Admission to School - Information for Parents 2026-2027
In this section
- Introduction
- SECTION A - Admissions to Carmarthenshire Schools
- When to Apply
- At what age can children start Primary school?
- Admission to secondary schools and sixth form
- Choosing a School and Catchment Areas
- How to Apply
- Awarding Places – Oversubscription Criteria
- Moving / Changing Schools outside the normal admissions arrangements (Mid/in Year Transfers)
- Notification of Offer of a Place at a School
- Appeals Regarding Admission of Pupils to Community / Voluntary Controlled Primary or Secondary Schools
- Admission to Voluntary Aided Schools
- SECTION B - Information on Education and Learning
- Learning Experiences
- The Teaching of Welsh and English in Carmarthenshire Schools
- Public Examinations
- Exclusion of Pupils
- School Activities
- School Leaving Date
- School Governing Bodies
- SECTION C – Services to Pupils
- Carmarthenshire County Council – School Transport Policy
- School Meals & School Essentials Grant
- Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
- School Safeguarding and Attendance Team
- Trust Funds
- The Careers Service
- Carmarthenshire Family Information Service
- The Childcare Offer
- Health & Well-being Promoting Schools Programme
- Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship Education
- SECTION D – Schools and Pupil Summary
- SECTION E - Carmarthenshire Schools: Nursery Schools
- Carmarthenshire Schools: Community, Voluntary Controlled and Voluntary Aided Primary Schools
- Carmarthenshire Schools: Secondary Schools and Voluntary Aided Secondary Schools
- Carmarthenshire Schools: Special Schools
Admission to Voluntary Aided Schools
Parents who wish their child to attend a Voluntary Aided School should contact the Headteacher of the school. The contact details are listed separately in the schools list in this booklet. Admission arrangements and appeals for Voluntary Aided Schools are dealt with by the school Governing Body. Applications must be made online at Carmarthenshire School Admissions
Model Voluntary Aided Primary School
Our admissions policy is as follows:
The Admission Number for the school is 60 pupils. This means that the number of pupils who can be admitted into any one year group in the school is 60 pupils. If there are more applications than places, then the following criteria will be used to prioritise applications:
- Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children.
- Children who live within the historic parish boundaries of St. David’s and St. Peter’s Carmarthen.
- Children who have brothers or sisters already attending the school.
- Children who have received a Christian baptism and who live outside the parishes of St. David’s and St. Peter’s, if there is space available. A letter of support could also be requested from the local parish priest.
Children with IDPs naming the school will be awarded places prior to the over-subscription criteria being applied.
Please Note – in each of the categories above priority will be given to:
- Looked After Children and children who are temporarily resident in Carmarthen’s Women’s Aid refuge.
- The children of armed forces personnel who are admitted outside the normal admission round.
- Children whose twin or other sibling from multiple birth is admitted as non-excepted pupils, as the final pupils(s) allocated a place before the admission number is reached. Excepted pupils will now maintain this status for the duration of their time in an infant class or until classes are reorganized or numbers are at a level that complies with infant size legislation. The distance from home to the school, as measured by the shortest radius from the most central school building will be used as a criterion for determining priority, with those living nearest the school being given priority and a place at the school before those living further away.
If we do not offer a child a place at this school, it is because to do so would prejudice the education of other children by allowing the numbers of children in the school to increase too much.
Appeals Regarding Admission
The Governing Body will make arrangements for an appeal by a parent against refusal of admission to be heard by an Independent Appeals Committee in accordance with regulations. The decision of the Independent Appeals Committee will be binding on the Governing Body and the parent.
Penboyr Church in Wales Voluntary Aided Primary School
Criteria for Determining Admissions for Penboyr School
If the number of children whose parents are seeking admission to the school exceeds the number of places available offers will be made in the following order of priority:
- Looked After Children (LAC) who are communicants of the Anglican faith. Children who were previously LAC who are communicants of the Anglican faith but are now adopted.
- Children who are Looked After Children.
- Children who are LAC but are now adopted.
