Whether you’re looking up term dates, applying for a place in one of our Swansea schools, or trying to find out what financial help is available, this page is your starting point for everything you need to know about Swansea schools. Pick the section you need below.
Swansea School Term Dates
Swansea Council publishes term dates covering Spring, Summer and Autumn terms for the current academic year, with dates for 2027 and 2028 also available for families planning ahead. Our page includes add-to-calendar buttons for every half term, holiday and bank holiday so you can save the dates straight to your phone.
INSET days in Swansea are set by each individual school rather than the council centrally. Contact your school directly for their closure dates, or check the Swansea Council website for any published dates.
View Swansea Term Dates 2025 to 2028
Applying for a School Place in Swansea
Applications for Reception and Year 7 school places in Swansea are made online. There is no automatic allocation, so even if you live next to your preferred school or your child already attends nursery there, you still need to apply formally and receive written confirmation from Swansea Council before your child can start.
Key things to know before you apply:
- You can list up to three school preferences — always use all three slots
- Only one application per child is accepted; if more than one is submitted, only the most recent will be processed
- Nursery places are applied for directly through the school, not through the council’s online system
- Attending nursery at a school does not give your child automatic entry into Reception there
- If you apply to a school that isn’t your catchment school, transport costs are your responsibility even if your child gets the place
- Technical support for the online application system closes at 4pm on the deadline day, so don’t leave it until the last minute
Swansea School Admissions: How to Apply for a School Place
School Grants and Financial Help in Swansea
There’s a decent amount of financial support available to Swansea families with school-age children, and it’s not always well advertised. The main things worth knowing about are:
- School Essentials Grant: up to £125 per child (or £200 for Year 7) to help with uniform, kit, stationery and equipment. The Swansea scheme runs from 1 July 2025 to 31 May 2026 and applications take up to 7 days to process.
- Free School Meals: all primary pupils get a free meal automatically, but you still need to apply for means-tested Eligible Free School Meals (eFSM) separately to unlock the School Essentials Grant and extra school funding.
- Free Breakfast Clubs: available at primary schools across Swansea. Check with your school whether they run one.
- GROW Cymru ABC123: a recycled school uniform project run in partnership with Swansea Council, where donated uniforms are laundered and sold at low cost from their town centre premises.
- Free School Transport: for eligible pupils who live more than 2 miles from their catchment primary school or 3 miles from their catchment secondary school.
School Grants in Swansea: Free Meals, Uniforms & Financial Help
For a full overview of all financial help available to families across Wales, including the Education Maintenance Allowance for 16 to 18 year olds and free Microsoft 365 licences for all learners, take a look at our Help With School Costs in Wales guide.
