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Admissions

Children start main school at Wittering in the September of the school year (Sept 1 to Aug 31) after they are four. After a short period of part-time at the start of term these children attend full-time. Many of these children will have previously attended the Spring Wittering setting but children do also join us from many other settings. There is a useful Starting School document to download at the bottom of this page.

We have a published admission number (PAN) of 60.

To apply for a school place and for more information about admissions visit www.peterborough.gov.uk/school_admissions

To see the Admissions Timetable click here

New entrant children and their parents will receive an invitation to visit the school and parents have the opportunity to meet teachers and be advised of ways of helping their child to settle quickly into school.

It would be very helpful to have information before your child begins attending school. The basic details are necessary for general administration purposes and the other information is helpful to us in caring for your child in school or when we need to contact parents in emergencies. Please download the attached form, complete as fully as possible and send or bring it to school (see below for form).

Transfer

Many children are admitted during the course of the year as a result of moving into the local area. Please contact the school to arrange a visit in advance if possible or arrive at the school with your child at any time for a brief introduction and to deal with the minimal formalities. Children are unable to start school until all relevant paper work has been completed.

Where possible, it is best if children start school on the day after a visit with parents. Any information that can be provided by your child's previous school will help during the first few days following admission. If you can bring any National Curriculum and Assessment Records from a previous school then please do!

If you are moving out of the area please inform the school as soon as possible so that a package of information on your child can be prepared for you to hand over to your child's next school.

Entry to the Foundation Stage

Registration

September - Application process for starting in Foundation begins. Opportunity for parents/carers to visit individual schools.
October and November - Parents, or prospective parents, visit school by booking on to one of the schools' prospective parent tours
Mid-January - National Closing Date - Closing date for completed online applications. We strongly recommend that you do not delay your application to the last minute in case of technical problems. SIFS to have been returned to schools directly.
April - Parents that applied online can log onto Peterborough city Council's website from 12.30am to see which school their child has been offered. Allocation information will be published on the Peterborough City Council website. Letters will be posted 2nd class to parents who did not make an online application. No decisions will be made by telephone.
Early May - Closing date for parents to either accept or refuse the school place offered. If the parent does not reply, the offer will be withdrawn.
June - Parents are invited to attend a new intake presentation where teachers will give an overview into the life of the Foundation Stage classroom. There will also be an opportunity to meet the catering team and members of Sunflower Seeds Childcare (before/ after school club).
In June/July - The Foundation teacher will visit feeder nurseries, pre-schools and childminders by appointment and with parental consent.
July - Children and their parents are invited to school for a 'taster session'
September - Children to start school full or part-time by pre-arrangement

Criteria for Admission

Looked after children.
Children living in the school’s catchment area.
Children who have brothers and sisters in attendance at the school.
Children living closest to the school on the shortest available safe walking route.

September Intake

At Wittering Primary School, our first concern is for the individual child, and so we have a gentle Intake Procedure that ensures the children's first days at school are happy and calm, and causes little stress.

The children are divided into two groups and each group starts school on a part-time basis, attending either the morning or afternoon session. This gives the Foundation Stage staff time to be with the children, spend time helping them to adjust to their new situation and to assess their stages of development.

As each group settles down, the children are invited to stay for lunch. This can be a little overwhelming, so Foundation children go to lunch earlier than the rest of the school.

After a short time, children are offered a full-time place; the majority of the children are attending school full-time by the second week in September. If your child needs a little longer on a part-time basis, however, this can be discussed with the class-teacher. We will discuss how the child has settled, their age, and how they are coping physically, mentally and emotionally.

Admission to school at other times

Children often start school at times other than the Foundation Stage, i.e. if you are moving to the area. In the event of this happening with your child, every effort is made to make you and your family welcome and to make the transition to the new environment as smoothly as possible. Please contact the school if you have any anxieties about your child. You are always welcome at school.

The agreed admissions number for class groups is 60, These totals may only be exceeded if particular circumstances arise.

Appeal Procedure

Any parent of a child not being admitted is entitled to appeal the decision to the Department for Education (DfE) for reconsideration.

Confirmation of Places

A letter is sent out as soon as places in the school are confirmed by Peterborough City Council Admissions Team.

Secondary Transfer

Children transfer to secondary school in September of the school year in which they become 11 years of age i.e. 11 by 31st August of that year. Most of our year six children transfer to Arthur Mellows Village College, Casterton College or Stamford Welland Academy, Stamford. Earlier in the year parents receive information about how to state their preference for a secondary school. There is also information on the arrangements for visiting schools. All schools have a limited number of places so it is important that you consider carefully where you would like your child to go and state a clear preference. We are happy to offer advice on any aspect of school transfer.