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17.
November
2017.
Cardiff Council to consult on school admissions options

Proposals to consult on options for school applications in Cardiff have been agreed by the council's Cabinet today, November 16, 2017. 

A report presented to Cabinet comes after the council commissioned Cardiff University to carry out research on how local authorities manage school admissions, in order to see if there is anything that Cardiff could consider introducing as demand for places increases. 

Cardiff University's research found that the council's admissions arrangements are in line with other local authorities in Wales. It also found the arrangements to be an effective way of handling school applications, despite the challenges of a growing population. 

Deputy Leader of Cardiff Council and Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills, Cllr Sarah Merry, said: "We are always looking at ways of making sure that we use the school places available in a way that best meets the needs of the local communities our schools serve. 

"As the research report from Cardiff University says, there are pros and cons to the options being looked at. By putting these proposals out to public consultation, we can gauge the views of a range of stakeholders, which we can use to shape school admissions in the city. 

"The council has to review its school admission arrangements each year. As these have remained broadly the same in Cardiff since 2001, it is time to explore the merits of new options, ensuring that we maintain a fair, transparent and clear application system." 

The Cabinet report recommended consultation on changes to the way the council allocates places at schools which are oversubscribed. Results of the consultation will be presented to the local authority's Cabinet next spring, before a final decision is made on whether to make changes from September 2019. 

Full details of the proposals put to the Cabinet, along with the results of the Cardiff University research, are available online atwww.cardiff.gov.uk/meetings