ADMISSIONS

All admissions to Whitegrove Primary School are dealt with by Bracknell Forest Council's Admissions team. Please see our menu options on the right.

Welcome

Dear Prospective Parents

Re: Starting at Whitegrove Primary School

Welcome to our school and thank you for your interest in Whitegrove. We are very proud of our children and their academic achievements, with the school consistently in the top 20% of schools nationally in test results. The children in our school are happy and thrive in an environment in which they are encouraged to take risks in their learning. We are able to achieve all of this because each child and every family is important to us.

If you have any questions regarding admissions to EYFS, please email us at prospectiveparents@whitegroveprimary.co.uk

The four steps for EYFS admissions

We adapt the pages on our website according to the timings for each step of the application process. Please see Timeline and FAQs for a guide to dates.

Step 1: "Prospective parents"

This first step is all about research - visiting Primary schools to see if they feel right for you, your family and your personal circumstances (eg dropping off siblings in other schools then getting to work). There is no automatic transfer from nursery to EYFS so parents must apply for primary school, even if their child attends a school nursery.

We offer face-to-face open mornings during the Autumn Term and into early January. A member of our Senior Leadership Team gives a tour of the school, followed by a Q&A session. See here for dates. Places are limited so must be booked in advance - please email secretary@whitegroveprimary.co.uk or call us on 01344 861020.

Step 2: Applying for September (5th November to 15th January of the following year)

Admissions applications for Whitegrove Primary School must be submitted to Bracknell Forest Council, who arrange our new EYFS September intake (please also see BFC's website for information on School admissions). Their process usually goes live on 5th November and closes on 15th January.

You may find the period from 15th January to National Offer Day (16th April or next working day) a little quiet, given the previous activity of visiting primary schools, making your decision then submitting your application.

Step 3: National Offer Day (16th April or next working day) - accepting for September

Offers of school places for September will be made to on-time applications on National Offer Day (16th April or next working day). They will be sent either by email (make sure you can access your email) or, if you made a paper application and didn't supply an email address, by post on 16th April to your home address (please allow for a postal delay - School Admissions will not confirm offers by phone).

When you receive your offer, you must accept or refuse the school place by 3rd May. Failure to do so may result in the school place being withdrawn (more details will be included with your offer).

Late applications: Applications received after 15th January will be processed in a second round of admissions (after 3rd May). Be prepared that your preferred school may remain full following the first round of admissions so your offer of a school place may reflect this.

Appeals: The deadline for appeals is 19th May and appeals will be heard during June/July. Appeals lodged after 19th May may not be heard before September.

When will your new school contact you? Schools will contact their new families later in the Summer term (June/July), once Bracknell Forest Council has confirmed the final allocation following late applications and appeals.

At Whitegrove, we will contact our new families to offer visits to our EYFS unit and open mornings to meet staff, children, our PTA and other new Whitegrove EYFS parents. Our aim is to help you to understand our routines, introduce our curriculum and give tips on how you can help your child to adjust over the summer and our uniform for September (top tip: don't buy it too early!).

Step 4: New joiners

In September, we will give your access to the secure portal on our website where you'll be able to view resources and information to help you and your child settle in EYFS.