- Children with brothers or sisters, these being determined as foster, adopted or permanently living at the same address, who attend the school at the date of the proposed admission.
- Children who live in the catchment area of the school. Children from families living outside the area who are regular communicants at an Anglican Church.
- Children from families of other Christian denominations from outside the catchment area whose parents wish them to be educated in an Anglican Church School.
- Children from families outside the catchment area who are not active Christian worshippers but whose parents wish their children to be educated in an Anglican Church School.
There is, in all instances a ‘right of appeal’ against a decision that has been made with regard to the refusal of an application for admission which must be made to the Chairperson of the Governing Body.
Appeals Regarding Admission
The Governing Body will make arrangements for an appeal by a parent against refusal of admission to be heard by an Independent Appeals Committee in accordance with regulations. The decision of the Independent Appeals Committee will be binding on the Governing Body and the parent.
Pentip Church in Wales Voluntary Aided Primary School
Admissions to the school are the responsibility of the Governing Body. The school has a limited admission into any year group. The Admission Number for entry at present is 21 into any one year group.
Pentip is primarily a Voluntary Aided Church in Wales school, serving the Deanery of Bro Lliedi, and the Llanelli area as indicated on the LA map. The Governors welcome applications from parents of pupils of other denominations that support the Christian ethos and traditions of the school.
Admission applications are considered by the governing body in the Autumn Term preceding the academic year of entry. Should there be over-subscription for places, the criteria for admissions are as follows:
- Looked After Children.
- Pupils with a sibling (full,half or stepbrother or sister, adopted and fostered children) who will be in the school at the time of admissions.
- Children who reside within the catchment area as indicated on the LA map which can be viewed at the school or on the Carmarthenshire County Council website.
- Baptised, Church in Wales children in the Deanery of Kidwelly, a map of which can be found on the St David’s Diocese website.
- Children of parents of other denominations who wish to share in and support the Christian ethos and traditions of the school. (Supported by a reference from the family’s church representative)
If an applicant for entry is refused, parents have the right of appeal. A letter should be addressed to the Chair of the Governing Body, appealing against the decision not to offer a place. This will be heard by an independent appeals panel. The decision of the panel is binding upon the governors and the appellants.
St. Mary’s Catholic VA Primary School, Llanelli
Application Process
Applications to join our school are to be submitted via the Carmarthenshire County Council School Admissions page on their website. The Admissions team will forward the application to school which will then be considered by the Governing Body Admissions Committee who meet each term. Ad hoc applications, or applications made after the Committee has met will be treated promptly; they will normally be considered by two members of the Committee nominated for that purpose by the Committee to act on its behalf. Nursery children are admitted the term following their third birthday on a part time basis and are entitled to full time education the term following their fourth birthday. Applicants to join the Nursery class will be informed of the decision on the National Offer Day. To contact the school directly with any queries, please telephone 01554 759178, or email: admin@stmarysllanelli.ysgolccc.cymru
Over-Subscription Criteria
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School welcomes applications from families who are seeking a Christian Education for their children. If the number of applicants exceeds the number of places available, the following over subscription criteria will be used:
- Baptised Catholic ‘Looked After’ children and ‘Previously Looked After’ children who are in the care of a local authority (children in care) or provided with accommodation by them (e.g. children with foster parents or who have a special needs statement naming the school, within the parishes served by the school.
- ‘Looked After’ children and ‘Previously Looked After’ children who are in the care of a local authority (children in care) or provided with accommodation by them (e.g. children with foster parents or who have a special needs statement naming the school, within the parishes served by the school).
- Baptised Catholic Children within the parishes served by the school.
- Other Baptised Catholic children.
- Children who have a brother or sister at the school at the time of likely admission.
- Children of other Christian denominations.
- Other children who have a brother or sister in the school at the time of admission.
- Children of other faiths whose parents seek Catholic schooling.
- Other children whose parents seek Catholic education for their child.
- Children for whom the LEA has specifically asked for a place at the school.
Please note that:
- In each of the categories above, priority will be given to looked-after children.
