Admissions

If you are thinking about your child joining our school, please get in touch with us. We will be happy to chat with you, answer any questions you may have, and to organise a visit so you can get a feel for our typical school day.

Applying for Reception School Places for September 2026?

Applications for admission to our Reception classes at Winnington Park are dealt with by Cheshire West and Cheshire Admissions team. For information around Admissions, please visit https://www.gov.uk/schools-admissions. You can contact the admissions team direct on 0300 123 7039 too if you require any additional information.

Please see the 'Starting School in September 2026' tab on the homepage of our website for Open Mornings dates and School Tours dates. 

Delaying or Deferring a School Place

Delayed entry for summer born children

There are two options if you wish to delay your child’s school entry until the following year, for children born between 1 April and 31 August only:

• delayed entry option one – a written notification must be submitted to us advising that you wish to delay your child’s entry until the following September and join the normal age group in year one. You will need to make an in year application to the school at the beginning of June prior to the September start
• delayed entry option two – you must apply within the timescale for the normal admissions round submitting a written request together with the application advising that you wish to delay your child’s entry until the following September and start in reception, a year below their normal age group. Approval from the admission authority is required for this option

The vast majority of children in the borough are taught in their chronological year group. 

Deferred entry

If your child is due to start school during the next academic year, you must apply for a place for September.

If your child’s fifth birthday is between the months of September and December, then, if you wish it, admission may be deferred until January; if it is between January and April, then admission may be deferred until the start of the summer term, though it is likely to be in your child’s interest to start no later than January.

Parents / carers can decide to delay or defer a Reception place.

If your child is due to start school during the next academic year, you must apply for a place for September.

If your child’s fifth birthday is between the months of September and December, then, if you wish it, admission may be deferred until January; if it is between January and April, then admission may be deferred until the start of the summer term, though it is likely to be in your child’s interest to start no later than January.

Please see information on the CWAC website:

https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/education-and-learning/school-admissions/reception-admissions/compulsory-school-age-and-deferreddelayed-entry

 Applying for an In-Year Admission?

If you are interested in your child joining Winnington Park as an ‘In Year Transfer’ then please contact us to enquire whether there are spaces in the relevant year group. Our school is two form entry with 60 places in each year group (Published Admission Number of 30 children per class). The school consider applications through Cheshire West and Chester Admissions, if we have space within that year group. If a year group is full, then a waiting list will be put into place and parents / carers contacted once places become available. 

We will organise an opportunity for you to visit, to meet the headteacher, discuss the curriculum, see our different classes in action, tour the site and to meet your child’s potential new class.

If you then decide to apply for a place, this can be done via https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/education-and-learning/school-admissions/object-to-admission-arrangements/in-year-school-transfers. You can apply for a place twenty school days before the date the place is required.

Oversubscription Criteria:  if a school is oversubscribed (CWAC criteria), places are allocated in this order:

1. Children in Care (Looked After Children).
2. Children with special social or medical reasons.
3. Children living in the school’s catchment area.
4. Siblings (brother/sister) already attending.
5. Distance from home to school (straight-line measurements)

Once the application is received by school you will hear directly from us with regards to the offer of a place (if one is available) and an agreed start date. At this stage data collection forms will be supplied to obtain information that school needs and also an information booklet which provides lots of helpful information about school.

If at any stage in the process you have any questions/queries please contact our office team who will be happy to help.

Applying for a place in the Nursery?

We are very proud to have a Nursery integrated within our Early Years provision.

If your child is aged three to four and you are interested in them joining our Nursery, please contact the school and Mrs Jordan our Nursery teacher will be happy to meet you and show you around.

Applications for a place in Nursery should be made through the school office. We will guide you through the application process and tell you about the Universal 15 Hours of free Nursery time for all children. You may be eligible to receive the 30 Hours Extended Childcare Offer and we can explain to you how to apply.

Tel: 01606 74371

admin@winningtonpark.cheshire.sch.uk

Appeals

If you want to make an appeal, please visit https://www.gov.uk/schools-admissions/appealing-a-schools-decision or contact the school if you want any further information / support with this. 

Timetable for managing school admission appeals based on the Department for Education School Admission Appeals Code requirements: