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These are the most in-demand secondary schools in Cardiff according the most recent statistics.

There were seven state secondary schools in the city that had more applications than places to start this September 2019.

Cardiff council is in the process of expanding and renovating some of its most popular secondary schools as part of its 21st Century Schools programme.

Cardiff High School was the most oversubscribed community maintained secondary in the city and had to refuse 321 applications.

It currently accepts 240 children every year - however received some 561 applications.

Even when it expands to accept 300 children a year under the council's future plans, it still looks set to be the most oversubscribed secondary school in Cardiff.

Cardiff High was one of four secondary schools where parents living within the catchment area had to be turned away.

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Cardiff council says there is a space for every school-aged child in the city.

But inevitably there will be many parents left disappointed at not being able to get their child into their first choice school.

Here is everything you need to know about Cardiff's secondary schools.

The oversubscribed schools

Figures show the allocation of places to Cardiff's community maintained secondary schools for the September 2019 intake.

Some of the children refused places may be able to get into the school if not all of those given places accept them.

Cardiff High School

(Image: Western Mail)

240 places

321 refused

The last allocated place was to someone living 1.729 miles away (within catchment area).

Eastern High

240 places

39 refused

The last allocated place was to someone living 1.819 miles away (within catchment area).

Fitzalan High School

(Image: Western Mail Archive)

300 places

123 refused

The last allocated place was to someone living 1.625 miles away (within catchment area).

Llanishen High School

300 places

46 refused

The last allocated place was to someone living 3.549 miles away.

Radyr Comprehensive School

210 places

140 refused

The last allocated place was to someone living 1.556 miles away.

Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf

(Image: Western Mail)

240 places

28 refused

The last allocated place was to someone living 3.988 miles away (within catchment area).

Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr

(Image: Richard Swingler)

180 places

16 refused

The last allocated place was to someone living 1.504 miles away.

The under-subscribed schools

Cantonian High School

(Image: WalesOnline)

181 total available places

153 places allocated

Cardiff West Community High School

(Image: Cardiff Council)

240 total available places

193 places allocated

Cathays High School

(Image: Western Mail Archive)

180 total available places

157 places allocated

Willows High School

224 total available places

102 places allocated

Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern

(Image: Google Earth)

180 total available places

156 places allocated

School admissions criteria

Cardiff operates a system for secondary school where the criteria falls in the following order:

Looked-after children

Where an older sibling was directed by council to alternative school

Pupils in the catchment area

Pupils with compelling medical grounds

Pupils who have a brother and/or sister who will be on register at the

school, in Years Eight to 11, when they are admitted.

school, in Years Eight to 11, when they are admitted. Children living nearest the school, measured by practical walking distance

Pupils living furthest away from alternative school offered

Pupils whose premature admission to the school has been approved by

the council

Parents have been encouraged to use all five preferences they can apply for during the admissions process. If there are no places available at any of the preferences stated they will be offered alternative schools as well as being added to the waiting list for each of the schools they have applied for.

This year is the second year that Cardiff has piloted coordinated admissions so preferences for the 12 community schools plus Corpus Christi, St Teilo’s and Whitchurch High are included on one form.

Parents also have a statutory right of appeal to an independent panel.

Pupils 'not guaranteed a place at local school

Councillor Sarah Merry, cabinet member for education and deputy leader of the authority, said there are currently 249 places remaining for Year Seven in September 2019.

She said: "Numbers will further improve as those parents who applied for faith schools and may have more than one offer decide which they would prefer and release places into the system for reallocation.

“Although living in a catchment area doesn’t guarantee pupils a place at their local school, the majority of secondary schools in Cardiff currently have enough spaces to cater for in-catchment applications."

Welsh Education

A demand grows for Welsh-language education there are currently 19 families in Cardiff who stated one or more Welsh-medium secondary preferences, and whose children currently attend a Welsh-medium primary, that currently don't have a Welsh-medium secondary place. Five of these families don't live in Cardiff.

Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr were oversubscribed but Ysgol Bro Edern has available spaces.

The council says there are currently more spaces available in Welsh-medium secondary than applications. Cardiff council's deputy leader says she's confident the growing demand for Welsh-medium education will mean a fourth Welsh secondary school will be built in the city.

Cllr Merry said: “We currently have enough capacity in our Welsh-medium secondary schools and there are still places available. In the short to medium-term the predicted increased demand can be met by increasing places using the capacity within our existing three Welsh-medium secondary schools.

“With the work we are doing to increase the number of families choosing Welsh-medium primary schools in Cardiff I am confident that the day will come when we are able to build a fourth Welsh-medium secondary school in the city and of course we will put the necessary investment in place when needed. For now though we can meet that demand with the three secondary schools that we have.