Schools in the UK
The primary school you can walk to, the secondary the older children rate, the catchment that decides which house to buy, an open day in October, the sixth form with the right A-levels, a private school with a bursary, or the school with the specialist unit your child needs: find the schools near you and what each one is like.
Schools by city
Pick a city to see local schools ranked by rating — each links to that town's dedicated page.
Highly rated UK schools
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Finding a good school in the UK
Schools come in more kinds than the sign outside suggests: state primaries and secondaries, run by the council or as academies and free schools, some of them faith schools with their own admissions; grammar schools in the counties that kept them; sixth forms and colleges from sixteen; special schools and mainstream schools with specialist units; and the independent sector, from nursery and prep schools to the senior schools and boarding schools, charging fees. Nursery and reception start the September after a child turns four, secondary in the September after eleven, and the applications go in the previous autumn through the council.
Choosing well is a matter of looking and asking: the Ofsted, Estyn or Education Scotland report and the results tell you something; the open day, the head, the children in the corridors and the parents at the gate tell you more; and the catchment, the oversubscription criteria and the last distance offered decide whether you will get a place at all. Wraparound care — breakfast and after-school clubs — matters for working parents, SEND provision and the SENCO for children who need it, and transport for rural secondaries; private schools run their own admissions, assessments, scholarships and bursaries.
The listings here show each school's phase and type, age range, Ofsted or inspection rating, admissions and catchment, open days, wraparound care, SEND provision, fees for independents and contact details, so you can see what is nearby, what the inspectors and parents say, and where families in your town send their children.
Kinds of school
Nursery and early years: nursery schools and classes, pre-schools and playgroups, from two or three, with the funded hours.
Primary: infant, junior and all-through primaries from four to eleven, community, academy, free and faith schools, with breakfast and after-school clubs.
Secondary and sixth form: comprehensives, academies, grammar and faith schools from eleven, with sixth forms, and the colleges and sixth-form colleges from sixteen.
Special and specialist: special schools and specialist units for SEND, alternative provision, and mainstream schools with strong support.
Independent: nursery, prep and senior schools, boarding schools, and the specialist music, dance and international schools, with fees, scholarships and bursaries.
Choosing and applying
- Go to the open days in the autumn before you apply; the head and the children tell you more than the report.
- Read the inspection report and the results, and note the date; a school changes with its head.
- Check the catchment and the last distance offered; the council's admissions booklet shows who got in.
- Apply through the council by the deadline — mid January for primary, end of October for secondary — and use all your preferences.
- Ask about wraparound care, SEND support, transport and the clubs; they decide whether the day works.
- For private schools, ask about assessments, scholarships and bursaries; many discount fees for families who qualify.
What schooling costs in the UK
As a rough guide, state schools are free, with uniform £100 to £300 a year, school meals £2.50 to £3 a day where not free, trips and music lessons extra, and breakfast and after-school clubs £3 to £8 and £8 to £18 a session; nursery is funded for 15 or 30 hours a week from nine months to four for working parents, with extra hours £5 to £8 an hour; independent day schools charge £12,000 to £25,000 a year, more in London and for senior schools, and boarding £30,000 to £50,000, with VAT on fees since 2025, and scholarships and bursaries reducing fees by 10 to 100 per cent for those who qualify. School transport is free where the nearest school is beyond the walking distance.
The free state primary a mile away with a good head is the best-value education in the country; the fee is the house price.
What schools are near me?+
Look at the schools listed for your town, which show the phase, type, age range, inspection rating, admissions and catchment, open days, wraparound care and contact details. Filter by primary, secondary, nursery or independent, and check the catchment against your address before you set your heart on one.
How do I apply for a primary or secondary school place?+
Through your council's admissions service, online, listing several schools in order of preference: by 15 January for a reception place that September, and by 31 October for a secondary place; offers come in April and March. Faith and private schools may need a supplementary form or their own application, and late applications go to the back of the queue.
What is a catchment area?+
The area a school gives priority to in its admissions, or, for schools that rank by distance, the furthest distance a child was offered a place from last year; if the school was oversubscribed, living inside it is what gets a place. The council's admissions booklet publishes the criteria and the last distance offered; siblings and looked-after children usually come first.
How do I judge a school?+
Visit on an open day and on a normal day, meet the head, watch the children and the corridors, read the latest inspection report and the results with their date, ask parents at the gate, and check the things that matter for your child — SEND support, clubs, wraparound care, transport, the sixth form. A school is its head and its teachers; the rating is a snapshot.
How much do private schools cost?+
Typically £12,000 to £25,000 a year for a day place, more in London and at senior schools, and £30,000 to £50,000 for boarding, with VAT charged on fees since January 2025 and extras for trips, music and uniform; scholarships for academic, music and sporting ability and means-tested bursaries reduce fees by 10 to 100 per cent. Ask the admissions office; many places are on bursaries.
What support is there for children with special educational needs?+
Every mainstream school has a SENCO and must support children with SEND, with an EHCP from the council for those who need more, naming the school and funding the support; special schools and specialist units in mainstream schools take children with more complex needs. Ask the school what it provides and talk to the SENCO before you apply.
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