Cardiff Council’s School Admission Arrangements for 2024/25 have recently been consulted on and the findings will be presented to the Cabinet when it meets on Thursday 23rdMarch.
Local Authorities are required to review their School Admission Arrangements annually. Proposed changes to the arrangements for 2024/25 include adjustments toCardiff’s coordinated school admissions, the process which enables parents to apply for a school place using just one form for community schools, voluntary aided (faith) schools and foundation schools.
Successfully managed since the 2018/2019 intake year, Cardiff’s coordinated school admissions has been expanded and now includes all twelve Community High Schools, Whitchurch High School (foundation school) and St Teilo’s Church in Wales High School, Corpus Christi Catholic High School and The Bishop of Llandaff Church in Wales High School (voluntary aided/ faith schools).In addition, 20 faith primary schools have joined 75 community primary schools.
The Governing Body of Mary Immaculate RC High School has agreed to consult on its admissions arrangements for 2024/2025, which would include coordinating its admissions with the Council.
Views submitted during the Council’s consultation broadly supported this plan and responses suggested that this would make applying for a school place fairer, more straightforward and that families are more likely toget one of their preferred schools. It was also noted that schools still remining outside of the coordinated admission scheme, are losing out when parents secure first choice places elsewhere.
Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills said: “Cardiff’s coordinated admissions promotes a more equitable system of allocating school places and makes the process of applying for a school place as fair and straightforward for families as possible.
“It is encouraging that responses are in support of expanding coordinated admissions for which will not only simplify the process but also prevent parents from receiving multiple offers which stops other children being offered these places.
“Parents can state their order of preference when applying which provides a better chance of securing a preferred school in the first round of admissions and avoids unnecessary stress for the families that otherwise would not secure a place. This has been borne out in the increased percentage of children allocated places at preferred secondary schools this year.”
The proposals also includeadmission arrangements for St Mellons CW Primary School and the new Ysgol Gynradd Groes-wen Primary School located at the Plasdwr development.
Other proposed changes to Cardiff’s School Admission Arrangements for 2024/25includes details around clarification on Children with ALN who have an IDP (Individual Development Plan) and clarification on the timeframe for applying in advance of taking up a school place for ‘in year’ applications.
