Primary School Admissions
Information and guidance about applying for primary school places in the Vale of Glamorgan
The current policy allows for a single intake in September, which enables reception age pupils to be admitted to school full time in the September following their fourth birthday.
Guide to Admissions
The entry of children into primary schools is controlled and administered by an 'Admissions Authority'. For Community and Voluntary controlled schools this is the Vale of Glamorgan Council. Voluntary Aided and Foundation Schools the Admission Authority is the Governing Body of the school.
Admissions to primary schools will normally be granted provided a schools admission number is not exceeded. Where the number of applications for admission to a school exceeds the number of places available, i.e. where an admission number has been reached, places will be allocated applying recognised admissions criteria.
Reception 2022
Online Process opens: 5 November 2021
Closing Date: 14 January 2022
Offer Date: 19 April 2022
You can apply for a primary school place online when admissions are open.
Use the online school applications system to:
- Create an account if you do not have one already
- Make a new application
- Continue with an application you have saved
- View your application
- View your school place offers
Please apply on time. You can view important dates during the application process for a school place below. If you miss the closing date you cannot make a late application online. You will need to complete a late application form on paper. Missing the application deadline could significantly affect your chance of getting the place you want.
Late applications will not be considered during the initial round of allocations on the publicised offer date. Many schools will be fully subscribed after the first round, so it is important to submit your application on time to have the best chance of securing a place at your preferred school. Following the first round of allocations, all late applications received will be considered along with any children on the waiting list.
Application Process Timeline - Key dates for Primary Admissions
|
Date
|
Step in the application process
|
|
5th November 2021
|
Application process for starting Reception in September 2022 begins.
|
|
14th January 2022
|
Closing date for online applications. Any applications completed following this date will need to be submitted via paper or emailed application form and will be considered as late applications
|
|
January to April 2022
|
All applications are processed and assessed against the primary school admissions oversubscription criteria. We will check and verify your address details and any supporting information provided to us.
|
|
19th April 2022
|
Offer Date. We will send notification via email or a letter if you have requested it to be sent by post.
|
|
April 2022
|
Waiting lists are established
|
|
3rdMay 2022
|
Closing date for parent response to place offered, please ensure you accept or decline the placed offered to your child.
|
|
May 2022
|
Second Round (Late & 2nd Preference applications are processed and assessed.
|
|
May / June 2022
|
Second round results out via post. All following rounds are processed on a monthly basis from now on.
|
|
September 2022
|
Children start primary school.
|
School reorganisation for the academic year 2021/22 21st Century Schools
- Llancarfan Primary School will be relocating to a new 210 place primary school building in Rhoose on the Golwg y Môr development for the Autumn Term 2021 subject to construction of the new build being completed.
- St Davids Primary School will be expanding to 210 places with a new school building on its current site from September 2021 subject to construction of the new build being completed.
21st Century Schools
Co-ordinated Admissions Arrangements Pilot Scheme
Following a consultation to introduce a pilot scheme for co-ordinated admission arrangements for the Reception age group for the 2019-20 academic year, the governing bodies of Llansannor C.W Primary, St Andrew’s Major C.W Primary, St Bride’s Major C.W Primary, St David’s C.W Primary and Wick & Marcross C.W Primary have agreed to participate in the scheme. In addition to Vale of Glamorgan Community Schools you can now also apply for places in these schools by using the online application service as detailed above. Please ensure that you have read and clearly understood the admission criteria for each school that you are applying for.
Where the appropriate Admissions Authority is the Governing Body of a School, parents are advised to contact the school direct for details. In the Vale of Glamorgan these schools are St Helens R.C Primary , St Josephs, All Saints C/W, Pendoylan C/W.
Check Catchment Area
Within the Council, each school has an area that it traditionally serves, called the Catchment Area.
In line with current legislation, parents are required to express a preference for the school they wish their child to attend, even if it is their catchment school. Pupils who reside within a defined catchment area will therefore have no automatic right to attend that school. A formal application must be made.
Please Note: Failure to apply by the closing date could lead to some parents/carers being denied a place for their child at their local/chosen school. If demand exceeds the number of places available, it must be noted that catchment children will always take priority over applications from outside the catchment area however there is no guarantee that any child will be admitted to their chosen school.
Barry Waterfront Development
A significant new housing development is underway at Barry Waterfront to build 1600 houses over the next 10 year period. A new primary school is planned to serve the development as part of the Band B Projects but until the new school is built the catchment area primary schools for the development are as follows;
-
English medium education - High Street Primary School
-
Welsh medium education - Ysgol St Baruc for primary provision
-
Denominational education - All Saints Primary School for Church in Wales provision, St Helens Infant and Junior for Roman Catholic provision
Parents are able to express a preference to attend a school of their choice, either their catchment area school or other local schools in the area where there are places available. There are several options for English medium primary education, High Street (your catchment school subject to a postcode check once your purchase is finalised), Barry Island, Gladstone and Holton are all nearby and have nurseries attached.
There are also Welsh medium primary options of Ysgol Sant Baruc (your catchment school) and Ysgol Sant Curig that is nearby. Denominational primary education is available at All saints and St Helens Schools. The council has ensured that there would be sufficient places around locally to manage the needs of families purchasing homes in the new development.
Please note: Where parents knowingly give false information in order to obtain the advantage of a particular school for their child to which they would not otherwise be entitled, the council reserves the right to withdraw the offer of a place. Parents may render themselves guilty of an offence under Section 5(b) of the Perjury Act 1911.