Admissions

Witney Community Primary School is situated to the north of the town and was the original County Primary School for Witney. It moved to its present site in 1938 and over the years has undergone major remodelling and refurbishment to keep pace with changes in primary school practice.

The accommodation consists of a large hall, eight classrooms, a meetings room/library and 3 intervention classrooms in the main school building. There is a separate dining hall and kitchen so the school meals are cooked on the premises. We have a small, heated indoor swimming pool run by Water Babies, which provides us with all our swimming needs.

The school grounds are spacious and provide plenty of room for games and sport. They are also a resource for natural history study and we have ponds and a nature reserve as well as flower beds and spring bulb areas. The playground has been arranged so that there are active areas but also quiet areas where children can go if they wish to read or talk.

At the moment we have eight classes in the school. The two key Stage 1 classes are grouped on a yearly basis and the four Key Stage 2 classes are also grouped on a yearly basis. Our EYFS has a Nursery Class for 2-4 year olds and a Reception Class for 4-5 year olds with a shared garden.. We have 3 Chrome Book trollies with 15 Chrome books in each which is taken around school as needed. Classrooms also have interactive whiteboards and access to the internet via the class computers.

You are welcome to visit our school before your child starts with us, whatever age.

We hold open evenings and visits for pupils starting in our Reception Class. You will receive an invitation to visit from the EYFS Lead/Reception Teacher, Mrs Emily Taylor

Admission to Nursery

The school deals with admissions to Nursery but follows Oxfordshire County Council’s Nursery Admissions Policy. Children may start Nursery in the term following their second birthday. Application forms are available from the school office.  

Admission Appeals

There is a statutory right to an admission appeal should a child be refused a place at the academy. The Trust uses the appeals service provided by the Council. Any appeal will be heard by an independent Appeal Panel and information about the process is available online. 

https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/schools/apply-school-place/school-appeals?utm_term=nil&utm_content=

The timetable for appeals can be found here:

https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/schools/apply-school-place/school-appeals

Consultation for a change to the admissions criteria for 2026/27

Proposed Admissions Arrangements for September 2026

On behalf of the Trustees of River Learning Trust, the Governors of Witney Community Primary School are consulting on a proposal to alter the over subscription criteria for entry to the school from September 2026. We are including the following at criteria number 5: Children who, at the start of the school year in which they are applying for admission into the school, are attending the Witney Community Primary School nursery.  

The reason for this is to give some priority to children who are attending our nursery who do not live within the catchment area, if the school is over-subscribed.  

In line with the requirements of the Admissions Code 2014, this consultation seeks to engage with parents and carers of children already at the school, as well as future parents of the school, the staff, other local admissions authorities and other interested parties. The consultation is open for six weeks, responses must be received by 5pm on 31^st January 2025.

The consultation will run from Friday 20^th December to Friday 31^st January. If you have any comments on the proposed changes, or would like a hard copy of the proposal, please email the School Business Manager at office@witneycp.org or call 01993 702388.  

The Governors

Witney Community Primary School

Hailey Road

Witney

OX28 1HL

Witney-Community-Primary-School-Admission-Rules-and-Arrangements-2026-27.docx