Schools and childcare in the UK for children

If you have children between the ages of five and eighteen and you reside in the UK then you are legally obliged to place them in education while they are living in the UK. For international students studying in the UK, navigating the UK school system can seem a complicated and daunting process. However, if you arm yourself with the necessary information then you can make the transition much easier for yourself and your child(ren).

Here are some frequently asked questions about the UK education system and how to find a school for your child.

What kind of schools are available for my child?

In the UK the two main types of school are independent schools (referred to as public or independent schools in the UK, private schools outside of the UK) and state schools. The primary difference between the two is that independent schools are fee-paying institutions and average day school fees in 2026 are around £7,382 per term – approximately £22,000 per year – according to Independent Schools Council data, although costs vary significantly by region and school type. State school education is free for all in the UK. Parents who can afford to do so often place their children into independent schools because of the high quality of education, but the overwhelming majority of children in the UK (around 94%) are state school educated.

Within the ‘state school’ bracket there are several different types of school which you should be aware of when considering where to place your child.

Local authority maintained schools

Local authority maintained schools (LA schools) are funded by the government via the local authority, follow the national curriculum and are overseen by the local council. They include community schools, voluntary controlled schools and some voluntary aided schools. Although many state schools remain local authority maintained, a significant proportion now operate as academies or free schools within multi-academy trusts as part of ongoing school reform in England. In fact, the Department for Education’s 2025 census data found that academies now outnumber LA schools.

Faith schools

Faith schools are schools that are usually associated with a religious organisation or church. While most follow the national curriculum and are still mostly run by the local authority (although there are some faith academies), they have exceptions when it comes to religious education in that they are allowed to customise it to suit the religion of the school. If a faith school is oversubscribed, they are allowed to take into consideration the faith of the family in question during admissions, provided they follow the national admissions code.

Academies or free schools

Academies are schools funded directly by the national government and are therefore not in the control of the local authority. They do not need to follow the national curriculum in full and have more flexibility when it comes to aspects of their teaching and organisation, although they must still provide a broad and balanced curriculum and meet national standards. Free schools are a specific type of academy, set up since 2010 by groups such as parents, charities, universities or other organisations, usually due to dissatisfaction with schools in the area or to meet demand for additional places. Both academies and free schools are typically part of an academy trust, which is responsible for governance and overall performance.

Grammar schools

Grammar schools (schools that choose their pupils based on academic performance) have been phased out in many parts of the UK and are now relatively uncommon outside of certain areas of England and Northern Ireland. However, a number remain, and if you are in a catchment area for a grammar school then your child can take an entrance exam (usually the 11-plus) to attempt to gain entrance. Admissions arrangements and testing dates are set locally, so it is important to check the relevant local authority or school websites well in advance if you are interested in this route.

How do I apply to place my child in a school?

School applications are usually handled by your local authority, so look up the local council in the area you will be living and give them a call or visit their website for details of the process and deadlines. Most local authorities now provide online application portals for both the “normal” admissions round (starting reception or secondary school) and in-year applications when you move into an area. Universities are very used to international students with dependents and are also usually able to give advice on how to apply for places.

If you are applying from overseas, admission authorities must consider your application and cannot refuse to process it simply because you do not yet live in the area, although they can ask for reasonable evidence of your planned move. Where a place is refused, you have the right to appeal to an independent appeal panel.

How can I tell what school is best for my child?

There are several ways to judge what school is best for your child:

#1 Visit: give a school a call to arrange a visit or attend a scheduled open day for that school. Talking to fellow parents and teachers often gives you a good impression of what a school is like. Many schools now offer virtual tours and online information events alongside in-person visits, which can be useful if you are still overseas or in the process of relocating.

#2 Ofsted reports: to maintain standards the government mandates that schools be inspected and reports published on them by Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills). Ofsted reports are a great way of seeing how well a school performs and what quality education is available at the school in question. These reports are freely available on the Ofsted section of the GOV.UK website and typically include overall effectiveness grades, safeguarding outcomes and commentary on teaching and leadership.

#3 Performance tables: league tables judged by a variety of different criteria are published each year by the Department for Education. These are available online, although some information is not available if a school is an independent institution. The performance tables allow you to compare exam results, progress measures and pupil destinations across schools in your area, and can be filtered by location, phase and type of school.

In addition to formal data, many families also consider practical factors such as travel time, after-school care, school ethos and support for additional needs when deciding what is best for their child.

How are placed allocated?

Schools are allocated based on individual school's published admissions criteria, which local authorities and schools must follow under national regulations. Common priorities include looked-after children first, then medical/social needs, siblings already attending, proximity to the school (often measured by straight-line distance from home to school gate), faith criteria for religious schools, and sometimes pupil premium eligibility or staff children. If there are more applications than places, offers go to highest priorities first; distance acts as a tie-breaker within categories.

If you’re applying for the start of a school year there are set deadlines to meet for getting applications done. Final allocations are coordinated by the local council.

What should I do if my school of choice is oversubscribed?

Good schools are often popular choices, so you may not be guaranteed a place for your child at the nearest or best school. If you feel the school left available to you is inconvenient or you feel you have been unfairly discriminated against, contact the local authority.

You can ask to be placed on the waiting list for your preferred school, which must be maintained in line with the published admissions criteria, and you also have the right to lodge a formal appeal if your application has been refused.

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