Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the guidance on the secondary school admissions process to ensure parents are better equipped to support their children’s preparation.

Local authorities are required to comply with the school admissions code. This includes a requirement to publish a composite prospectus for parents, including information relating to how to apply for schools in that area, information on the admission arrangements for each state-funded school in their area and the number of parental preferences expressed for the school in the previous year. Local authorities must also publish an annual report on admissions for all the state-funded schools in their area.

In 2024, 82.9% of applicants were offered their first-choice secondary school and 94.6% received offers from one of their top three choices. At primary level, 93.2% of applicants were offered their first-choice primary school and 98.6% received offers from one of their top three choices.

If a parent or other party is dissatisfied with the information provided by the local authority, they can complain, in the first instance, through the local authority’s complaints procedure. If they remain dissatisfied, they can complain to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. Additionally, if my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education becomes aware of an issue she can, if necessary, use her powers to direct the local authority, where it is failing in a legal duty.