Admission to School - Information for Parents 2024-2025
In this section
- Introduction
- SECTION A - Admissions to Carmarthenshire School
- Normal admissions arrangements for the academic year 2024 - 25
- When to apply
- At what age can children start school?
- Admission to secondary schools including sixth form
- Choosing a school – Catchment areas
- How to apply
- Awarding Places – Over-Subscription 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
- The Teaching of Welsh and English in Carmarthenshire Schools
- Information on Education and Learning
- SECTION C - Services to Pupils
- SECTION D - Carmarthenshire Schools and Pupil Summary
- SECTION E - Carmarthenshire Schools: Nursery Schools
- Carmarthenshire Schools: Community Primary Schools
- Carmarthenshire Schools: Voluntary Controlled Primary Schools
- Carmarthenshire Schools: Secondary Schools
- Carmarthenshire Schools: Voluntary Aided Secondary School
- Carmarthenshire Schools: Special Schools
At what age can children start school?
Early Years – 3 Year Old Provision
What is Early Years?
Early Years education is a non-statutory provision available to 3 year olds and an application for admission to provision within a school, i.e. for categories (i) and (ii) below, will have to be made to the Admissions Authority by the closing date - See Admission Application Timetable.
Where is part-time education available?
All 3 year olds are entitled to 10 hours per week free placement, at a registered setting, through the Early Entitlement Group from the term following their third birthday. Wherever practical the Authority allows non-maintained providers to use school premises.
There are various forms of provision:-
(i)Nursery School - Ammanford Nursery School is the only nursery school in the County.
(ii)Nursery/Early Years classes in Infant or Primary Schools (3-11 age schools)
(iii)Provision by the non-maintained sector who are partners in the Early Entitlement Group, such as Early Years Wales, Mudiad Meithrin (MM) and private providers. Find more information under the Carmarthenshire Family Information Service in this booklet.
When can a pupil start part-time education?
Children will normally be admitted to Early Years provision in schools where it is available on a part-time basis at the beginning of the term following their third birthday.
| Child's 3rd Birthday | Admission Term |
|---|---|
| 1 September - 31 December |
Spring Term |
| 1 January - 31 March |
Summer Term |
| 1 April - 31 August |
Autumn Term |
There is no automatic right to continue into full time education if you have been offered a part-time education place. A formal application must be made to the correct admissions authority – see admissions time table.
Should there be more applications than places available then the Authority will prioritise applications in accordance with its over-subscription criteria detailed in this document.
Full time Education – 4 & 5 Year Olds
Where there is no early years provision in a maintained setting, children are, following approval of application, admitted on a full-time basis at the following times:-
| Child's 4th Birthday | Admission Term |
|---|---|
| 1 September - 31 December |
Autumn Term |
| 1 January - 31 March |
Spring Term |
| 1 April - 31 August |
Summer Term |
By law parents must arrange for their children to receive full-time education at the beginning of the following terms:-
| Child's 5th Birthday | Must start school by Law |
|---|---|
| 1 September - 31 December |
Spring Term |
| 1 January - 31 March |
Summer Term |
| 1 April - 31 August |
Autumn Term |
