The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee met on 10 March 2026 to discuss the School Admissions Policy for 2027/28 and the Child-Friendly City re-accreditation. The committee also reviewed its work programme and considered a proposal for a new task and finish activity on young people not in education, employment, or training (NEETs).

School Admissions Policy 2027/28

The committee undertook a pre-decision scrutiny of the proposed School Admissions Policy for 2027/28. Councillor Sarah Merry, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Education, along with officers Melanie Godfrey, Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, and Richard Portas, Programme Director of School Organisation Programme, were present to answer questions.

Key discussions revolved around the review of catchment areas, with members noting that formal consultations for Welsh medium catchments were last held in 2020 and for English medium in 2017. Concerns were raised about the impact of new housing developments and inward migration on school capacity and futureproofing. Officers acknowledged the need to review catchment areas but indicated that due to capacity constraints and the priority given to delivering Additional Learning Needs (ALN) provision, a formal review was unlikely within the next twelve months.

Members also questioned the criteria for compelling medical or social grounds for admission, the requirement for documentary evidence, and the potential for a medically trained member of staff within the admissions team. Officers clarified that while a specific medical professional was not on the admissions team, they followed legal advice and had discretion to consider recommendations from senior medical professionals. The policy's distinction between early years funding and mainstream admissions processes was also discussed.

Further points of discussion included the consultation process, with only four responses received, and the selection of community representatives for the Cardiff Admissions Forum. Members sought reassurance that admission numbers for oversubscribed secondary schools would not be decreased, and clarification on whether the consultation on the socio-economic duty was separate from the main admissions consultation. The impact of housing developments, including windfall sites, on admissions was also explored.

Finally, members pushed for a clearer timescale for a full review of the admissions policy, acknowledging the challenges of planning eighteen months in advance and the need for departments to plan their work.

Child-Friendly City Re-accreditation

The committee received an update on Cardiff's progress towards re-accreditation as a UNICEF Child-Friendly City. Lee Patterson, Child-Friendly City Programme Coordinator, presented the findings, highlighting the extensive work undertaken to demonstrate sustained progress and commitment to children's rights.

The re-accreditation process involves submitting reports and evidence to UNICEF UK, including a Story of Change report, a Youth Report, a Summary of Evidence, and a refreshed Sustainability Plan for 2026–2029. These documents showcase progress in four priority areas: Rights Education, Place (Urban Planning & Design), Participation, and Equal & Included.

Members noted the significant increase in Rights Respecting Schools, with 82% of maintained schools now engaged, and 34 achieving Gold standard. The importance of engaging children and young people not in school was raised, and officers confirmed efforts to reach a wider group through various conduits. The integration of children's rights into planning decisions, including considerations for community safety and the Local Development Plan, was discussed, with a commitment to invite planning colleagues to a future meeting.

The committee welcomed the progress made in Rights Respecting Schools and the alignment with Schools of Sanctuary. The ongoing challenge of providing clear feedback to children on how their input influences decisions was acknowledged, with plans to build this into systems and communication strategies. The use of data from the School Health Research Network to monitor well-being and sense of belonging was also discussed.

Members also inquired about the work being done with refugees and asylum seekers, and whether faith groups and uniform organisations were involved. Officers confirmed that while partners like Oasis and Schools of Sanctuary were engaged, there was an opportunity to work more closely with faith-based institutions.

CYPSC Work Programme and Task & Finish Activities

The committee reviewed its work programme for the remainder of the municipal year. Given the upcoming pre-election period, members agreed that the April meeting would be better utilised for a committee visit or briefing rather than formal pre-decision scrutiny.

The ALN Task & Finish Group was put on hold, as agreed with the Chair, pending further information from the Cabinet Member and officers on ALN developments. This would allow for a review of the scope and recommencement of the inquiry over the summer and into September.

A new proposal for a short scrutiny/deep dive into young people not in education, employment, or training (NEETs) was put forward. Members expressed interest in this topic, and it was agreed that a scope and membership would be developed for agreement at a future meeting. The committee also discussed the possibility of undertaking useful visits to sites relevant to their work.

Way Forward

The committee discussed the key issues arising from the discussions, including the need for clearer timescales for catchment reviews, reassurance on admission numbers for oversubscribed secondary schools, and greater involvement in policy review and development at an earlier stage. For the Child-Friendly City re-accreditation, members agreed to highlight the exemplary work done and the need for more concrete examples of how young people's input has influenced change. They also expressed interest in receiving further information after the June event on secondary school engagement and the potential for planning colleagues to attend a future meeting to discuss the integration of the child-friendly LDP into planning decisions. The committee also wished the Child Friendly City team luck with their upcoming UNICEF assessment.

The next meeting was tentatively scheduled for 14 April 2026, with the possibility of this being replaced by a committee visit.