City records increase in primary school application refusals

Ted Peskett, local democracy reporter

The number of primary school applications refused by Cardiff Council has increased by 47% since last year.

The council refused a total of 94 applications for primary school places in the city for September 2024, compared to 64 in 2023.

However, the number of refusals this year is still markedly less than the 200 refusals reported in 2022.

When parents apply for primary school places for their children, they are encouraged by the local authority to submit multiple preferences.

Figures for primary school admissions published recently show the school with the highest number of expressions of preference was Ysgol Gymraeg Treganna in Canton, with 94.

However, only four applications were refused as there were 90 places on offer.

The school with the highest number of refused applications was Rhydypenau Primary School in Cyncoed, with 29 refusals. There were 60 places on offer at this school.

Places at Ysgol Mynydd Bychan in Gabalfa were also in high demand, with the school having to turn down 12 applicants.

There are 70 primary schools across Cardiff that still have places available.

Parents have until April 30 to confirm if they are accepting or refusing the place they have been offered.

Should a parent wish to appeal the refusal of a place, it must be submitted by the same date.

Transparent 

A Cardiff Council spokesperson said: “Our commitment to making the process of applying for a school place as simple and transparent as possible continues so that every family has the knowledge, support and understanding in order that no one is at a disadvantage during the application process.

“This year, 99.6% of applications were received online, up from 98.1% last year. 98.7% of children have secured one of their preferences for a community or co-ordinated primary school place and 96.9% have secured one of their top three preferences.

“We sympathise with those who have not received the offer they would have liked, however this is the initial round of offers.

“Currently there are still 1,182 places available across the city.

“When applying for primary school places, parents are strongly advised to read the information made available on our website for school admissions.

“We ask them to make full use of the five school preferences available to them.

“This way if their first choice is unavailable, their second choice will be considered and so on, until a place is confirmed.

“We will try to offer parents their first-choice preference, but this is not always possible.

“By putting more than one preference parents are more likely to get a place at a school of their choice.

“Late applications are considered in accordance with the council’s admissions criteria and where an application has been refused the child will be placed on a waiting list.

“In the interim, parents are advised to accept a place at an available, alternative school.”

Here is a closer look at the most oversubscribed primary schools in the city and how many applications they had to turn down:

Kitchener Primary School

Total places on offer: 60

Total applications refused: 9

Lakeside Primary School

Total places on offer: 60

Total applications refused: 5

Marlborough Primary School

Total places on offer: 60

Total applications refused: 9

Millbank Primary School

Total places on offer: 30

Total applications refused: 9

Pencaerau Primary School

Total places on offer: 30

Total applications refused: 8

Pontprennau Primary School

Total places on offer: 60

Total applications refused: 1

Rhydypenau Primary School

Total places on offer: 60

Total applications refused: 29

Ysgol Gymraeg Nant Caerau

Total places on offer: 30

Total applications refused: 9

Ysgol Cymraeg Treganna

Total places on offer: 90

Total applications refused: 4

Ysgol Mynydd Bychan

Total places on offer: 30

Total applications refused: 12