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Cardiff Council

www.cardiff.gov.uk

Special circumstances

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Please read our guidance on special circumstances that may affect your child's application to start school or your choice of school.


We will only accept an application from a person with parental responsibility for the child. Where there is shared parental responsibility, all parents should be in agreement about the preferences listed in the application. It is the parents’ responsibility to reach agreement in respect of any application made.

If you cannot agree which school your child should attend, you should immediately take your own legal advice regarding making an urgent application to the Court. If we receive two applications from parents with shared parental responsibility, we will administer the first application submitted in order to minimise any delay in the child’s admission to school.
For admissions purposes a looked after child is a child in care who is looked after by the Local Authority. This includes a child who is accommodated under a Care Order or Interim Care order or who is provided with accommodation by the Children’s Services for more than 24 hours. If a child is currently looked after by the Local Authority, we have a duty to provide that child a place even if offering them a place exceeds the admission number. 

A previously looked after child is a child that was looked after by the Local authority but is no longer. For example, if a child has been adopted or is the subject of a special guardianship order, they are previously looked after. If a child is previously looked after by the Local Authority, we have a duty to ensure the child is placed at the top of the list of allocations. This will not exceed the admission number. 

A social worker will need to write a letter confirming if a child is looked after or was previously looked after.
You may feel that for medical or social reasons that your child must attend a certain school. In these cases written support from a medical consultant (not GP) or a social worker must be provided. 

The letter must include detailed reasons which explain why it is necessary to admit your child to a named specific school. It is important that the letter addresses why the particular school would better meet the needs of the child whereas other schools could not. 

It is your responsibility to provide this information with your application by the closing date. Please contact the School Admissions Team if you require any further clarification before you submit your application.
The address of UK Service Personnel will be accepted if their application form is accompanied by an official Ministry of Defence (MoD) letter stating a definite return date and confirmation of the new address.​


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