Admissions
đ Welcome from the Headteacher
Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most important decisions you'll make. At Whittlefield, we offer a warm, inclusive, and inspiring environment where every child is supported to thriveâacademically, socially, and emotionally.
Our admission number is 30, which is jointly agreed between the LA and the Governing Board, and this determines the maximum number of pupils that the school will admit in September each year.
Weâd love to welcome you to our school community.
đ A lovely message from one of our new Reception parents đ
We are always delighted to hear from our families about their experiences at Whittlefield. Here is a lovely message recently received from the parent of one of our Reception children:
âI just wanted to say how happy I am with how my daughter is getting on at school.
She is always so excited in the mornings to come into school, and she speaks so highly of Mr Ryan. She even asks at the weekend if she can go to school, which says so much about how happy and settled she feels. She is also really enjoying the after-school club, which has been lovely to see. Itâs reassuring to know that she is happy and comfortable both in and out of school hours.
It is also so lovely in the mornings to always be greeted with a smile and a warm âgood morningâ. Especially this morning, when the headteacher personally greeted my daughter by name. It was really lovely to see that she is known and recognised, and that she already feels a real sense of belonging, even within such a busy environment.
As a parent, watching your little girl grow up and take that big step into starting school can be quite daunting, but you have put my mind at ease. Thank you for making her feel so welcome, supported and valued, and for creating an environment where she is clearly so happy to be.
It really is appreciated, and it is wonderful to see how much my daughter is enjoying her time at school.â
â Reception parent
How to apply for a School Place
Lancashire School Admissions - September 2027 Intake
From 1 September 2026, parents/carers in Lancashire can apply for primary school places for children starting school in September 2027.
Admission criteria are the rules for who is given priority for places in each school. They are applied when a school is oversubscribed (has more requests than there are places available). As a Community School, Lancashire County Council, as the admission authority, sets the admissions policy and allocates places. Click here for full details.
đ Apply here
Friday 15 January 2027 - National closing date for primary applications (statutory).
Friday 16 April 2027 - Offers issued to parents.
(The national offer date is 16 April; if this date falls on a weekend or a bank holiday, offers are sent the next working day.)
If you are not happy with an initial offer, the appeals period starts from your receipt of the offer. Appeal information will be issued later, as this allows some time for waiting lists to operate.
In-year admissions
Before you apply to change schools, you will need to speak to the current school and the school you intend to move to.
Changing schools during the school year
To move your child to a different school, you must apply for an in-year admission. This is different from an application for the usual transfer points, starting reception year of primary school.
How to apply
The different types of schools and academies have different in-year admission arrangements.
Follow the relevant link below for a list of schools of each type and how to apply:
Community and voluntary-controlled schools - Lancashire County Council coordinates in-year admissions for these schools.
Voluntary aided and foundation schools, academies, and free schools - these schools coordinate their own in-year admissions. You will need to apply to them directly.Â
You should not use this process if you are applying for
a school which is in another local authority area, such as Blackpool or Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council - please contact them directly
a child who has an education, health and care (EHC) plan - please contact the Inclusion Service for guidance
a Looked After Child - please apply directly through the local area education office
After you apply
Your application will be processed by the local area education office in line with the Admissions Code and fair access policy. They will acknowledge receipt of your application and then write to you with the outcome within approximately 15 school days (this does not include weekends or school holidays).
There is no need to contact them before the 15 days have passed. Remember to check your spam or junk mail folders before you get in touch.
The Access to Education Entitlements privacy notice tells you how we process personal data.
Receiving a school offer
If the school you request has places, your child will be offered a place at the school, and you will receive your offer letter via email or post. You must contact the school within 5 school days of the offer date to arrange school admission. The expectation is that the child will be admitted to the school within 15 school days after the school offer notification.
If the school you request doesnât have any places, you will be notified and should contact the area office to find out about the availability of places at other local schools. You also have the right to appeal against the refusal of a place in the current Reception class to current Year 11.
Appeals
If your childâs application for a place at the school is unsuccessful, you will be informed why admission was refused and given information about the process for hearing appeals. If you wish to appeal, you must set out the grounds for your appeal in writing via the link below:
You can find details of the schoolâs appeals timetable on the Lancashire County Council website.