Admissions
Determined Admission Arrangements 2026-2027
Planned Admission Number (PAN) - 60
Whiston Willis Primary Academy is part of Wade Deacon Trust. Wade Deacon Trust is the admission authority for the academy, and admissions are coordinated through KNowsley Council in accordance with the Trust's determined admission arrangements.
Parents and carers are warmly welcomed to visit Whiston Willis Primary Academy before applying for a place. Please contact the school if you would like to arrange a visit.
Reception Admissions
Applications for Reception places at Whiston Willis Primary Academy are coordinated by Knowsley Council.
Parents and carers must apply through the local authority in which they live, even if Whiston Willis Primary Academy is in a different local authority area.
There is no automatic transfer from our Nursery to Reception. Attendance at Whiston Willis Nursery does not give a child priority for a Reception place. Parents and carers must make a formal application for a Reception place through their home local authority during the relevant application period.
Oversubscription Criteria
Where more applications are received than places are available, places will be allocated in accordance with Wade Deacon Trust's determined admission arrangements.
The oversubscription criteria for Whiston Willis Primary Academy are:
Looked-after and previously looked-after children – looked-after children and children who were previously looked after but immediately became subject to adoption, a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order. This includes children who appear to the admission authority to have been in state care outside England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted.
Siblings – children with a sibling already attending Whiston Willis Primary Academy who will still be attending at the time of admission.
Children of staff – children of members of staff who have been employed at Whiston Willis Primary Academy for two or more years at the time of application, or where the member of staff was recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage. Parents/carers must state the employee's name on their application. Details will be verified by the school.
Distance – distance from the child's home to the school, measured in a straight line, with priority given to children living nearest to the school.
Full details, including definitions and how distances and any tie-breaks are applied, can be found within the Wade Deacon Trust Determined Admission Arrangements.
Deferred Entry to Reception
Children are normally admitted to Reception in the September following their fourth birthday.
Parents and carers who have been offered a Reception place may request that their child's admission is deferred until later in the same school year, in accordance with the School Admissions Code. A child's school place cannot be deferred beyond the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday or beyond the end of the Reception academic year.
Parents and carers may also discuss part-time attendance with the school until their child reaches compulsory school age.
Please contact the school or Knowsley Council for further information.
Admission Outside the Normal Age Group
Parents and carers may request that their child is admitted to a year group outside their normal age group. This can include parents of summer-born children requesting admission to Reception in the September following their child's fifth birthday.
Requests will be considered in accordance with the School Admissions Code and Wade Deacon Trust's admission arrangements, taking account of the individual circumstances of the child.
Parents and carers wishing to make such a request should contact the school and/or Knowsley Council for information about the application process.
In-Year Applications
If you are moving to this area and are interested in a place for your child, please get in touch with the school. There is an In-Year application form to complete which gives you notes and contact details. This is also available from Knowsley School admissions Team by telephoning 0151-443-3372.
IN YEAR SCHOOL ADMISSION INFORMATION
Nursery Admissions
Nursery admissions are separate from statutory school admissions.
Children are normally admitted to Whiston Willis Nursery on a termly basis, usually in the term following their third birthday, subject to availability and the academy's Nursery admission arrangements. There is information which includes the application form available from the school or on the Knowsley Council website:
Please note that having a Nursery place at Whiston Willis Primary Academy does not guarantee a Reception place. All Reception applications must be made through the appropriate local authority and places are allocated in accordance with Wade Deacon Trust's determined admission arrangements.
Starting at Whiston Willis
We aim to make the transition to Whiston Willis as welcoming and supportive as possible.
Parents and carers of children joining Nursery and Reception are invited to induction events where they can meet staff and learn more about the academy.
Children joining Reception are invited to transition sessions during the summer term, providing opportunities to meet their new teacher and become familiar with the school environment.
Children joining Whiston Willis at other points during the academic year are also supported through an appropriate induction and transition process. We work closely with children, parents/carers and previous settings to understand individual needs and support a successful transition.
Further Information
For further information about admissions to Whiston Willis Primary Academy, please contact the school or Knowsley Council Admissions Team.
