Choosing schools
If you live in England contact your local council to find:
state-funded schools in your area
admission criteria for the schools you are interested in
You can also contact your local council to apply for places at state schools in other areas. You can search online to find schools in England.
Private schools or homeschooling
If you are looking for a place at a private school (also called ‘independent schools’), contact the school directly.
You can also choose to teach your child at home, known as homeschooling.
Children with special educational needs (SEN)
If your child has SEN, their Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan will name a school for them. The school must give your child a place.
You can ask your local council to carry out an assessment if you think your child needs additional support with their educational, health and social needs.
Find out about a primary or secondary school
You can find out more by:
visiting the school - most schools have open days
reading the school’s most recent Ofsted reports
checking school performance tables
talking to other parents about what they think of the school
What schools must publish on their website
Schools’ websites must include:
admission arrangements, including how to apply
details of the curriculum
behaviour policy
links to Ofsted reports
links to performance data
the school’s latest key stage two and four attainment and progress measures
their policies for children with special educational needs and disabilities
the amount of money they get for taking underprivileged children (the ‘pupil premium’), what they do with it and the effect it has had
You can also get advice about choosing state-funded schools from your local council.
See also: