Where is a first-choice secondary place hardest to get?
DfE ยท Sept 2026 entry- Bradford 78%
- Leeds 83%
- Kingston upon Hull, City of 85%
- Sheffield 89%
- Kirklees 89%
- Doncaster 90%
- Wakefield 91%
- Barnsley 91%
- Calderdale 91%
- North Yorkshire 92%
- North East Lincolnshire 92%
- Rotherham 92%
- York 94%
- North Lincolnshire 96%
- East Riding of Yorkshire 97%
Local authorities compared
Medians are of schools, not pupils
Sorted by the median secondary school's applications per place for September 2026, highest first.
| Local authority | Secondary per place | First choice | Attainment 8 | KS2 expected | Report cards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leeds | 3.0 | 83% | 48.4 | 64% | 26 |
| Bradford | 2.4 | 78% | 41.8 | 62% | 24 |
| Kirklees | 2.1 | 89% | 45.1 | 64% | 28 |
| York | 2.0 | 94% | 50.2 | 64% | 9 |
| Calderdale | 2.0 | 91% | 48.1 | 64% | 10 |
| Kingston upon Hull, City of | 2.0 | 85% | 43.1 | 67% | 15 |
| North Yorkshire | 1.9 | 92% | 47.4 | 62% | 39 |
| Sheffield | 1.9 | 89% | 43.9 | 61% | 22 |
| North Lincolnshire | 1.8 | 96% | 43.5 | 63% | 6 |
| Barnsley | 1.6 | 91% | 43.3 | 67% | 7 |
| Wakefield | 1.6 | 91% | 46.1 | 64% | 16 |
| North East Lincolnshire | 1.6 | 92% | 39.1 | 70% | 6 |
| Rotherham | 1.5 | 92% | 44.5 | 62% | 23 |
| Doncaster | 1.4 | 90% | 46.8 | 67% | 19 |
| East Riding of Yorkshire | 1.3 | 97% | 46.0 | 58% | 26 |