Admissions

We have attractive school grounds, including a beautiful outdoor learning area, which the children use as part of the wider curriculum on a free flow basis. The learning opportunities are well planned and engage each child in age appropriate play. We are passionate about our role in society and strive to devise a rich and diverse curriculum to inspire and engage all our children.

Whittingham's nursery curriculum recognises that the Early Years curriculum should be built upon; learning through play and exciting challenges, whilst also placing, the prime areas, personal, social and emotional development and attitudes and behaviours at its core. We aim to create the highest standards in learning and teaching. We strongly believe that our children should develop a love for learning that prepares them for their future, whilst ensuring that they feel safe and secure and that they have opportunities to relish in challenges on a daily basis, to facilitate reaching their full potential. 

Our school is a multi-cultural school, we are proud that our children and families are from a diversity of backgrounds and speak a wide range of languages. We value and showcase our community and families around our school and we celebrate diversity throughout our curriculum to ensure all pupils and families feel valued.

The curriculum is designed to allow for diverse and differentiated outcomes to be developed for each pupil. This aims to ensure that a strong foundation is developed and that this serves as a solid basis for a child’s learning journey. As such, every child is carefully nurtured to aspire to be a forever reader, learner and researcher! 

Our curriculum allows pupils to experience and produce work that they may not be exposed to until much later in life. Children are enabled to develop transferable skills that can be applied both across the curriculum, and outside of the classroom environment. Every child should be seen as a budding flower to be carefully nurtured. We will facilitate the growth of each child towards becoming well-rounded and insightful individuals.  

Admissions into our Nursery are managed by the school, children can join our Nursery at the start of the term that falls after their third birthday.

The Nursery is made up of three different sessions: morning, afternoon, and full time. The timings for these sessions are as follows, daily, Monday to Friday.

Morning: 8.45am – 11.45pm

Afternoon: 12.30pm – 15.30pm

Full Time: 8.45am to 15.30pm (This session requires a 30-hour code)

You can apply for any of the above sessions, however, if we are able to offer you a place in our nursery, we cannot guarantee an offer of your requested session.

If you are interested in enrolling your child into our nursery, please register your child by completing our form: Nursery Application Form.

Please note: the offer to a Nursery place does not guarantee the offer of a place in Reception. An application will need to be made with Waltham Forest , please visit Home | eAdmissions. to apply for a Primary School Place (Reception to Year 6).

In-Year Admissions
In-Year Admissions are also dealt with by the Waltham Forest Schools Admissions Service. After accepting a place at the school, children and their parents are invited to attend an admissions meeting with a member of the Senior Leadership Team to discuss their transition into the school and to agree an admission date.

Applying for a Secondary School Place

If your child is currently in Year 6, they are due to start secondary school in September 2024.

You must apply for a secondary school place for your child even if they have an older brother or sister at your preferred school. 

If you and your child live in Waltham Forest, you must apply through Waltham Forest Schools Admissions Service. If you and your child live outside Waltham Forest, you must apply to the local authority in which you live, even if you are applying for schools in other areas.

Admissions Policy - Click here to view the Admissions Policy.

Oversubscription criteria

If the number of preferences for the school is more than the number of places available, places will be allocated in the following priority order:

1. Looked after children: children who are in the care of local authorities as defined by Section 22 of the Children Act 1989.
2. Children who the local authority accepts have an exceptional medical or social need for a place at the school;
3. Children with siblings at the school (not in the first year);
4. Children of staff who are employed by the Trust.
5. Children who live nearest to the school.

If two or more children are ranked equally on any of the above criteria, random allocation will determine which child or children are offered places. In this case, a child or children’s names will be randomly selected from a total list of tied applicants by someone unconnected with the school.

Pupils with statements of Special Educational Need will not be subject to the application of the oversubscription criteria. They will be allocated a place at Walthamstow Primary Academy if their statement nominates the school as being the most suitable.