Record-breaking 100 000+ applications flood in for Grade 1 and 8 admissions in WC

Record-breaking 100 000+ applications flood in for Grade 1 and 8 admissions in WC

More than 100 000 applications have been received by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) for Grade 1 and 8 for 2025.

This is according to the WCED, who said it had received a “record” number of applications by the time the 2025 admissions window closed at 11.59pm on Friday, April 12, totalling 102 680 for Grade 1 and 8 learners.

“We thank the parents who put in the effort to applying on time and helping us to plan for a place for their child in a school next year. All applications received after the deadline will be considered late applications, which will only be considered after the applications received on time. Parents will still be able to capture late applications on the online system until 12 May 2024, but they will be flagged as late applications,” Education MEC David Maynier said.

He added that parents of Grade 1 and 8 learners who decide to relocate to the Western Cape after late online applications close on May 12, or who did not apply before this date for any other reason, will need to contact their district office for assistance.

“We urge parents not to wait until the last minute to apply. The window for Grade R applications and transfer requests for Grades 2 to 7, and 9 to 11 will run from 1 to 16 August 2024,” Maynier added.

What happens next?

He said now that on-time applications had closed, schools would have a little over a month to consider all the applications they have received.

“Parents are reminded that they do not need to drop off their certified hard copies at this stage. They will only need to do so once they have received an offer from a school and accepted the offer as their final choice of school,” the MEC said.

Parents can expect to start seeing the outcomes of their applications online from May 30, 2024.

The department said parents must then accept or decline successful offers before June 14, 2024.

“If a parent has not confirmed their choice by 14 June 2024, the system will automatically confirm their top-ranked school that has made an offer. All other offers will then be removed, so that those places can be offered to other learners. Parents who do not receive an offer on 30 May 2024 should not be disheartened: places always open up as parents confirm their final choices. We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to place every learner whose parents applied on time as quickly as possible.”

Cape Times