School Admissions Policy 2026 -27

In this section

Making an Application

Requirement to Make an Application

It is a requirement that a parent/guardian must complete and submit an online application for a pupil to be admitted to a school.

The application form will ask a parent/guardian to rank their school choices by 1st, 2nd and 3rd preference.

Applications for the Normal Admissions Arrangements must be submitted by the prescribed closing dates as set in the Admissions Schedule of Events as detailed in this document. Any subsequent application/s received after the published deadline will be processed as a late application as detailed in this document.

Parent/Guardians will be notified by the Admissions Authority as to whether the application has been successful or not in line with the admissions arrangements. This includes applications made on behalf of a Child Looked After by a corporate parent where the Authority is both the corporate parent and the Admissions Authority.

Applications for admission outside of the normal admissions arrangements are detailed in part 11 of this document. No Community or Voluntary Controlled primary school can authorise the admission of a pupil.

How to Apply

Once the parent/guardian has decided upon the school they wish their child/children to attend they should submit an online application via the Councils website:

Visit the School Admissions and Changing Schools webpages

It is recommended that before submitting an application parents contact the preferred school direct. The school will have a map of its catchment area and can assist parents by providing other information about the school and the admission procedure.

Completing the Application Form

Parental/Guardian Responsibility - open content

The person completing the application form must ensure they have parental responsibility for the child in question and agreement of all people with parental responsibility. If it is not possible to reach a mutual agreement, a court order is required to confirm the application can be processed. The applicant will be required to tick a box on the online application form to confirm parental agreement.

Where there is a disagreement or objection the application will be placed on hold until the matter is resolved between the parents or a court order is received stating if an application can be made.

Parental Preference – School Choices - open content

Parents will be able to apply online for a place in a maximum of three schools on the application form. It’s recommended parents/guardian apply for 3 choices to increase the chance of securing a place at a school of preference.

Parents who chose to apply for 2 or 3 schools will have to rank them in order of preference (i.e. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice).

Initially all applications will be considered equally, but if a place in the 1st (or only) is offered, places will not be offered in either the 2nd or 3rd choice of schools.

If the 1st choice is refused, your 2nd choice will be treated equally as if it were a 1st choice of school. This process will continue until a place is offered or until all 3 choices are exhausted. Parents/guardians are advised to contact admissions@carmarthenshire.gov.uk to discuss an alternative school place if all choices have been unsuccessful.

Where multiple applications are received, they are automatically processed in the order they are received. If you submit a new application, the application received the earliest will remain as your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice and your second application will be added as your 4th, 5th, and 6th choice.

Home Address - open content

A pupil’s home address is considered to be a residential property that is the child’s only or main residency, a dwelling or residential building not including any land attached to it. The catchment area is based on the location of the house in which the pupil lives and not any land surrounding that house, and is either:

Owned by the child’s parent(s) or the person with a defined legal parental responsibility for the child; or
Leased to or rented by the child’s parent(s) or the person with parental responsibility under a written rental agreement, signed by the landlord and tenant, of not less than six months duration.

Proof of Address - open content

The Authority reserves the right to request proof of address at the time an offer of a place is made. In order for the application to be considered as part of the normal admissions round, you may need to provide proof that you are residing at the address stated on the application form in line with the Admissions Schedule of Events timetable.

The Authority will consider any two of the following documents as being of assistance to determine residency at a particular address:

An original Council Tax or Housing Benefit bill or notification letter being not more than 12 months old;
An original utility bill (not more than 3 months old);
An original award letter of Child Benefit or Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit or Universal Credit award letter (not less than three months old and stating the name of the child/children);
A signed and dated tenancy/lease agreement of at least six months duration but with not less than one month duration remaining;
Original credit card or bank statement showing the address (not more than two months old);
Written confirmation from the applicant’s Bank or Building Society confirming details of the change of address and also the date the change was effective from;
Valid current photo ID driving licence.

As part of the admission process, you may be required to provide proof of your address in connection with your application. The Authority will seek to verify the information provided and reserves the right to require the applicant to provide any additional information it deems necessary to confirm residency or to take reasonable action to determine whether or not an application is fraudulent.

