Do all local authorities publish admissions allocation data or do you sometimes have to request it?

[toddlermum27]

Some LAs I can easily find x number put school as first preference, x number of places offered, x% got first choice etc but can't find this anywhere for our LA - do all LAs have to publish this online?

I was also wondering this, I've found some very easily and some has been impossible to find.

I'm wondering if they do all have to publish it somewhere, because I've just found our LA's in an obscure place (last year's only), but cannot find neighbouring LA anywhere, despite some others being very obvious and including data from this year already...

Ok I've eventually found it for the neighbouring LA which convinces me they have to publish it somewhere. So anyone reading this in the same boat it's worth searching, although probably not the best use of my evening 🤪

My LA either doesn't publish it or hides it somewhere so obscure it's impossible to find. The most you get from them is "over/undersubscribed in last round" in the list of all county schools which is updated every year with admissions criteria. I've looked many times, just out of interest really, I'm always fascinated by posters on here who say to look up this info as it's just not available here!

There used to be a website (192schools??) that would show catchment area, a few non-admission stats, and furthest distance admitted (but not the category that child was in, so it was misleading), but it's now subscription only.

I have not found the local ones online here, however for both primary and secondary admissions I emailed the admission team with my question and received a very quick and detailed response.
I asked for the the last distance offered for 5 schools as well as the numbers on the waiting list.
Along with data relating to aptitude tests.

LAs are not required to publish this information. Many do, but the Admissions Code does not require them to do so. You can, of course, get the information through an FoI request if it is not published.

Before you submit a FOI request, I would just ask. Some LAs are really good and provide clear tracking data. Remember new schools open, some schools close, admissions numbers change as do the oversubscription criteria as well as shifts in demographic data (e.g. changes in birth rate or pupil yield from a new or expanding housing development), so the fact that your child would have secured a place in one year doesn’t mean they would get into the same school 12 months later.

Locrating.com is a really good resource for catchment areas, etc.

Our LA publishes all this info for all schools for several years. It’s is extremely useful and prevents parents wasting time applying for schools they cannot realistically get into. It shows which ones are likely to have places outside catchment. It also has all catchment areas and admissions criteria for each school and how to apply if necessary.

The data for every school covers whether all applicants were given a place and, if not, which admissions criteria were used for allocation. If it comes down to distance, what the distance admitted down to fractions of a mile. You can see the admission patterns for each school so parents can make informed decisions. I think this is important info and should be published. It covers the schools who are make their own admissions decisions. So it’s fair and clear to parents.

so it’s this @toddlermum27 . It’s also easy to find.