Primary Schools In The UK

Primary schools in the UK

Primary schools educate children from ages 5 to 11 years. A number admit younger children into nursery classes though a nursery place does not guarantee a place in 'big school'.

There are approximately 25,000 state primary schools in the UK, they are:

• small(ish), a typical one-form-entry primary school will accommodate approximately 200 pupils but they range from one class for all ages in remote hamlets, to larger schools of around 500 pupils in inner city locations,
• local - in most urban areas there will be several primary schools within a short drive,
• fast-changing.

In some areas separate schools for infants (aged 5-7) and juniors (aged 7-11) exist. A few areas still have first schools for children (aged 5-8) and middle schools for 9-13 year olds.

Add in to the mix, the 1700 or so Independent fee-paying schools that cater for the 5-11 age group and it is easy to see why parents are keen to make sure their decision is the right one for their child. 

Choosing a primary school

Parents have the difficult task of finding out: where the best primary schools are; how their child should be prepared for school: understanding the education they should receive prior to starting school and how they should prepare their child for the imminent 'first day'.

The formative years of educational infancy are important and getting them right is crucial.

Fortunately, a large number of primary schools (or their equivalents) are good, even in areas that are a disaster for senior schools. Children in primary schools have (mostly) not reached the age of serious disruption, teaching is more child-centred than it will be later, and catchment areas are smaller. 

Many children attend nursery schools attached to a primary school but attending the nursery does not in anyway guarantee a place at the school.

For more information see

State School Admissions - How To Secure A Place.  

Shortlisting And Visitng Primary Schools

For information on nursery education see Nurseries and Early Years - Your Questions Answered.

Using The Good Schools Guide to search for and find primary schools

To get a complete, current list of primary schools (including those reviewed by The Guide) use Find A School  You can narrow your search by our extensive key criteria including -  location, mainstream/special, independent/state, girls/boys/co-ed etc.

If you see this symbol it indicates a school we've chosen to review (in the case of a handful of pre-prep and prep schools, the detailed review may be of the senior school with only passing reference to the junior).

Primary school catchment areas

Parents have the right to express a preference for a school but that does not guarantee a place. Policies vary from school to school and year-on-year so do check carefully, the LA will hold the current information. 

However, if you are looking to choose a primary school you may find our unique catchment area maps and analysis useful - you can enter your postcode and find out which schools you are in catchment for or, look at schools of interest and see where children, currently at the school, live. By its very nature this data is historic - it shows where current and recent pupils come from.

State primary schools must follow their stated admissions policy when allocating places.

On individual school pages (England) we show (subscribers) where pupils at the school currently come from. Additionally, on the home page of this website, simply type in your postcode to see which state schools you may be in catchment for.

The key criteria are usually:

• distance from school,
• having a sibling at the school,
• faith (if a faith school),
• special needs.

Always check with the school what its current admissions criteria is. 

Good Schools Guide catchment information is only available for English state schools. Data will not always be available for brand new schools. Data is historic based on where children at the school actually come from. 

Preparing your child for primary school

The small steps of a child into his or her first school should not be giant leaps of faith for their parents left at the gate. 

As a rule of thumb, before starting school it is helpful if your child: 

• recognises and understands numbers up to 5, counting in sequence plus picking out 5 counters, 3 pencils etc.
• knows key colours - blue, red, yellow yes, purple, indigo, violet not necessarily!
• can write their own first name - Jonathan is trickier than Jon (and has several incarnations, so make sure school have the correct spelling), Alexandra harder than Alex so allowances will be made. Letter reversals are very common at this stage.
• holds a pencil properly. Primary school teachers are adept at helping youngsters master a pencil grip so don't panic if your child is all fingers and thumbs. However, poor pencil grip is often a flag for fine motor-skill difficulties. (Just as an inability to hop or jump may flag-up issues with gross-motor development).
• can get dressed and undressed for PE. Velcro is easier than laces and buttons can be fiddly - very much the basics at this stage. Many primary schools adopt simple uniforms -  polo-shirts and shorts rather than blazer, shirt and tie - to ease the dress stress at home and school.
• has basic social skills - can sit and take turns, listens to others, puts a hand-up to ask a question.

For more information on pre-school education (helping your child prepare for primary school) see:

Sussing Out A Nursery: On A Visit where we detail key pre-school skills and curriculum.

Some pre-preps (private primary schools) have exacting and challenging entry requirements. They will have their own assessment criteria and may want to interview both you and your child. State primary schools are not permitted to interview.

Primary schools in The Good Schools Guide

We review over 800 schools that take primary aged children. Where a school is an all-through or feeder school the review often concentrates on the senior children but you should be able to glean sufficient to decide if this is a possible school for you; the end product can be very telling indeed.

Of the 800 schools reviewed in The Good Schools Guide that take primary-aged children:

• Just over 50 are special schools for children with learning difficulties or disabilities; subscribers can read these on line or inThe Good Schools Guide - Special Educational Needs 2008.

• Just under 50 of the mainstream schools reviewed are state primary schools
• Almost 300 of the independent junior schools reviewed take boarders.
• More than 160 are girls schools
• Approximately 80 are boys only independent schools

The Good Schools Guide - Can you afford not to read it?

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Hand-picked state and fee-paying schools. Schools cannot buy their way into the Guide.  We visit schools, talk to parents, pupils, staff, the head and moles,  then independently write the reviews.

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Click on the links below to read the FULL Good Schools Guide review. Reviews appear in the printed guide and are reproduced online but only for subscribers. 

South Farnham Primary School, Farnham is a state school for boys and girls aged 4-11.

An absolute star in the state system and stands head and shoulders above some independent schools. Academically at the top of the tables but not at the expense of a well rounded curriculum..

Jordanhill School, Glasgow a state school for boys and girls aged 5-18.

Outstanding, with an inspirational, slightly left of centre rector, better resourced than many state schools - and its free..

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Subscribers to The Good Schools guide can examine:

• School performance data* for KS2, GCSE and A-level
• Value-added data* .Does the school make a difference to all pupils or just some?
• University information*. Details of which universities pupils go on to and what they study.
• And, for English state schools, make sure you make the right move by examining catchment area data and seeing which schools pupils come from and which schools they move on to. 

*We indicate on a school's page here data is available. We do not have data for schools outside of England.

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Further reading

Choosing A School - Thoughts For Parents 

Mix And Match State And Private Education - when to go private and when to let the state pay. 

The English School System

From Embryo to Eighteen - How To Navigate The Educational Highway

The state sector

Shortlisting And Visting Primary Schools

School Open Evenings - what to look out for, questions to ask and how to spot those with something to hide.

The Catchment Area Cheat - £10 gas bill. The lengths parents go to, to secure a place at a school of choice and the ruses that catch them out!

State School Admissions - How To Secure A Place

State Schools

Nurture Groups - How looking after the vulnerable can benefit all.

The independent sector

Pre-Preparatory Schools - independent (fee-paying) schools that cater for children aged from 3-8

Preparatory Schools - independent (fee-paying) schools that cater for children aged from 8-13

Early years

Sussing Out A Nursery: On A Visit

Starting School