Admissions

Initial Enquiry

Reception Admissions for September 2025
Waterfield Primary Approved Admissions Criteria for Entry 2025-26
Reception Admissions for September 2024
Waterfield Primary Approved Admissions Criteria for Entry 2024-25
Reception Admissions for September 2023
Waterfield Primary Approved Admissions Criteria for Entry 2023-24

Information for admission into Reception for September 2024
Admissions must be submitted by 15th January 2024. National Offers day is 16th April 2024. You will receive an offer of a Reception place directly from the Local Authority in which you live.

If you have been offered a place at Waterfield Primary School:

Congratulations! You must now accept or decline the place through your local authority.

If you have not been offered a place at Waterfield Primary School:

We hope you are happy with the school that you have been offered. If, however, you wish to appeal the decision not to offer a place at Waterfield Primary School, please see information here on how to submit an appeal for a place in Reception.

Please note Waterfield Primary School are unable to answer any queries about the waiting list until the list is received from the local authority.

Admissions Policy and Entry Procedure

Admission to this school is co-ordinated by a team based in Horsham. Application should be made to the Pupil Admissions Team (Area C), Adults and Children, Learning, County Hall North, Chartway, Horsham, RH12 1XA.

Click here for our Admissions policy.

Tel: 03330142903
e-mail:admissions.north@westsussex.gov.uk.

Please keep both that office and the school office advised of any changes to your children’s circumstances during their education (change of name, address, school etc) to assist in the forward planning of school provision for West Sussex. Further details relating to admissions can be found by clicking here.

Children in West Sussex can be admitted to school at the beginning of the academic year of their fifth birthday. It will be at the parents’ discretion, in consultation with the class teacher and headteacher, as to whether Autumn entry into school is appropriate for children born in Spring or Summer, although it is unusual for parents to elect to delay. If the decision is made to delay
entry, a child’s place will not be put in jeopardy.

In-Year Admissions

In-year admissions are managed by West Sussex County Council and information to access this can be found here

If you wish to appeal against the decision not to offer a place in Years R-6, please contact the Governance Manager at The Collegiate Trust for an appeals form. You will need to set out the grounds for your appeal. Forms submitted without this information will not be accepted.

Induction for Pupils

In the preceding Summer term, the Early Years Department (EYD) teachers will visit the main pre-school groups which have children joining Waterfield Primary School the following September. Children will also be invited to join the EYD classes for an afternoon and during that time, Miss Newman will meet parents to discuss general school routines and to answer any queries parents may have. EYD children will also be invited to join part of ‘moving up morning’ when the whole school spends a morning in their ‘new class’. At the end of the session, parents will collect their children from the main entrance, as some of their usual exits are used for school lunches for older children at that time.

Waterfield Primary School staff will liaise closely with all feeder units to ensure that the transition to ‘big school’ is as smooth as possible.

Transport

Children under eight years of age, whose homes are more than two miles from school and who have been placed at Waterfield Primary School by the admissions team because places are not available at their nearest school, are eligible to use a school taxi service or to claim a mileage allowance. This service is extended to children over eight years who live more than three miles away. All issues relating to transport matters for children attending this school are dealt with by the Transport Office based in County Hall, Chichester, PO19 1RF. They can be contacted on 01243-753530.