Apply for admission to school

We have a statutory duty to, where possible, educate children at the school preferred by their parents or carers.

In the vast majority of cases, parents are happy to choose their catchment school. However, it is legally necessary for that school to be selected and named on the ‘Admission to School' form and returned by the deadline. A place will not automatically be available at a particular school, even if you live in the catchment area.

Bridgend County Borough Council is the admissions authority for community schools. Applications to Welsh-medium schools are made through the same forms as English-medium schools use, and to the same schedules. For voluntary aided schools, the admissions authority is the governing body for the school.

Related pages

• School catchment areas
• School admissions forum
• Welsh medium education

Infant, junior and primary school admissions

The admissions timetable for Reception pupils starting in September 2024, or pupils moving from infant school (Year 2) to junior school (Year 3) in September 2024 (Reception – Children born between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020. Year 3 Junior school – Children born between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2017):

Action	Date
Application open:	Monday 13 November 2023 at 10am
Deadline date for us to receive completed application forms	Friday 16 February 2024 at 4pm
Notification to parents/carers of acceptance/refusal of places	Tuesday, 16 April 2024
Closing date for parents/carers to submit an appeal	Tuesday, 14 May 2024 at 4pm

Letter to the Parents/Carers of children entering the reception year in September 2024

Letter to the Parents/Carers of Year 2 children transferring infant school to junior school in September 2024

 

Full-time Nursery admissions

The timetable for nursery admissions is not governed by the School Admissions Code (2013).

The timetable for admissions to Full-time Nursery places starting in September 2024 (Children born between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021):

Action	Date
Applications open	Monday 8 January 2024 at 10am
Closing date for receipt of applications by the local authority	Friday 5 April 2024 at 4pm
Notification to parents/carers of acceptance/refusal of places	Thursday 30 May 2024

 

Part-time Nursery admissions

The timetable for admissions to Part-time Nursery places starting in January 2025 or April 2025 (January 2025 – children born between 1 September 2021 and 31 December 2021. April 2025 – children born between 1 January 2022 and 31 March 2022):

Action	Date
Applications open:	Monday 8 January 2024 at 10am
Closing date for receipt of applications by the local authority:	Friday 30 August 2024 at 4pm
Notification to parents/carers of acceptance/refusal of places	By 31 October 2024

 

Over-subscription criteria

In parts of Bridgend County Borough, there is pressure on school places. Where applications exceed available places, we will use the over-subscription criteria to allocate places by priority. Consequently, some children may not get a place at their preferred school, and this is more likely if they live outside the school catchment area. Read our School Admissions Policy 2022-2023 for more about our over-subscription criteria.

 

Admissions to voluntary aided schools

The admissions authority for voluntary aided schools is the governing body of the school. Please contact the following schools directly for the admissions criteria:

• Archdeacon John Lewis Church in Wales Primary School, Bridgend
• St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Bridgend
• St Mary’s and St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, Maesteg
• St Robert’s Catholic Primary School, Bridgend
• Archbishop McGrath Catholic High School, Bridgend