If a school place is offered on the basis of an address that is subsequently found to be different from a child’s normal and permanent address, then the place is liable to be withdrawn.

If a school place is offered and a parent or person with a legal parental responsibility for a child, knowingly and willingly provides a false statement, which would affect the success of their application, they may have the place withdrawn.

If no proof of residency is provided on request, then the Authority will be unable to process the application and the place may be awarded to another pupil.

Moving & Change of Address - open content

If you intend to change residency and are applying for admission to a school based on the new address, then the Authority will take steps to verify the arrangements. The Authority may also accept:

A solicitor’s letter confirming the completion date of your house purchase (exchange of contract is not sufficient) evidence of completion must be provided prior to the offer of a school place being made.
A signed tenancy agreement for at least 6 months, see (d) proof of address.

If you cannot provide proof of address by the closing date, then your application will be based on your current address.

If you are moving address after the offer day, your application will be treated as late, as places will have already been allocated.

Temporary Address - open content

Temporary address will only be considered in limited circumstances such as:

Refugees/immigrants recently moved into the County housed in hotels or temporary accommodation provided by or agreed by the Home Office or through official channels.
Documentation proving that the family has been provided emergency accommodation due to the previous property being permanently uninhabitable.
Proof that the previous house “family home” has been relinquished.

Evidence of Address - open content

Parents may be tempted to apply for a school place using an address that is not the usual home address for a pupil, such as a grandparents or other family members addresses, even on a temporary basis to gain an advantage of a school place may be considered as fraudulent and this may result in the place being withdrawn.

Examples of fraudulent applications could include but are not limited to:

Using grandparents or other family members address for the application
Using other properties that are owned by the parents, but not used as the primary home address -evidence may be requested of use of other properties
Applying from a relative’s address but keeping your previous property
Rental agreements less than 6 months duration
Living at a temporary address whilst construction work is carried out at the “home address”

Parents found to be using false addresses to gain an advantage for a school place may result in their applications not being processed, or places being withdrawn. Parents may be asked to submit a new application with the correct address.

Failing to provide evidence of the home address when requested may result in the application not being processed or may impact the priority of the application under consideration.

Shared Responsibility - open content

Where there is shared responsibility for a child, and the child lives with both parents, or persons with a legal parental responsibility for the child, for part of the week, then the main residence will be determined as the address where the child lives for the majority of the school week. The person in receipt of Child Benefit will be used as the main residence where there is a 50:50 split in caring for the child.

The address of the parent in receipt of child benefit at the time of the closing date for the application will be classed as the main residence and parents may be requested to supply documentary evidence to support this. Where any changes are made to the recipient of the child benefit after this time any application will be classed as a late application.

Changing or Cancelling Preferred School Choices - open content

Parents must email admissions@carmarthenshire.gov.uk to change the order of their choice of school. Parents may be asked to submit a new application. Changes made after the published closing dates will be considered as late applications.

Start Date - open content

When applying within the normal admission rounds the pupil’s start date will be allocated automatically with a standard start date associated with a pupil of that age. When applying for admission outside of the normal admission rounds parents are asked to enter a preferred start date to their new school.

Additional Learning Needs (ALN) - open content

Parents must note if a pupil has any Additional Learning needs on the application form when asked. This information will help schools plan ahead to put provision in place for pupils should they be admitted to the school. The ALN department will be asked to verify these applications.

Gypsy and Traveller Children - open content

The Authority is obliged, by statute, to ensure that all children of compulsory school age receive education that is appropriate to their age, abilities, and any special educational needs, and promotes high standards in the provision of education and the welfare of children. These obligations apply to all children whether or not they are permanent residents in the area. Admission applications made in respect of gypsy and traveller families will be dealt with, with a view to placing these children as quickly as possible at the nearest available and appropriate school.

Children of UK Service Personnel - open content

Children of UK Service personnel will be treated as in catchment if their application forms are accompanied by an official Ministry of Defence (MOD) letter declaring a definite return or official posting date and confirmation of the new address within catchment.

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