Key Points
- Cardiff Council has opened online applications for nursery places for spring and summer 2027.
- The closing date for applications is 29 June 2026.
- Families are being urged to apply before the deadline to improve their chances of getting their preferred nursery place.
- Children born between 1 September and 31 December 2023 can apply for spring 2027 nursery places.
- Notifications for spring 2027 nursery offers are due on 5 October 2026.
- Children born between 1 January and 31 March 2024 can apply for summer 2027 nursery places.
- Offer letters for summer 2027 are due on 8 January 2027.
Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) June 2, 2026 – Cardiff Council has opened online applications for nursery school places for 2027, with families being told to submit forms before the 29 June deadline to improve their chances of securing a preferred place.
What has Cardiff Council said about the deadline?
As reported by Cardiff Council, online applications for nursery spring and summer 2027 opened on 1 June 2026 and will close on 29 June 2026.
The council’s guidance says families should apply before the deadline to help their chances of being offered a place of choice.
Who can apply for spring 2027 places?
According to WalesOnline, children born between 1 September and 31 December 2023 are eligible for nursery places starting in spring 2027.
Families of those children will be notified of offers on 5 October 2026. The places are part-time and begin the term after a child’s third birthday.
Who can apply for summer 2027 places?
WalesOnline reported that children born between 1 January and 31 March 2024 can apply for nursery places beginning in summer 2027.
Those families are due to receive their offer notifications on 8 January 2027. Cardiff Council’s admissions page also confirms that online nursery applications are currently open and must be submitted through the school applications system.
How should parents apply?
Cardiff Council says applications should be made online while admissions are open. The council’s system allows parents to create an account, make a new application, continue a saved application and view school place offers. The process is designed to handle nursery admissions for the relevant terms in 2027.
Why does the deadline matter?
The deadline matters because Cardiff Council has made clear that submitting a form before 29 June may improve a family’s chance of getting their preferred nursery place. In practical terms, parents who miss the closing date risk limiting their options for the 2027 intake.
The application window is therefore important for families planning childcare around a child’s third birthday and the start of nursery.
What is the background to this development?
Cardiff Council runs nursery admissions through an online school applications system, with applications opening and closing on fixed dates each year.
The council’s admissions policy sets out nursery application deadlines and confirms that admissions are managed on a term-by-term basis. The broader system is intended to organise demand for nursery education and give families a clear timeline for applying and receiving offers.
Explore More Cardiff Council News
Cardiff Regeneration Strategy 2025–2030 Approved; Cardiff, 2026
Postal vote delays investigated — Cardiff 2026
What could this mean for families in Cardiff?
For parents and carers in Cardiff, the main effect is that they must act within a short application window if they want the best chance of securing a preferred nursery place.
Families with children eligible for spring or summer 2027 entry will need to check birth-date cut-offs carefully and complete the online form before 29 June. Those who apply early may have a better chance of getting their first-choice placement, while late applicants may have fewer options available.
