The hardest primary schools to get a place at in…

The hardest primary schools to get a place at in Cardiff for September 2023

The number of oversubscribed state primary schools in Cardiff has halved from the last academic year, with 11 having to turn pupils away for the 2023/24 academic year compared to the one before. More than 200 applications for primary schools in Cardiff were turned down last year due to capacity issues, but this has dropped dramatically to 64 for September 2023.

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 - in 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.

Ysgol Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd and Rhydypenau Primary School saw the highest demand for places, having to turn away 11 pupils each. This was followed by Ysgol Pencae that had to refuse eight people, and Ysgol Glan Ceubal that had to reject seven pupils.

Despite these, 69 state primaries still had places remaining for the academic year 2023/24. Successful parents were 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 or guardian here.

Here are the most oversubscribed primary schools in Cardiff for September 2023, according to figures from Cardiff Council.

Ysgol Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd

60 places

11 applications refused

Rhydypenau Primary School

60 places

11 applications refused