Transition to High School

The transition to secondary school is of a high importance to us at Wilbraham Primary School and we strive to prepare our children and equip them with the skills, knowledge and confidence to continue their learning journey.

Our children move on to a variety of different secondary schools and we are lucky to have many good schools in the local area and we are confident that all our children will find a school that meets their needs.  Close liaison with the secondary schools ensures that the needs of our children are met accordingly.

From Year 4, our children have the opportunity to visit local schools for ‘taster sessions’.  This not only promotes good liaison but also offers the children an early secondary school experience.

The transition programme we use at Wilbraham Primary is called “Moving On”, and this includes a booklet with activities for children to do at home and in school to draw on their transition experience.

Choosing a High School for Your Child

In the Autumn term of Year 6, children will be given a booklet produced by Manchester Children’s Services which gives key information needed to make an appropriate and informed choice of Secondary School.

For some parents/carers, the choice is simple and immediate – they choose a local secondary school which is well known to the family or friends.  However, many of you will wish to make a more informed choice about the secondary school for your child.  The overall advice is to choose a school that ‘fits your child’ and not to change or prepare your child to ‘fit the school’.  Choose a school that appears to meet all or most of your child’s needs and one where he or she will be happy, can thrive and will be encouraged to be the best that he or she can be – not just academically.  Many secondary schools are now specialist colleges so look out for a curriculum or facilities which may suit your child’s interests, perhaps in sport, arts, languages or technology.

Secondary schools usually hold ‘Open Evenings’ early in the Autumn term, usually in September, October or November.  This is an opportunity for parents/carers and children to see at first hand the facilities and activities on offer. The programme of open evenings varies from school to school.  It can range from a simple matter of a school tour and a talk from the Headteacher to an action-packed event, including an opportunity to visit every department at work, hear a talk from pupils and be entertained by music and drama groups.  Parents/carers are strongly encouraged to attend as many open evenings as they can and, when there, to ask questions of staff and pupils.

Applying for a High School Place for September 2024 

The application round for High School appilcations is now open.  Applications should be submitted to Manchester School Admissions. Manchester School Admissions will send offers of places to those parents/carers who applied on time on Friday 1st March 2024. The deadline for submitting an online application for your child for September 2024 is 31st October 2023.

If you have not submitted an online application for your child for high school, you will need to contact Manchester School Admissions directly by calling 0161 245 7166.  However, applying late means you have less chance of getting your preferred school and you may not receive an offer of a place at the same time as other parents/carers.


For further information on High School applications for September 2024, please click on the link below:

High School Place September 2024

Click the link above to taken to Manchester City Council's website

If you don't get the place you want

There’s no guarantee that you’ll get a place in the school you put first.  But if you put other schools, and they have places, Manchester School Admissions will offer your child a place at one of those and put you on the waiting lists for your top preferences.

If you don’t get any of your preferences, Manchester School Admissions will offer you the nearest school with places and put you on the waiting lists for all your preferences.

If a school fills all its places, it keeps a waiting list of children who missed out.  Your position on the list changes as children take up places at other schools, move in to Manchester, or move away.

For further information on how waiting lists work, please visit Manchester City Council's website by clicking the link below:

Find out how waiting lists work

Appeal against a decision

If you think there are special reasons why your child should go to a particular school, you can appeal against the admissions decision.  If you would like further information about School Appeals, please visit Manchester City Councils's website by clicking the link below:

School Place Appeals

If you would like to discuss the High School admissions further, please contact Carrie Godwin, Education Caseworker, via our Contact Us page or alternatively you can email her at c.godwin@wilbrahamprimary.com.