Admissions Policy

Witchampton C of E First School is a small, church of England school for pupils aged 4 – 9
The Admission Policy for this school is attached below at the bottom of this page

Children Starting School in September 

Parents/carers of Reception age children starting school in September should apply for a place through the local authority in which they live.  Click on the link for the relevant Dorset County Council web pages and catchment area maps:

Dorset LA Admissions information.

Tours of the School

We are always delighted to show parents around our school and give them an opportunity to explore our setting. This allows you as a parent to ask us any questions you may have.
Please contact the school on 01258 840684 to arrange a tour or email the School Office at office@witchamptonfirstschool.org.

In most cases our Headteacher will accompany parents on school tours.

For new pupils due to start school in September, tours are available during the Autumn Term. Please contact the school office on 01258 840684 or email us at office@witchamptonfirstschool.org to book a tour place.

The closing date for applications is 15 January.

Offers will be released:

• on 16 April if you applied on time (by 15 January) 
• on 13 May if you apply late (between 16 January and 15 April) 
• from June onwards if you apply after 15 April

Children Joining Our School At Any Time Other than the Start of Reception Year

We welcome applications from parents for their children to join our school at any time. If the school place you are seeking for your child is required during the school year, you will still need to apply via the local authority in which you live. Click on the link Dorset LA Admissions information to be taken to the Dorset Local Authority web page.

Click here for information about Dorset Council's In-Year Coordination scheme

Click here for information about moving school during the school year (in year admissions).

Parents are asked to note the following information regarding School Admission Arrangements:

Witchampton C of E First School is a member of the Initio Learning Trust partnership of schools.This is a vibrant and exciting family of schools, driven to provide high quality education and to fully support the local and wider community. 

Admissions Appeals

Click here for information about how to appeal an admissions refusal.

Click here for the admissions appeals timetable.

• Appeals lodged after these dates will be heard within 40 school days of the appeal deadline or 30 school days of being lodged, whichever is the later date.
• You will receive at least 10 school days notice of your appeal hearing date. School days do not include school holidays, inset days, bank holidays or weekends
• Appeals are heard during the daytime on weekdays and are not normally heard during school holidays. Where there are multiple appeals for places at the same school, the hearings may go over a number of days
• The school’s case will be made available to parents and Panel members at least 5 school days before the start of the appeal hearing
• Additional evidence may be submitted up to 5 working days before the hearing
• Any additional evidence received after this date might not be considered at the appeal hearing. The Appeal Panel must decide whether it should be considered, taking into account its significance and the effect of a possible need to adjourn the hearing
• Following the hearing, decision letters will be sent, where possible, within 5 school days of the end of the hearing. During busy periods, such as main entry, full decision letters may take longer than this, so the Clerk will send a brief decision summary email in the interim
• Appeal hearings for in-year places will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged

Useful Admissions Information

Click here to read the School Admissions Code 

Click here to read the School Admissions Appeals Code 

A note that the deadline for schools appeals timetable for 2025 to be published on websites was 28 February 2025.