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The most in demand secondary schools in Cardiff have been revealed as places are confirmed for September. Families heard whether or not their child had got into the school of their choice in the city this week.

Hundreds of children have not got into the secondary school of their choice in the city for this academic year in the first round. In total 576 children did not get their preferred school, this was compared to 467 last year.

Once again Cardiff High was the most oversubscribed maintained secondary in the city, with 269 applications turned down. It currently accepts 240 children every year but received 509 applications this year. That is up on last year when they had 476 applications and had to turn down 236 children. Never miss a Cardiff story by signing up to our daily newsletter here

The second most popular school once again was Fitzalan High. It had 144 more applications for its 300 places, that is up slightly on last year when they had to turn down 112. Radyr Comprehensive had 291 applications for 240 places and Llanishen Comprehensive received 350 applications for 300 spaces.

Welsh medium secondaries Ysgol Glan Taf and Ysgol Plasmawr also had slightly more applications than places to give. Ysgol Glan Taf with 240 places had to turn away 25 applications while Plasmawr, with 210 places, had 200 applications.

Cathays High had eight more applications for its 240 places, Eastern High had 29 applications over for its 270 places and Cantonian was undersubscribed with 175 applications for 240 spaces. Willows High and Ysgol Bro Edern also had less applications than spaces. Willows had 125 applications for 180 spaces and Bro Edern had 152 for 180 places.

The list, from Cardiff Council, does not include applications and offers to Whitchurch High or the city’s religious secondary schools – Corpus Christi, Bishop of Llandaff, St Teilo’s, Mary Immaculate, and St Illtyd’s. Applications to some of these are not done through the same process as applications to maintained secondary schools. Offers from these schools are due imminently.

Cardiff Council has said that from Monday, March 3, 2025, they will be sending an offer letter for secondary school places for September 2025 by email and post.

You will receive either a place at your first preference school, a place at a lower preference school, or no offer.

If you have received an offer for a place at your first preference school, you must respond to the offer by Monday 17 March 2025.

The council say: "If you have received an offer for a place at your lower preference school, this means your first preference does not have enough places available. Even if you are not sure about the lower preference offered, we strongly recommend you accept this offer and stay on the waiting list for your higher preference school. You still have the right to appeal, even if you accept a lower offer.

"If you have received no offer, this means none of your preferences have enough places available. There are still alternative places available in other Cardiff schools for children. We will have sent a list of schools where there are spaces available."