of this, the system shows that a place could be offered at more than one school, their child will be offered a place at the school ranked highest on the application form by the parents.

Pauline Newman, Director of Children's Services, Manchester City Council, said: "Choosing a secondary school for your child is one of the most important decisions you will have to make.  You will want a school where your child is happy and safe and achieves their best. School open evenings provide a great opportunity to see what a school has to offer and to talk to staff and possibly pupils already at the school."

Councillor Sheila Newman, Executive Member, Children's Services, Manchester City Council, said: "We are currently spending more than £500 million pounds to provide state of the art secondary school buildings and facilities right across the city.

"The way children are taught and learn is being transformed at every city school and pupils are benefiting from a much more personalised approach.  Combined with some of the best ever A level results at our high schools and GCSE results that continue their year on year improvement, there has never been a better time to choose a Manchester school for your child."