How many children in North Wales got into their top pick school?

North Wales families report better-than-average access to their first choice school — but local differences still exist.

Transcript

00:00In North Wales, official admissions data is managed by each local authority, but national

00:06trends highlight a growing postcode lottery when it comes to getting into your top choice

00:11school. While England's northeast saw over 90% of children receive their first pick,

00:17the picture across the Welsh border is more mixed. In Gwynedd, catchment rules continue

00:22to shape decisions, while in Denbyshire and Anglesey, demand for bilingual education is

00:27adding pressure on specific schools. Families in parts of Flintshire and Wrexham report

00:33greater difficulty in securing top preferences. Though comprehensive national comparisons are

00:38limited, regional pressures suggest that not all Welsh families have equal access. For parents

00:44whose children didn't get their preferred place, the outcome can mean longer journeys or unfamiliar

00:49settings. With no single admissions standard across Wales, the experience of applying for

00:54a school place can vary widely, and for some families fairness can feel out of reach.

00:59countryیں HSB

01:0018

01:0119

01:0219

01:0320

01:0430

01:0420

01:0520

01:0721

01:0830

01:0822

01:0921

01:2322