School admission preference statistics

Primary schools

Primary schools	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25
Total number of applications at closing date	2665	2554	2577	2610	2616
Pupils offered first preference school	2508 (94.1%)	2395 (93.8%)	2428 (94.2%)	2541 (93.9%)	2545 93.70%
Pupils offered second preference school	106 (3.9%)	108 (4.2%)	87 (3.4%)	117 (4.5%)	106 4.10%
Pupils offered third preference school	20 (0.75%)	12 (0.5%)	18 (0.7%)	19 (0.7%)	17 1.60%
Pupils not allocated a place at any of their preferred school(s)*	31 (1.2%)	39 (1.5%)	44 (1.7%)	23 (0.9%)	41 1.60%
Children given at least one of their choices	2634 (98.8%)	2515 (98.5%)	2533 (98.3%)	2587 (99%)	2575 98%
Number of suspected fraudulent applications	One fraudulent application using false address	None found	None found	None found	None found

* Barnsley children aren't left without a school offer. All children who live in Barnsley are given places at alternative schools.

Secondary schools 

Secondary schools	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25	2025-26
Total number of applications at closing date	2690	2871	2909	2768	2701
Pupils offered first preference school	2607 (96.9%)	2687 (93.6%)	2616 (89.9%)	2417 (87.3%)	2400 (88.9%)
Pupils offered second preference school	40 (1.5%)	91  (3.2%)	159 (5.5%)	173 (6.3%)	236 (8.7%)
Pupils offered third preference school	7 (0.3%)	9 (0.3%)	37 (1.3%)	55 (2.0%)	20 (0.7%)
Pupils not allocated a place at any of their preferred school(s)*	36 (1.3%)	84 (2.9%)	97 (3.3%)	123 (4.4%)	45 (1.7%)
Children given at least one of their choices	2654 (98.7%)	2787 (97.1%)	2812 (96.7%)	2645 (95.6%)	2656 (98.3%)
Online applications	2642 (98.2%)	2862 (99.7%)	2845 (97.8%)	2684 (97%)	2683 (99.3%)
Number of suspected fraudulent applications	None identified	None identified	One incorrect address	None identified	None identified

* Barnsley children are not left without a school offer. All children who live in Barnsley are given places at alternative schools.