Admissions at Whitchurch Primary School
Welcome to Whitchurch Primary School, a friendly and nurturing village school where every child is supported to thrive and develop a lifelong love of learning. Whether you’re considering a place for your child in Willow Class (our Foundation Stage class) or joining us at a later stage, we warmly invite you to come and experience our unique setting for yourself.
Our small class sizes, creative curriculum, and strong sense of community make Whitchurch Primary School a wonderful place for children to begin their educational journey. We would love to show you around and answer any questions you may have — please contact the school office to arrange a visit with our Headteacher.
Starting School at Whitchurch
Most children join Whitchurch Primary School full-time in the September after their fourth birthday, meaning they will turn five during their first school year.
The law requires children to start full-time education by the time they reach compulsory school age, which is on:
- 31 December, 31 March, or 31 August following their fifth birthday — whichever comes first.
For example, if your child turns five in February, they reach compulsory school age on 31 March, meaning they would need to start school at the beginning of the summer term.
Flexible Start Options
We understand that every child is unique and some children benefit from a flexible approach when starting school. If you feel your child would benefit from a different start, you have the option to:
- Defer their start date within the school year, as long as they are in full-time education by the time they reach compulsory school age.
- Start part-time before moving to full-time.
- Request for your child to delay starting school by a full year if they are summer-born (born between 1 April and 31 August). This would mean starting in Reception at age 5 instead of 4. This is known as a delayed entry and is considered on a case-by-case basis.
If you are considering any of these options, we encourage you to discuss your child’s needs with us and with relevant professionals. You will still need to apply for a school place at the usual time and indicate your preference for a deferred or delayed start when you apply.
For further guidance, you can also refer to the Department for Education’s advice for parents of summer-born children.
Our Early Years Approach
Children in Willow Class, our Foundation Stage, follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS). This provides a play-based, hands-on learning environment, just as they would experience in nursery or pre-school, but enriched with new experiences and opportunities.
Children learn through:
- Structured play
- Child-initiated activities
- Teacher-led learning, including daily numeracy and phonics sessions
To support a happy and confident start, we invite all new Reception children to Step-Up Sessions during the summer term before they start. These sessions give children a chance to meet their new classmates, explore their classroom, and get to know our friendly staff. We also hold a Parent Transition Meeting, where you can meet the team, ask questions, and learn more about how we support children as they settle into school life.
Thanks to our gentle and welcoming approach, it’s very rare for children to feel unsettled when they start at Whitchurch.
Visiting Whitchurch Primary School
Choosing the right school for your child is an important decision, and we encourage prospective parents to visit us to see what makes Whitchurch Primary School special.
Our Headteacher would be delighted to show you around, introduce you to our staff, and give you a glimpse of life in our vibrant classrooms. Visits can also be arranged for children joining after the age of five. Please contact the school office to arrange a convenient time.
How to Apply
All admissions are processed by Oxfordshire County Council (OCC). Applications must be submitted by January for places starting in September.
You can find full details of the admissions process, including how to apply and what to do if your application is unsuccessful, on the Oxfordshire County Council website:
👉 www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/admissions
Our Published Admission Number (PAN) is 20, meaning we can admit up to 20 children in each year group. If more applications are received than there are places available, OCC applies oversubscription criteria to decide which children are offered places. If you are not offered a place, you have the right to appeal, and OCC will explain how to do this.
Our Catchment Area
Whitchurch Primary School primarily serves the villages of Whitchurch-on-Thames and Whitchurch Hill, but we also welcome applications from families living outside our catchment area where spaces are available. For clarification on catchment and admissions criteria, please contact Oxfordshire County Council Admissions Team.
Moving on from Whitchurch Primary School
At the end of Year 6, most children transfer to Langtree School in Woodcote. However, our pupils have also gone on to a wide range of secondary schools, including:
- Reading School
- Kendrick School
- The Downs School
- Abingdon School
- Queen Anne’s School
- St Andrew’s School
- Pangbourne College
If you are considering grammar schools or selective schools, you can find information about entrance exams on the relevant school websites.
If you have any further questions about admissions, flexible start options, or arranging a visit, please contact our school office — we look forward to welcoming you to Whitchurch Primary School!
