The final months of 2025 are upon us, and many parents on the West Coast are still concerned about placement for their children for the 2026 school year.
Throughout the year parents have been applying and waiting patiently for feedback on the schools of their choice. For some the news of a declined application has been difficult to process and others have not heard any feedback yet.
Monica Lester from Vredenburg said she applied to three schools for her child, who is due to start Grade 8 next year, but to date has not received an answer. “I’m very stressed right now, because it’s almost the end of the year and I don’t know what to do, and yet I applied in the time frame given by the education department.” She fears her child will fall behind if she isn’t placed.
Another parent related how heavily the worry of not knowing which school for her son, who will be in Grade R next year, was weighing on her. “I am trying not to get worked up about it, but still it is a big concern. I applied within the time frame the Western Cape Education Department [WCED] gave. I really wanted to get him into Jurie Hayes Primary as the children in our family had gone there, me included. So it is sad he didn’t get a place there, although I am still hoping he will attend the school in the end. It will also be a great source of satisfaction for my mother.”
Bronagh Hammond, spokesperson for the WCED, explained that the admissions policy of a public school is determined by the governing body of the school, as stated in Section 5 of the South African Schools Act. “The School Governing Body then applies the admission policy when determining the applications. The policies differ from school to school, some schools applying criteria such as proximity or siblings currently present at the school factored in. In some cases, siblings are not a factor.”
Hammond said the reality is that some schools are more popular than others, with thousands of applications for just 100-200 places. “There will therefore be parents that are disappointed. Having schools that are more popular than others is not a Western Cape phenomenon. It is seen the world over in public-school education. Schools can be popular for a variety of reasons, whether it be their subject offerings, past academic performances or sporting achievements. The WCED is responsible for ensuring all learners are afforded the opportunity to be placed at a school. Sometimes parents are unhappy with the schools that still have places available and reject options provided to them. Unfortunately we cannot place every child in their school of choice as spaces are limited, particularly at the more popular schools.”
Hammond said the WCED endeavours to place all children, and more than 99% of the children who applied for Grade 1 and 8 in 2024 and 2025 were placed by the close of the fourth term. “We do, however, receive late applications, particularly from other provinces as a result of semi-gration. These can be a challenge, particularly if large numbers of learners migrate or relocate to a specific town or area over the holidays. There is some movement in schools at the end of the year following the progression and promotion process. Some schools keep back places as they have yet to determine how many learners will progress or remain in the grade. This sometimes allows for more places to open up at a particular school.”
She added that parents should request to be placed on the waiting lists of schools if they have a preference. “Independent school registration is an option for parents who do not want to take up offers provided by the WCED. This can be, in many cases, more costly, as opposed to public school fees. It is dependent on the school. Online schooling is also an alternative option, such as UCT High School. If still unplaced, parents can now contact the relevant district office for assistance.”
