State Schools in England, Wales and N Ireland

A guide to State schools - the right one?

When it comes to choosing a state school, how do you work out what is hot and what is decidedly not?

State schools exist not only in a variety of forms, but with nuances between those.  Some areas continue to have a selective system at 11; others do not. Many secondary schools – and a few primary schools – are now academies. Plenty of these are part of large academy chains such as Harris Federation, E-Act or ARK. Other schools are free schools, set up by local groups, often with a faith designation. These are all state schools, funded by the government, but academies and free schools are not overseen by local authorities. Controversially, they are permitted to employ unqualified teachers, set their own admission criteria and ignore the national curriculum..

State schools - the main contenders

However, worry less about the type of school - there are good and bad within all - but look instead at the individual school and how well it will suit your child.

Over the last 100 years, successive governments have struggled to improve education by reforming its structure, over and over again. What hasn't changed is that in the UK all state schools are entirely free to parents as they are funded through taxation. 

On this site you will find a wealth of information to help you choose the right school for your child. We have an extensive search facility - simply enter your criteria to locate potential schools.

School admissions and catchment areas can be tricky. We explain the former and have produced catchment maps showing where children who attend (or have attended) a school come from. See how far they travel and, importantly find out which schools you may be in catchment for, via our Interactive Catchment Area Search and easy to use catchment area maps. Be aware, though, that catchments vary each year. Read more...

State Schools further reading

Appealing for a school place

Despite all you’ve heard about competition for places at the school you want for your child, it’s still a huge shock when your secondary offer comes through for Unpopular Academy instead. Don’t despair  - you have a legal right to appeal to any school named on your preference form. But it’s vital to have a back-up plan alongside going through the appeals process.

At the school appeal hearing

It isn’t compulsory to attend – the panel will consider your case on the documents alone if you don’t – but it would be unwise not to. You can bring a witness or advisor with you, but organise this in good time as you are usually required to give names of those attending a couple of weeks ahead of the hearing.

British schools

Free of charge for your charges? For families resident in the European Union or possessing EU passports, British state schools provide a popular and cost effective means of educating your children in the UK. The majority of schools are day schools but particularly useful are the 36 state boarding schools in the UK which provide for families who can demonstrate a boarding need.

Evidence for a school appeal

You must be able to provide documentary evidence of the claims you make. Request letters from professionals immediately, because they may take two weeks to produce them. If there is a health issue, you need a doctor’s letter. If you want school A over school B owing to its dyslexia provision, you need evidence of your child’s difficulties and the difference in help provided at each school.

Grounds for school appeal

Places at a school can be granted on appeal in two circumstances: 1) When a school has applied its admissions procedures incorrectly (rare as hens’ teeth), or 2) When the harm done to your child by not getting a place there will be greater than that caused to all the other children by overcrowding (particularly difficult to prove at infant level where class sizes are limited by law to 30).

Lodging your school appeal

You are legally entitled to appeal to all the schools you named on your preference form, or if you got your third choice, for example, you can just appeal to the two you prefer. There’s nothing to lose by appealing to all of them. Hearings take place over a couple of months, so you can always drop out of later ones if you get offered a place you are happy with.

Preparing for a school appeal hearing

You will be sent a document outlining the reasons why your child did not get a place at the school of your choice – essentially, that other children were higher up the priority list according to the school’s admission criteria.

Primary school admissions – where do I start?

Taking that first step into primary school education is crucial for you and your child, but how should you go about making that all important decision as to which junior school is the one?

State boarding schools

If you think your child would benefit from a boarding school education, but are put off by the high fees and consequent limited social mix of a typical independent boarding school, you may find that a state boarding school is the answer

State school admissions - how to secure a place

School admissions in England are regulated by the Schools Admissions Code, and schools must play fair, ensuring their admissions policy is not only fair but also transparent. Parents must play fair too: schools and local authorities are wising up on parental attempts to circumvent the code, and hundreds of school places are withdrawn every year, sometimes after the child has started school.

Still daunted?

We offer a 30 minute telephone consultation with a highly experienced appeals expert. She will listen to your particular circumstances, suggest ways of approaching your appeal which will optimise your chances of success and give advice on dos and don’ts. She will be frank and realistic and tell you what your chances of success are. Phone 020 3286 6824 or email consultants@goodschoolsguide.co.uk for The Good Schools Guide Education Consultants, which also offers help and advice to parents on finding a school, selection and admissions.

What are my chances of success?

It’s impossible to put a figure on this for secondary schools – though we have heard that on average around 15 per cent succeed overall. It varies enormously between schools and between years. You can ask the local authority for figures for the numbers admitted on appeal each year to schools you are interested in, which will give you some idea.