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
SECTION A - Admissions to Carmarthenshire Schools
The admission of children to school is controlled by an admission authority.
Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools in Carmarthenshire.
Carmarthenshire County Council is the Admission Authority for Community schools and Voluntary Controlled schools within Carmarthenshire.
The contact details for Carmarthenshire County Council are as follows:
Department for Education and Children
County Hall
Carmarthen
SA31 1JP
Tel: 01267 246449
E-mail: admissions@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Voluntary Aided Schools in Carmarthenshire
Voluntary Aided/Faith schools undertake their own admissions.
From the 2026/27 academic year, a coordinated admission arrangement will be implemented for all schools located within Carmarthenshire. All applications for Voluntary Aided (VA) schools will be made through the Council's online application system, along with Community and Voluntary Controlled schools. The admissions criteria will be determined and set by each individual VA school. Carmarthenshire County Council will assist in the application process and issue any decision made by the individual VA school to parents. The Appeals process will remain with the individual VA schools.
Enquires regarding voluntary aided church schools should be made to:
Church in Wales Schools - Rev’d Canon John Cecil, Diocesan Director of Education,The Vicarage, Steynton, Milford Haven,Pembrokeshire, SA73 1AW
Tel: 01646 692974 or 07582 613940
Email: JohnCecil@cinw.org.uk
Catholic Schools - Mr Paul White, Diocesan Director of Education, Diocesan Education Office, Curial Office, 27 Convent Street, Greenhill, Swansea, SA1 2BX
Tel: 01792 652757 Fax: 01792 458641
Email: education@menevia.org.uk
Neighbouring Local Education Authorities
The names, addresses and telephone numbers of neighbouring local education authorities are:
SWANSEA - Director of Education, City and County of Swansea, Guild Hall, Swansea, SA1 4PE
Tel: 01792 637521
CEREDIGION - Corporate Lead Officer for Lifelong and Learning and Chief Education Officer, Ceredigion County Council, Canolfan Rheidol, Rhodfa Padarn, Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth, SY23 3UE
Tel: 01970 633656
NEATH PORT TALBOT - Director of Education, Leisure and Lifelong Learning, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, Civic Centre, Port Talbot, SA13 1PJ
Tel: 01639 686868
POWYS- Director of Education & Children Powys County Council, Powys County Hall, Spa Road East, Llandrindod Wells, LD1 5LG
Tel: 01597 826422
PEMBROKESHIRE - Director of Education, Pembrokeshire County Council, County Hall, Haverfordwest, SA61 1TP
Tel: 01437 764551
Normal Admissions Arrangements for the Academic Year 2026 – 2027
This part of the document explains the procedures for the Normal (usual) point of admission to Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools and sixth form arrangements for the academic year 2026 -2027
Key Summary - For all Carmarthenshire Schools By law Parents/Guardians must make an application to the Authority for a place.
Closing dates for applications are set in the Admissions Application Timetable detailed at the end of this document.
- Applications must be made by the deadlines.
- There is no automatic transfer from Nursery to Primary School.
- There is no automatic transfer from Primary to Secondary School.
- Applications received after the deadlines are unlikely to get a preferred school place.
- There are specific Oversubscription Criteria used when allocating a school place.
- The nursery or primary school a pupil attends is not a factor when places are allocated. The home address is the main factor in the school application process
- It is not possible for any person or school to guarantee, in advance, a place for a child at a school. Any such comments or assurances must be disregarded.
- An email will be sent from the Authority advising if the application has been successful or refused.
- A child cannot start at a school until the parent/guardian has confirmed the place with the Authority.
