WCED gets a record 102 680 Grades 1 and 8 applications for next year

THE Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has received a record number of Grade 1 and Grade 8 admissions applications for 2025.

By the time the admissions window closed on Friday, April 12, the department had received 102 680 applications – an increase of 5 936 from last year, during which 96 744 applications were received.

The WCED said late applications received after the deadline will only be considered after timely submissions, while parents could still submit late applications until May 12.

“Parents of Grade 1 and 8 learners planning to relocate to the Western Cape after late online applications close on May 12 should contact their district office for assistance and avoid waiting until the last minute,” said Education MEC David Maynier.

Maynier said the window for Grade R applications and transfer requests for Grades 2-7 and 9–11 would run from August 1 to 16, 2024.

“Now that on-time applications have closed, schools will have a little over a month to consider all the applications they have received.”

Maynier informed parents that they didn’t need to send certified hard copies until they accepted a school’s offer as their final choice.

“Parents will start seeing the outcomes of their applications online on May 30, and we will remind them of this as the date approaches. The date has been shifted by a day from May 29, in order to accommodate the public holiday for the general election.

“Parents must then accept or decline successful offers before June 14 and we encourage them to do so as quickly as possible.”

Maynier said parents should confirm their school choice quickly after receiving multiple offers, as it prevented schools offering places to others.

“If a parent has not confirmed their choice by June 14, 2024, the system will automatically confirm their topranked school that has made an offer.

“All other offers will then be removed and offered to others.”