Education in the UK

For parents with school-age children, the initial task in any move is to locate potentially suitable schools, determine the availability of places, and visit a selection of the better prospects. Where a child's education is at a difficult or demanding stage, as is often the case with teenagers, family perception of the move can be very mixed.

The Relocation Bureau offers a comprehensive school search service to help you to find schools that meet your needs. Click Here for information on our schools search service.

The information provided on education on this website is there to help you to understand the structure of education in the UK and to advise you of the many options that are available to you. 

Our General Information section also contains information on Compulsory School Age; School Terms, Hours and Holidays; Curriculum & Examinations; Special Needs Education; School Travel and Transport; and Nursery Schools.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) website has a Parents Centre which tells you about your child's education and how you can help, and other useful information for parents, provided by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, click here.

State or Independent School?

One of the most important decisions facing newcomers to Britain is whether to send their children to a State school or to an Independent school. 

Most children in the UK are educated in the State school system but many more parents are now making financial sacrifices to have their children educated in private independent schools. 

Independent schools are available for children aged 4 to 18. Where you live will significantly influence your decision on whether to use state or independent education. You will be able to visit the schools in your area before making this important decision.

What's In A Name?

State or Public, Private or Independent?

How we, in the UK, refer to the types of school can be confusing when you come here from another country so what do these school categories mean ?

By State School, we mean the free-of-charge education service provided nationally by the UK Department for Education and Skills (DfES). Schools with religious affiliations are also available.  Many state schools provide an education which is as good as most Independent schools. All state schools provide some Special Needs Education.

An Independent School is fee-paying, and is also often referred to as a Private School. Admission to a state school for foreign children is dependent on the type and duration of the residence permit granted to their parents and attendance may not always be possible. An Independent or International School will then be your only option.

Fee-paying International Schools are available in the UK and are particularly useful for older children who have often studied a different curriculum to that in common use in the UK. Many parents will require their children to be educated to a similar standard and in a similar environment to the schools in their own country.

A Public School is one of the top ranking fee-paying Independent Schools, such as Eton, or Harrow.

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