Great Wilbraham CofE Primary Academy
Admissions
Cambridgeshire Local Authority (LA) is responsible for handling the admissions for our school. Parents will be informed in April prior to admission whether a place is available for their child.
Places will be allocated on the basis of the Published Admission Number (PAN) for the year group and the admissions criteria set. The PAN at Great Wilbraham is 15.
ALL admission enquiries for reception - year 6 should be directed via the Local Authority using the links below.
Details of organising and hearing admission appeals can be found within the First Steps document on the Local Authority website and included as a PDF below.
We currently have spaces for the following year groups. This information is updated regularly.
Year Groups in September 2025
Reception – Spaces
Year 1 – Spaces
Year 2 - Spaces
Year 3 – Spaces
Year 4 – Spaces
Year 5 - Spaces
Year 6 - Spaces
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the school office on: 01223 880408 or email office@gw.act-academytrust.org
We look forward to welcoming you to our school.
Link to the ACT Trust Admissions page is:
Pupil Admissions Number (PAN)
The pupil admissions number (PAN) for Great Wilbraham is 15.
Oversubscription Criteria:
Children who have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) that names the school will be admitted. NB. Those children with an EHCP that does not name the school will be referred to the Statutory Assessment Team (SAT) to determine an appropriate place.
1. Children in Care (CIC) and children who were previously in care (CIC) but ceased to be so by reason of adoption, a residence order (now known as a child arrangement order) or special guardianship order.
2. Children living in the catchment area with a sibling at the school at the time of admission.
3. Children living in the catchment area.
4. Children living outside the catchment area who have a sibling at the school at the time of admission.
5. Children living outside the catchment area who have applied and been unable to gain a place at their Cambridgeshire catchment area school because of oversubscription.
6. Children who live outside the catchment area, but nearest the school as measured by a straight line.
In cases of equal merit in each set of criteria, priority will go to children living nearest the school as measured by a straight line.
Cambridgeshire Local Authority (LA) is responsible for all school admission appeals.
School places are allocated on the basis of the Published Admission Number (PAN) for the year group and the admissions criteria set by the LA.
Details of organising and hearing admission appeals can be found through Cambridgeshire County Council - Appeals
In-Year Admissions
To apply for a place at Great Wilbraham C of E Primary Academy you will need to apply through Cambridgeshire County Council Admissions.
Cambridgeshire has recently appointed a Parents' School Preference Adviser for Cambridgeshire, as part of the SENDIASS team.
The service offers families advice and support when applying for schools, either when admissions open for transition on 11th September 2025 or for in-year applications. They are able to advise how the transfer and admissions process works, as well as support the understanding of policies and criteria for different schools. Also, they can support in the appeals process and issues concerning transport.
For further details and help, please email: Choosingaschool@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
School Admission Appeals
Cambridgeshire Local Authority (LA) is responsible for all school admission appeals.
School places are allocated on the basis of the Published Admission Number (PAN) for the year group and the admissions criteria set by the LA.
Details of organising and hearing admission appeals can be found through Cambridgeshire County Council - Appeals
Over-subscription Criteria
Children who have a Statement of Special Educational Need (SEN) / Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) that names the school will be admitted. NB. Those children with a statement of SEN / ECHP that does not name the school will be referred to Student Assessment to determine an appropriate place.
- Children in Care, also known as Looked After Children (LAC), and children who were previously looked after but ceased to be so by reason of adoption, a resident order (now known as a child arrangement order) or special guardianship order.
- Children living in the catchment area with a sibling at the school (or a partner junior school) at the time of admission.
- Children living in the catchment area.
- Children living outside the catchment area who have a sibling at the school (or a partner junior school) at the time of admission.
- Children living outside the catchment area who have applied and been unable to gain a place at their Cambridgeshire catchment area school because of over-subscription.
- Children who live outside the catchment area, but nearest the school as measured by a straight line.
Under each criterion, in cases of equal merit, priority will go to children living nearest the school as measured by a straight line.
Reception Deferral
Children are entitled to start Reception in September following their fourth birthday. However, parents and carers also have the right to defer their child’s start date until later in the school year, if they feel their child is not yet ready to begin full-time school.
In Cambridgeshire:
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A child’s school place is secured through the Cambridgeshire County Council Admissions Team.
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Once a place has been offered, parents may choose to defer entry until the term in which their child turns five.
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Children must be in full-time education by the start of the term after their fifth birthday (their compulsory school age).
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Deferral applies only within the same academic year; the place cannot be held for the following September.
Parents may also request that their child attends part‑time for an agreed period during the Reception year.
If you are considering deferring your child’s start, please:
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Accept the offered place through the County Council
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Contact the school to discuss your child’s needs and the options available
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Make a final decision in partnership with the school, ensuring arrangements support a positive and successful transition.
Our aim is to work closely with families to ensure every child begins school at the right time for them, with a nurturing and well-balanced start to their learning journey.
Nursery Places
If you would like a nursery place in our Foundation Stage Unit (for children who have turned 3), please contact Mrs Lawford in the School Office in the first instance.
In Cambridgeshire, a child is deemed to be of nursery age from the beginning of the term following their 3rd birthday until 31st August following their fourth birthday. For this purpose, the terms are as follows (these are in line with the Early Years Education Funding term dates):
Autumn term – 1st September to 31st December; Spring term – 1st January to 31st March; Summer term – 1st April to 31st August.
Parents can register their interest in a nursery place at any time by contacting the school and completing an Expression of Interest Form. We also offer a Lunch Club for those children approaching school age, meaning that they can stay for an extra hour and sample a school lunch.
If you have any questions, please contact the School Business Manager, Mrs Sara Lawford - office@gw.act-academytrust.org