Why are we consulting
Carmarthenshire County Council has reviewed the admissions arrangements for Academic Year 2027-28, in line with the requirements of the Admissions Code, are now consulting on the proposed arrangements.
Voluntary Aided Schools are responsible for their own Admissions Policy and catchment area maps consultation. The catchment area review only applies to mainstream schools and excludes Additional Learning Need Units or specialist schools.
This consultation does not affect the parents right to apply for a school place of their choice in line with WG Admissions Policy.
The consultation also includes the proposed catchment maps, which are used by the council when allocating places to a school which is oversubscribed. The council will also use these maps when considering applications under the home to School Transport Policy.
As part of this consultation, we are also seeking your views on the proposed changes to free school transport, to support a more efficient provision.
The last review of school catchment areas in Carmarthenshire took place in 2010 since then have remained largely unchanged except for school reorganisations/closures. The proposed changes have been based on data and result from:
- Aligning school catchments to the Unitary Authority Boundary of Carmarthenshire.
- Ensuring that all areas of Carmarthenshire are now included in a school catchment.
- Previous school closures or opening of new schools where catchments no longer reflect the actual pattern of pupil movements.
- Inclusion of some land areas where there is little pupil population but had been omitted at time of last review.
- Reflecting greater community cohesion where villages, settlements and communities have expanded across existing boundaries
- Inaccuracies in past drawing that meant many properties were bisected by catchment lines.
- Digital technology which has improved the ability to plot more accurately where pupils come from and which schools they attend
- Feedback from the informal discussions with schools that was received in March & November 2025.
- Over capacity and over subscription in some settings and the need to balance pupil numbers to improve financial efficacy and efficiency.
- To support more efficient provision of school transport.
Since 2010 there are several new priorities that need to be considered, these include:
- Carmarthenshire’s Modernising Education Programme (MEP) Strategy which was published in January 2024.
- Catchment area pupil numbers have become unbalanced since 2010 compared to the capacity of many primary and secondary schools serving those catchment areas. This has led to a shortage of spaces for the pupils within catchment increasing the number of admissions appeals, whilst other schools have surplus places. However, parents still have the right to express parental preference for a school of their choice.
- The changing nature of the primary and secondary school footprint since 2010 with the rationalisation of primary school provision in some areas.
- The Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) has increased in prominence and become a key factor in the planning of school places as more schools have moved along the Welsh language continuum. There is an increased demand for Welsh medium provision.
- Large scale and other housing developments in Carmarthenshire since 2010 have had an impact on catchment area numbers.
- It is important to note there are ongoing MEP proposals and their outcomes could impact on the proposed catchment areas in this consultation.
It is important that we seek the views of people living in Carmarthenshire County on the admissions' arrangements for Academic Year 2027/28 and the proposed catchment areas to understand how our proposal might affect you before these documents are finalised.
How to get involved
Please take part by completing this online survey.
All School Headteachers have been made aware of the review via School Leaders’ Business Bulletin & the opportunity to submit any relevant comments. Also offered each school the opportunity to arrange a meeting to discuss the proposals during Nov/Dec 2025.
All School Headteachers, Neighbouring Local Authorities, Church in Wales & Catholic representatives, Admissions Forum members, key service managers will be notified by email that the consultation process is live in January 2026.
The admissions' arrangement consultation will close on Friday, February 27th, 2026.
Supporting Documents
Next Steps
Departmental Management Team, Corporate Management Team & Cabinet will consider the outcomes of the consultation following the closing date.
If approved, the policy will come into effect in September 2027.