- In each of the categories above, distance from school will be used as the deciding factor, with those living nearest to school having highest priority.
Appeals
If an application for entry is refused, parents have the right of appeal. A letter should be addressed to the Chair of the Governing Body, appealing against the decision not to offer a place. This will be heard by an Independent Appeal Panel; this is independent of the Governing Body and all other representatives of the school, and its decision is binding on the Governing Body and the appellant.
St. Mary’s Catholic VA Primary School, Carmarthen
Application Process
Applications for admission to the school are considered by the Admissions and Pastoral Committee each term for admission at the beginning of the next term. Nursery children are admitted the term following their third birthday. Late applications, or applications made after the Committee has met will be treated promptly; they will normally be considered by two members of the Committee nominated for that purpose by the Committee to act on its behalf.
Over-Subscription Criteria
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School welcomes applications from families who are seeking a Christian Education for their children. If the number of applicants exceeds the number of places available, the following over subscription criteria will be used:
- Baptised Catholic children.
- Baptised non-Catholic children.
- Children who belong to non-Christian faith communities.
- Children who have a sibling (i.e. brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, step-brother, step-sister, adoptive brother or adoptive sister) on the roll of the school at the time of the admission.
- The Governing Body may give consideration to applications made by parents who can demonstrate that admission is necessary for the medical or social welfare of their child. Independent supporting evidence will be required.
Please note that:
- In each of the categories above, priority will be given to looked-after children.
- In each of the categories above, distance from school will be used as the deciding factor with those living nearest to school having highest priority.
Appeals
If an application for entry is refused, parents have the right of appeal. A letter should be addressed to the Chairman of the Governing Body, appealing against the decision not to offer a place. This will be heard by an Independent Appeal Panel; this is independent of the Governing Body and all other representatives of the school, and its decision is binding on the Governing Body and the appellant.
St. John Lloyd Catholic VA Secondary School
Admissions Over-Subscription Criteria
The Admission and Over-Subscription Policy of the Governors of St John Lloyd Catholic Comprehensive School is as follows:
This does not affect the right of parents who are not of the faith of this school or of no faith background to apply for and be considered for a place here. Indeed, the School welcomes and encourages applications from all families. The School’s Admission Number is currently 116.
If the number of applications exceeds the admission number, the governors will give priority to applications in accordance with the criteria listed, provided that the governors are made aware of that application before decisions on admissions are made. In all categories the governors will give priority to those who have a brother or sister attending St John Lloyd Catholic Comprehensive School and then to those children living closest to the school determined by shortest distance.
- Baptised Catholic children who are in the care of a local authority (children in care) or provided with accommodation by them (e.g. children with foster parents) (Section 22 of the Children Act 1989) and children with an Individual Development Plan (IDP) naming St John Lloyd School.
- Non-Catholic children who are in the care of a local authority (children in care) or provided with accommodation by them (e.g. children with foster parents) (Section 22 of the Children Act 1989) and children with a statement of Additional Learning Needs who have named St John Lloyd School.
- Baptised Catholic children who currently attend a designated Catholic cluster school.
- Baptised Catholic children who currently live in the parish area of a designated Catholic cluster school who are not currently attending the designated Catholic cluster school.
- Baptised Church in Wales children.
- Other non-baptised children who currently attend a designated Catholic cluster school.
- Other Non-baptised children who attend Church in Wales schools.
- Other Non-Catholic children from other primary schools.
Application Process
Parents must apply online via the Carmarthenshire School Admission page and select St John Lloyd as their first choice. The deadline for Year 6 applications for 28 November 2025. Parents will be informed if their child has been offered a place following the Governors Admission Sub Committee meeting in the Spring term. Offers of school places will be emailed to parents on 1 March 2026.
Appeals
If an application for entry is refused, then parents have the Right of Appeal.
A letter should be sent to the Chairman of Governors (c/o the School) appealing against the decision not to offer a place. This will be heard by an Independent Appeals Panel from which all Governors and other representatives of the school are excluded.
