Starting School
Preparing for the first day of Reception
A practical guide to getting ready for the first day of Reception — from settling-in visits to what actually helps on the morning itself.
Knowledge hub
Everything you wish someone had explained sooner
Plain-language guides to the data, deadlines and decisions behind choosing a school — written for parents, backed by official sources.
What do you need help with?
Pick the area that fits where you are in the process.
Understanding the Data
What Ofsted ratings, SATs, GCSEs and parent surveys actually mean.
Understanding the Data
What Ofsted ratings, SATs, GCSEs and parent surveys actually mean.
Choosing a School
How to weigh up schools for your child and your family.
Choosing a School
How to weigh up schools for your child and your family.
Admissions & Process
Applications, deadlines, appeals and how places are allocated.
Admissions & Process
Applications, deadlines, appeals and how places are allocated.
Moving for a School
Relocating, catchment areas and planning a move around schools.
Moving for a School
Relocating, catchment areas and planning a move around schools.
Starting School
Reception, Year 7 and the first terms at a new school.
Starting School
Reception, Year 7 and the first terms at a new school.
Featured guides
A few places to start — popular explainers to help you make sense of the data.
Starting School
Preparing for the first day of Reception
A practical guide to getting ready for the first day of Reception — from settling-in visits to what actually helps on the morning itself.
Choosing a School
Questions worth asking on a school open day
A prepared list of open day questions that go beyond the prospectus — covering teaching, wellbeing, SEND support and what daily life is really like.
Choosing a School
Questions worth asking on a school open day
A prepared list of open day questions that go beyond the prospectus — covering teaching, wellbeing, SEND support and what daily life is really like.
Admissions & Process
Key admissions dates: a year-by-year timeline
The admissions calendar runs on a fixed annual rhythm, but the primary and secondary timelines are offset from each other — and the gap between them catches a lot of parents out. Here's the full year, in order.
Admissions & Process
Key admissions dates: a year-by-year timeline
The admissions calendar runs on a fixed annual rhythm, but the primary and secondary timelines are offset from each other — and the gap between them catches a lot of parents out. Here's the full year, in order.
Know what to look for now, let's find it.
Start the school finder and we'll do the searching with you.
