More than 200 applications for primary schools in Cardiff were turned down last year due to capacity issues. 22 of the city's state primary schools were oversubscribed for the 2022/23 academic year, with one school receiving nearly double the amount of applications it could accept and four schools unable to accept any children from outside their catchment area.
When schools are oversubscribed, Cardiff Council applies a number of criteria to decide how places are allocated. These include prioritising children who are looked after by the council - on other words a child which has been under its care for 24 hours or more - as well as children living in the catchment area of the school, who have a sibling at the school or where there are compelling medical grounds for admission to a particular school.
The deadline for primary school applications in Cardiff for the 2023/24 year is Monday, January 9 with many schools likely to be oversubscribed again. However, the number of applications refused by 22 state primary schools for the 2022/23 year - 233 - was less than that of the previous year, when more than 302 applications were turned down in 2020/21.
Read more: The term dates you need to know for schools in Wales and England
Pontprennau Primary School saw the highest demand for places, with 103 applications versus 60 available places. This was followed by Marlborough Primary School which had 88 applications for only 60 places, and Rhydypenau Primary School which had 78 applications for 60 places. 57 other state primaries still had places remaining for the current year.
Five schools - Greenway Primary, Marlborough Primary, Pontprennau Primary, Ysgol Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd and Ysgol Mynydd Bychan - were so oversubscribed they were unable to offer any places to children outside of their catchment area.
After next week's deadline for applications, the council will process all applications against the admission criteria and successful parents will be notified on April 17 by email or over the phone. Any appeals against unsuccessful decisions must be submitted by May 16, 2023 and waiting lists will be made in the summer ahead of the start of term in September. You can find out everything you need to know about the admissions process if you're a parent/guardian here.
Here are the five most oversubscribed primary schools in Cardiff for the 2022/23 academic year according to figures from Cardiff Council.
Pontprennau Primary School
60 places
43 applications refused
Marlborough Primary School
60 places
28 applications refused
Rhydypenau Primary School
60 places
18 applications refused
Ysgol Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd
60 places
18 applications refused
Millbank Primary School
30 places
15 applications refused
All the other Cardiff primaries which had more applications than places to start in September 2022:
Ysgol Gymraeg Treganna
90 places
13 applications refused
Ysgol Pencae
30 places
12 applications refused
Greenway Primary school
30 places
11 applications refused
Lakeside Primary School
60 places
11 applications refused
Pencaerau Primary School
30 places
10 applications refused
Ysgol Gymraeg Nant Caerau
31 places
9 applications refused
Oakfield Primary School
60 places
7 applications refused
Llanishen Fach Primary School
60 places
6 applications refused
Llysfaen Primary School
60 places
6 applications refused
Ysgol Mynydd Bychan
30 places
6 applications refused
Roath Park Primary School
60 places
5 applications refused
Danescourt Primary School
60 places
4 applications refused
Willowbrook Primary School
60 places
3 applications refused
Windsor Clive Primary School
60 places
3 applications refused
Radnor Primary School
45 places
2 applications refused
Ysgol Gynradd Gwaelod Y Garth Primary
30 places
2 applications refused
Howardian Primary School
60 places
1 application refused
To get more Cardiff news straight to your inbox, subscribe to our dedicated newsletter here.
READ NEXT:
When it will finally stop raining according to the Met Office
Woman dies after crash in Waitrose car park on New Year's Eve
- Jacob Rees-Mogg accuses Welsh Government 'of treating taxpayers contemptuously'
- Michelle Heaton shares harrowing photos taken during alcohol addiction
- All the strike dates in January in Wales including rail staff and driving tests
