Skip to main content

Documentation Technical documentation for the Get Information about Schools service.

Geography And Postcode Imports

This page explains import staging and refresh data used to maintain postcode, geography and administrative classification reference data.

Scope

This view focuses on:

  • postcode and geography import staging;
  • reference data refresh for wards, districts, LSOA, MSOA and parliamentary constituencies;
  • postcode-to-constituency import data;
  • postcode-derived geography data used by establishments.

It does not show staging tables marked as having no observed activity.

How To Read This Model

  • Geography import tables are staging and refresh structures.
  • GeoData is the operational postcode-to-geography reference table used by the wider establishment model.
  • Import tables often have procedure-level relationships rather than physical foreign keys.
  • Postcode and geography data supports display, search, filtering and statistical classification.

Application-Derived Insights

  • The user-facing application depends on the resulting geography values, not on the staging tables directly.
  • The important business concept is postcode-derived geography context, not the import file shape.
  • SQL procedures are a key part of this model because they transform staging rows into maintained geography reference data.
  • Some import staging tables show active usage, while others should be treated as candidates for retirement or confirmation.

Geography Import And Reference Data

erDiagram GeoDataImport { nvarchar postcode nvarchar administrativeWard_code nvarchar lsoa_code nvarchar msoa_code nvarchar parliamentaryConstituency_code nvarchar districtAdministrative_code } GeoData { nvarchar postcode nvarchar administrativeWard_code nvarchar lsoa_code nvarchar msoa_code nvarchar parliamentaryConstituency_code nvarchar districtAdministrative_code nvarchar urbanRural_code } AdministrativeWardImport { nvarchar code nvarchar name } DistrictAdministrativeImport { nvarchar code nvarchar name } LSOAImport { nvarchar code nvarchar name } MSOAImport { nvarchar code nvarchar name } ParliamentaryConstituencyImport { nvarchar code nvarchar name } GeoDataImport ||--o{ GeoData : refreshes AdministrativeWardImport ||--o{ GeoData : ward_reference DistrictAdministrativeImport ||--o{ GeoData : district_reference LSOAImport ||--o{ GeoData : lsoa_reference MSOAImport ||--o{ GeoData : msoa_reference ParliamentaryConstituencyImport ||--o{ GeoData : constituency_reference

GeoDataImport

GeoDataImport stages postcode-to-geography data before it is loaded into the maintained geography reference table.

Business-friendly pattern:

For this imported postcode,
which geography and administrative codes should be loaded or refreshed?

GeoData

GeoData maps postcodes to geography and administrative classification codes.

Business-friendly pattern:

For this postcode,
which geography and administrative classification codes apply?

AdministrativeWardImport

AdministrativeWardImport stages administrative ward reference values.

Business-friendly pattern:

For this imported ward code,
what name should be available to refresh the ward reference list?

DistrictAdministrativeImport

DistrictAdministrativeImport stages district administrative reference values.

Business-friendly pattern:

For this imported district administrative code,
what name should be available to refresh the district reference list?

LSOAImport

LSOAImport stages Lower Layer Super Output Area reference values.

Business-friendly pattern:

For this imported LSOA code,
what name should be available to refresh the LSOA reference list?

MSOAImport

MSOAImport stages Middle Layer Super Output Area reference values.

Business-friendly pattern:

For this imported MSOA code,
what name should be available to refresh the MSOA reference list?

ParliamentaryConstituencyImport

ParliamentaryConstituencyImport stages parliamentary constituency reference values.

Business-friendly pattern:

For this imported parliamentary constituency code,
what name should be available to refresh the parliamentary constituency reference list?

Reading This Diagram

These ERDs are explanatory views. The import tables support refresh of reference data; the maintained geography reference data is what the wider establishment model consumes.