Choosing a secondary school? Plan your visits with Wirral’s open evenings

Choosing the right secondary school is an important step for families. Open evenings and school tours give you the opportunity to explore classrooms, meet staff and pupils, and get a real feel for each school.

To help you plan, we've organised all Wirral secondary school open events in date order, so you can see what's happening week by week and build your own schedule. 

📅 Week commencing 7 September 2026

Tuesday 8 September

• St Mary's Catholic College — 6.00pm to 8.00pm (Headteacher talks at 6.00pm and 6.45pm) 

Wednesday 9 September

• St John Plessington Catholic College — 6.00pm to 8.30pm (Talks at 6.00pm, 6.45pm and 7.30pm) 

Thursday 10 September

• Upton Hall School — 5.30pm to 8.00pm 
• St Anselm's College — 5.00pm to 8.00pm (Talks at 6.00pm and 7.00pm) 
• Co-op Academy Bebington — 5.00pm to 7.00pm (Talks at 5.15pm and 6.00pm) 

📅 Week commencing 14 September 2026

Monday 14 September

• The Oldershaw Academy — Open Morning, 9.00am to 11.00am 
• St John Plessington Catholic College — Open Morning, 9.00am to 11.00am 

Wednesday 16 September

• Birkenhead Park School — 5.00pm to 7.00pm (Talk at 5.00pm) 
• Wirral Grammar School for Boys — 5.30pm to 8.00pm (Talks every 20 minutes) 
• West Kirby Grammar School — 5.30pm to 7.30pm 

Thursday 17 September

• West Kirby Grammar School — Open Day, 9.15am–11.00am and 2.00pm–3.15pm 
• Hilbre High School — 5.00pm to 8.00pm (Talks at 5.15pm, 6.00pm and 6.45pm) 
• Weatherhead High School — 5.30pm to 8.15pm (Talks at 5.45pm and 6.45pm) 
• Wirral Grammar School for Girls — 5.30pm to 8.00pm 

Friday 18 September

• Wirral Grammar School for Girls — Open Morning (appointment only) 
• Birkenhead Park School — 9.15am to 11.00am (appointment only) 

📅 Week commencing 21 September 2026

Monday 21 September

• The Oldershaw Academy — Open Morning, 9.00am to 11.00am
• Calday Grange Grammar School — 5.45pm to 8.15pm (Talks at 6.00pm, 6.30pm, 7.00pm and 7.30pm) 

Tuesday 22 September

• St Mary's Catholic College — 9.30am to 11.00am 
• St John Plessington Catholic College — 9.00am to 11.00am

Wednesday 23 September

• Birkenhead High School Academy — 5.30pm to 8.00pm (Talks at 6.00pm and 7.00pm)
• The Oldershaw Academy — 6.00pm to 8.00pm (Talks at 6.15pm and 7.15pm) 
• South Wirral High School — 6.00pm to 8.30pm 
• Ridgeway High School — 5.00pm to 7.00pm (Talks at 5.15pm and 6.15pm) 
• West Kirby Grammar School — Open Day, 9.15am–11.00am and 2.00pm–3.15pm

Thursday 24 September

• The Mosslands School — 6.00pm to 8.00pm 

Friday 25 September

• Upton Hall School — 9.00am to 10.30am 

📅 Week commencing 28 September 2026

Tuesday 29 September

• Woodchurch High School — 5.00pm to 7.30pm (Headteacher talk at 6.00pm) 

Thursday 1 October

• Prenton High School — 5.00pm to 8.00pm
• Pensby High School — 6.00pm to 8.30pm (Talks at 6.15pm, 6.45pm and 7.15pm) 

📅 Early October open mornings

• Weatherhead High School — 2 October, 9.00am to 11.00am (appointment only) 
• Pensby High School — 5 October, 9.30am to 12.00pm (appointment only) 
• Prenton High School — 5 October and 7 October, 9.30am to 11.30am 
• St Mary's Catholic College — 6 October, 9.30am to 11.00am 
• Ridgeway High School — 7 October, 9.30am to 11.00am 
• Birkenhead High School Academy — 8 October, 9.00am to 10.30am (appointment only) 

🎓 Sixth form and college open events

If you're exploring post-16 options, these events are listed below. 

📅 October

• The Mosslands School Sixth Form Open Evening — 1 October, 6.00pm to 8.00pm 
• Wirral Met College Open Evening — 6 October, 5.00pm to 7.00pm 
• Weatherhead High School Sixth Form Open Evening — 8 October, 5.45pm to 8.00pm 

📅 November

• Wirral Grammar School for Boys — 3 November, 6.00pm to 8.00pm 
• St John Plessington Catholic College — 4 November, 6.00pm to 8.00pm 
• Wirral Grammar School for Girls — 5 November, 6.00pm to 8.00pm 
• Co-op Academy Bebington — 11 November, 5.00pm to 7.00pm 
• West Kirby Grammar School — 12 November, 5.30pm to 7.30pm 
• Birkenhead High School Academy — 19 November, 5.30pm to 7.30pm 
• Birkenhead Sixth Form College — 26 November, 5.00pm to 8.00pm 

📅 2027

• Birkenhead Sixth Form College — 28 January, 5.00pm to 8.00pm 
• Wirral Met College — 12 January, 16 March and 15 June, 5.00pm to 7.00pm 

Top tips for visiting schools

• Try to visit more than one school, even if you already have a favourite.
• Some dates are particularly busy, so it's worth planning ahead to make sure you get to visit the schools on your list.
• Check headteacher talk times so you don't miss key information.
• Chat to pupils and staff to get a feel for day-to-day life.
• Don't forget to check school websites and book where needed.

Don't forget application deadlines

If your child is in Year 6 and starting secondary school next year, you'll need to apply for a place by 31 October.

This is the national deadline for secondary school applications, so it's a good idea to plan your visits early and allow time to explore your options.

For sixth form and college applications, deadlines and entry requirements vary between providers, so be sure to check the individual school or college website for details.

For more information about any of the events listed above, including booking requirements and the latest updates, visit the website of the school or college you're interested in.