Admissions, catchment areas, inspections, fees, SEND, and your rights — explained in plain English across all 4 UK nations. 55 guides plus area-specific school rankings for 218 local authorities.
Pick your journey
Structured paths through related guides for each stage — tick as you go, progress saves automatically.
Most popular guides
Catchment Areas & Transport
How schools decide who gets in — distance rules, catchment boundaries, and free transport rights.
Grammar School Entry & the 11+
Test formats, preparation timeline, costs, and honest answers about selection.
Free School Meals & Pupil Premium
Millions in funding go unclaimed. Check eligibility, apply in minutes, and unlock 11+ extras.
SEND Rights & Processes
EHCPs, IDPs, CSPs, tribunals — your rights across all 4 nations in plain English.
Reception Entry & School Readiness
750,000+ children start each year. Timeline, visits, settling in, and what ready actually means.
Independent School Fees
The true cost from 4–18 including VAT, hidden extras, and how families actually pay.
All parent guides
55 guidesChoosing a Nursery & Early Years
Types of provision, funded hours, 4-nation differences, costs, and visit checklists
Reception Entry & School Readiness
Application timeline, school visits, settling in, and what “ready” really means
Summer-Born Children
Delayed entry rights, deferral process, and what the research shows
Wraparound Care & Childcare
Breakfast clubs, after-school, holiday care, funded hours, and financial help
Key Stage Transitions
Every school change from nursery to university — what to expect and how to prepare
Catchment Areas & Transport
Distance criteria, catchment boundaries, and free school transport rights
Inspections Deep Dive
Ofsted, Estyn, Education Scotland, and ETI — frameworks, ratings, and how to read reports
School Performance Data
Progress 8, SATs, Highers — what every metric means and the mistakes parents make
School Transport Rights
Free bus travel, walking distances, SEND transport, and how to appeal
What to Ask on a School Visit
50+ questions by category, red flags to watch for, and observation tips
Grammar School Entry & the 11+
Test formats, preparation timeline, costs, and honest answers about selection
Independent School Entry
Pre-tests, Common Entrance, fees, scholarships, bursaries, and VAT
Admissions Appeals
Your rights, the timeline, and how to build a strong case
Faith School Admissions
37% of primaries are faith schools — SIFs, clergy references, and your rights
Post-16 Choices
A-levels, BTECs, T-levels, apprenticeships, IB, and Scottish Highers compared
Choosing a Sixth Form at 16+
Stay, move, or go independent — A-levels vs IB, costs, and entry requirements
Curriculum Choices
iGCSE, GCSE, IB, A-levels, Highers — which pathway for which university?
GCSEs, A-Levels & Exams Explained
SATs, GCSEs (9–1), A-levels, Scottish qualifications, results days, and resits
Home Education
Legal rights, teaching methods, costs, exams, and SEND — all 4 nations
The Prep School System
Pre-prep vs prep, the 4–13 pipeline, feeder relationships, and costs
4+ and 7+ Assessments
Play-based 4+, academic 7+, London competition, and preparation advice
11+ Independent vs Grammar
GL, CEM, school-specific exams — side-by-side comparison and timelines
ISEB Common Pre-Test
The adaptive test used by 75+ selective schools — format, prep, and what to expect
Common Entrance at 13+
8 subjects, 3 levels, school thresholds, and the shift away from CE
Independent School Fees
True cost from 4–18, hidden extras, regional differences, and VAT impact
Scholarships & Bursaries
Over £1bn in ISC funding — types, income thresholds, and how to apply
VAT on School Fees
20% VAT from 2025 — closures, pupil movement, and what it means for you
Fee Planning: How to Pay
ISAs, grandparent gifts, insurance, monthly plans, and saving strategies
School Contracts & Rights
Notice periods, deposits, fee increases, closures, and consumer protection
Evaluating Independent Schools
ISI reports, financial health, visit checklists, red flags, and 20 tough questions
Boarding Schools
Full, weekly, flexi boarding — costs, 30 state boarding schools, and how to choose
Single-Sex vs Co-Ed
What the evidence says, the diamond model, and why schools are going co-ed
School Associations
HMC, IAPS, ISA, GSA, SCIS — what membership signals and what it doesn’t
SEND & Independent Schools
EHCPs, Section 41, LA funding, tribunals, and specialist provision
State ↔ Independent
Moving between sectors in both directions — preparation, finances, and adjustment
Independent Schools in Scotland
72 schools, SQA vs A-levels vs IB, Scottish fees, and the VAT impact
Independent Schools in Wales
~25 schools, Estyn, Welsh language, cross-border choices, and closures
Independent Schools in NI
Why 65 free grammars make private schools redundant — the NI anomaly
Private vs State Comparison
A-level gap, value-added debate, and honest nation-by-nation analysis
Cross-Border Choices
Highers vs A-levels UCAS equivalence, key corridors, and university implications
SEND Rights & Processes
EHCPs, IDPs, CSPs, tribunals — your rights across all 4 nations
Autism & School
Provision types, EHCPs, masking, choosing a school, transitions, and support organisations
Dyslexia & School
Signs by age, diagnosis, school support, exam access, CReSTeD schools, and your rights
SEMH & School
Social, emotional and mental health needs — support, provision, exclusions, and CAMHS
Speech & Language Needs
SLCN signs, SALT support, DLD, exam access, and the funding crisis
Physical Disability & School
Accessibility, transport, Equality Act rights, medical needs, and exam arrangements
Free School Meals & Pupil Premium
Eligibility, how to apply, what your child gets — millions unclaimed across the UK
School Exclusions & Off-Rolling
Suspensions, permanent exclusions, illegal exclusions, and your rights
Bullying: Prevention & Rights
Types, legal framework, reporting, escalation, and support
School Anxiety & Refusal
EBSA signs, triggers, CAMHS referrals, legal position, and parent action plan
Moving Between UK Nations
Year-group mappings, exam transfers, SEND portability, and practical checklists
International Families
Year-group mapping, visa rights, EAL support, and arrival checklist
Moving to the UK from India
CBSE / ICSE / Cambridge to GCSE / A-level mapping, visa rights, 90-day plan for Indian families
Moving to the UK from Hong Kong (BN(O))
HKDSE / IGCSE / IB mapping, EMI vs CMI, BN(O) visa context, boarding-school fit
Moving to the UK from Nigeria
WASSCE / NECO / IGCSE mapping, English-medium baseline, faith schools, foundation-year route
Moving to the UK from the USA
Grade to Year mapping, AP / IB / SAT recognition, vocabulary translation (high school, public school, GPA)
Moving to the UK from Pakistan
Cambridge / Matric / Intermediate mapping, English- vs Urdu-medium EAL, Islamic faith schools, 90-day plan
Moving to the UK from the Philippines
K-12 / Senior High School Diploma to UK qualification mapping, English-medium baseline, Catholic provision
Moving to the UK from Ukraine
Атестат / NMT mapping, Homes for Ukraine route, EAL support, trauma-informed pathways, Free School Meals eligibility
How the UK School System Works
Key stages, school types, inspections, and national differences
Every Type of School Explained
Academies, faith schools, grammars, independent — all 20+ types in plain English
History of UK Education
From parish schools to academies — every major change, act, and body explained
Tools & features
Top-rated primaries, secondaries, grammar schools, and more — across 218 local authorities.
Guides use regularly updated data from Ofsted, Education Scotland, Estyn, ISI, and the Department for Education.