Schools, school places and buildings, additional learning needs and Welsh-medium education.
What councils do
Councils run community schools, fund every state school, provide school transport and support pupils with additional learning needs. They plan school places, including Welsh-medium places under a ten-year plan.
Who decides
The Cabinet decides on school changes, such as opening, closing or merging schools, after a formal consultation. Head teachers and governing bodies run each school day to day.
Having a say
Proposals to change a school must be consulted on, and anyone can respond. Parents can also become school governors.
In numbers
Welsh councils plan to spend £1,307 per person on this in 2026-27.
It ranges from £1,099 in Monmouthshire to £1,475 in Merthyr Tydfil.
Year 1 pupils taught in Welsh: 25% across Wales (2025-26).
Decided: Cabinet delegated authority to the Director of Education & Lifelong Learning, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education, to publish the proposals under section 48 of the Schools Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013. This is the formal notice stage, when objections can be made. A further report will come to Cabinet on any objections, the response to them and recommendations on whether to go ahead.
Cardiff, Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee,
Decided: The Chairperson will write to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee with its comments and observations, before Cabinet considers the report.
RESOLVED: Council AGREED:
1.
To approve the new appointments of Local Authority governors to the school governing bodies as set out in Appendix 1, each for a term of 4 years from the date of the appointment, in accordance with the recommendations of the Local Authority Governor Panel.
RESOLVED – That
(1) the report be noted;
(2) the Chief Finance and Deputy Section 151 Officer provide details of updates received by the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee on the School Education and Attainment corporate risk.
RESOLVED: that
1. the information and reports prepared for submission to UNICEF UK as part of the Child Friendly City re-accreditation assessment process in 2026 be approved, including:
a) the Story of Change Report;
b) the Youth Report;
c) the Summary of Evidence; and
d) the refreshed Child Friendly Cardiff Sustainability Plan 2026–2029.
2. The Child Friendly Cardiff Sustainability Plan 2026–2029 be approved and committed to, confirming continued political and corporate leadership for embedding children’s rights across Cardiff Council.
3. Authority be delegated to the Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and relevant Corporate Directors, to submit the approved documentation to UNICEF UK and publish required annual Child Friendly City reports.
4. Authority be delegated to the Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and relevant Corporate Directors to submit to UNICEF Annual Progress updates, if reaccreditation is successfully achieved.
RESOLVED: that
1) It be agreed in principle to commence the procurement process for the delivery of the Ely Youth Zone project subject to the full acquisition of the preferred site and in line with the budget strategy outlined at Confidential Appendix 1.
2) authority be delegated to the Director of Economic Development in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Investment and Development, the Section 151 Officer and the Monitoring Officer to deal with all aspects of the procurement of a developer to deliver the Ely Youth Zone project as set out at Confidential Appendix 1 and subject to remaining within the financial envelope set out at Confidential Appendix 1.
3) Once fully assembled, a 125-year lease of the Council owned Youth Zone site at a peppercorn rent to the OnSide charity be agreed to.
4) a grant funding agreement with the OnSide charity in relation to the Council revenue contribution for the first 7-years as set out at Confidential Appendix 1 be committed to.
5) the development a detailed utilisation plan with OnSide that will set out how the Council will ensure use of the facility is optimised in the local community, particularly at off-peak times (during normal school hours) through engagement with the Cabinet Member for Housing & Communities, the Cabinet Member for Education, the Cabinet Member for Investment and Development, local members, young people, the Council’s Education Service and the Council’s Youth Service be agreed to.
RESOLVED: that
1. the attached Council’s draft School Admission Arrangements 2027/2028 as set out in the Admission Policy attached at Appendix 1 to this report be determined.
2. the variation to the School Admission Arrangements 2026/2027 as set out in the Admission Policy attached at Appendix 4 to this report be agreed.
RESOLVED – That the Council be recommended to approve the recommendations of the Panel to appoint the following persons to current Local Authority Governing Body vacancies as follows:
School Name
Ward
Start of Vacancy
Applications Received
Baden Powell Primary School
Splott
03/02/2025
Steve Carroll
Bryn Celyn Primary School
Pentwyn
14/02/2026
Jean Fudge
26/06/2025
Carylon Mason
Ffederasiwn y Ddraig x 2
Trowbridge
06/10/2025
Vanessa Morgan
Glyncoed Primary School
Pentwyn
03/09/2025
Martin Pollard
Grangetown Primary School
Grangetown
26/11/2025
Emily Jenkins
Greenhill School
Rhiwbina
02/072025
30/06/2025
Hywel Dda Primary School x 2
Ely
03/09/2025
Lauren Reilly
Lansdowne Primary School
Canton
01/09/2025
Laura Roberts
Marlborough Primary School
Penylan
01/05/2025
Peter Lea Primary School
Fairwater
13/10/2025
Ashleigh Bairstow
Radnor Primary School
Canton
12/12/2025
St Alban’s RC Primary School
Splott
06/02/2026
St Francis RC Primary School
Ely
08/03/2025
The Saints Federation
Pentwyn
09/09/2025
Tremorfa Nursery
Splott
27/01/2026
Sarah Fitzgibbon
Whitchurch Primary School
Whitchurch &
Tongwynlais
28/10/2025
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf
Llandaff North
01/05/2025
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr
Fairwater
08/12/2025
Ysgol Gymraeg Pwll Coch
Canton
30/06/2025
Ysgol Gynradd Groes-Wen Primary School
Pentyrch & St Fagans
01/02/2025
Ysgol Pencae
Llandaff
27/11/2024
Ysgol Y Wern
Llanishen
01/08/2025
Iestyn Wyn Lewis
The Committee received and considered applications to future vacancies against criteria, matching skills to vacancies. RESOLVED – That the Council be recommended to approve the recommendations of the Panel to appoint the following:
School Name
Ward
Start of Vacancy
Re-appointment requested.
New Application Received
Adamsdown Primary School
Adamsdown
01/07/2026
22/06/2026
Cllr Owen Jones
Cllr Ferguson-Thorne
Cantonian High
Fairwater
22/06/2026
School
Jean Fudge
01/07/2026
Mudassir Dehghani
01/07/2026
Danescourt Primary School
Llandaff
22/06/2026
Cllr Sean Driscoll
Lakeside Primary
School
Cyncoed
01/07/2026
Llysfaen Primary School
Lisvane & Thornhill
01/07/2026
Marlborough
Primary School
Penylan
01/07/2026
Deferred
Mary Immaculate High School
Caerau
01/07/2026
Josse Prosser
Millbank Primary
School
Caerau
18/03/2026
Jacob Pockney
Moorland Primary
School
Splott
01/07/2026
Obiajulu Okonkwo
Peter Lea
Primary School
Fairwater
01/07/2026
Rumney Primary
School
Rumney
22/06/2026
Stella Dunstone
St Illtyd's Catholic High School
Rumney
19/03/2026
Amz Wafa
Stacey Primary
School
Adamsdown
01/07/2026
Cllr Ferguson-Thorne
The Hollies
School
Pentwyn
27/06/2026
Cllr Joel Williams
The Pear Tree
Federation
Whitchurch &
Tongwynlais
27/03/2026
Hannah Hawoldar
The Rainbow Federation
Llanrumney
01/06/2026
Georgina McGarry
Thornhill Primary School
Lisvane & Thornhill
01/06/2026
Ysgol Y Berllan
Deg
Pentwyn
01/07/2026
Samantha Vaugan
RESOLVED:
That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward.