Admissions and Attendance
Admissions
Wimbish Primary Academy is a 105 place, 1-form entry primary academy. The village of Wimbish is situated between Saffron Walden and Thaxted in Essex. If you would like your child to attend our school, please see full details of our admission arrangements below.
If you are moving to the area or wish to transfer your child from a different primary school in Essex, please contact the school office to arrange a visit. We are more than happy to arrange visits to our lovely school throughout the academic year.
Anglian Learning is the admission authority for the school. This means that it is the Governing Body that sets and applies the admissions policy for the school.
September 2024
All admissions for children to join Early Years in September 2024 are co-ordinated through the Local Authority. You can apply for one of these places between 6th November 2023 and 15th January 2024 via Essex Admissions.
You will be informed of the outcome of your application by Essex on 16th April 2024.
MID-YEAR ADMISSIONS
All mid-year applications should be made directly to Wimbish Primary Academy using the mid-year application form available on our website below. Applications should be emailed to office@wimbishprimary.org
If you do not have online access, a paper copy is available from the school office. Mid-year applications (sometimes called in-year applications) are any application for a school place made to any year group, apart from September admissions to Reception (Infant School).
For applications into existing year groups, a place will be offered when the number of pupils in the relevant year group is below the admission number for that year group.
Please note: if a mid-year application is received during a school holiday period, we will respond as soon as possible when the school reopens.
Applications should be submitted no sooner than half a term before the planned start date. We will endeavour to reply to your application within no more than five school days. Where a place is not available to your child, they will automatically be added to a waiting list which is held in accordance with the school’s admissions criteria which can be found in the Admissions Policies below.
If your child remains without a school place, within a reasonable distance from your home address you will need to refer your application to the Fair Access Panel for consideration. The school admissions code requires that Essex must have Fair Access Protocols and provide your child with a school place. They can be contacted on 0345 603 2200 or email admissions@essex.gov.uk
Appeals are co-ordinated via Essex County Council and further information can be found at Essex Appeals.
Attendance
Wimbish Primary Academy recognises that positive behaviour and good attendance give every child/young person the best educational experience possible.
Our attendance policy is written with the above statement in mind and underpins our ethos to:
- Promote children’s welfare and safeguarding.
- Ensure every pupil has access to the full-time education to which they are entitled.
- Ensure that pupils succeed.
- Ensure that pupils have access to the widest possible range of opportunities at school, and when they leave Wimbish.
For pupils to gain the greatest benefit from their education it is vital that they attend regularly and be on time every day the school is open unless the reason for the absence is unavoidable. If you wish to make an absence request for your child, please complete the Leave of Absence form below and return it to the Office. Please note, there is no entitlement to parents/carers to take a child out of school during term time, unless in exceptional circumstances.
Useful Links
Working together to improve school attendance (publishing.service.gov.uk)