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Departments, agencies and public bodies
News stories, speeches, letters and notices
Detailed guidance, regulations and rules
Reports, analysis and official statistics
Consultations and strategy
Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports
Types of school and how they're run - community schools, academies, free schools, faith schools, state boarding schools.
All children in England between the ages of 5 and 16 are entitled to a…
Faith schools have to follow the national curriculum, but they can choose…
Free schools are funded by the government but are not run by the local…
Academies receive funding directly from the government and are run by an…
City technology colleges and ‘ the city college for the technology of the…
State boarding schools provide free education but charge fees for…
Private schools (also known as ‘independent schools’) charge fees to…
Get a place for your child at a primary or secondary school - applications, deadlines, admission criteria, appeals and complaints.
If you live in England contact your local council to find: state-funded…
All schools have admission criteria to decide which children get places.…
Most children start reception full-time in September after their fourth…
Follow your local council’s application process to: apply for a primary…
If your child does not have a place, contact your local council for…
You’ll be sent a letter with the decision about your child’s school. If…
You can complain about the way the appeal was carried out, but you can not…
Sending a child to school, financial support, dealing with the school
Check school performance tables (‘league tables’), Ofsted reports and financial information.
Apply for a state secondary school place through your local council
Apply for a state primary school place through your local council
You can be prosecuted if your child has unauthorised absence from school - truancy, help with getting your child to school, and legal action to enforce school attendance
Help with school costs, the curriculum and school attendance
Applying for a school place, home schooling and travel costs
Schools can sanction pupils or exclude them - find out what schools are allowed to do, like search pupils for knives or drugs
The English national curriculum means children in different schools (at primary and secondary level) study the same subjects to similar standards - it's split into key stages with tests
School closures happen because of an emergency like severe weather - check whether your child's school is closed on your local council website.
Schools are responsible for your child's safety while they're at school or on a school trip
Guidance to help schools and local authorities understand their obligations in relation to the School Premises Regulations 2012
Complain about a school - complaints process, when to complain to the Department for Education, the Education Funding Agency or Ofsted.
The Department for Education's advice and information on health and safety.
Advice for state-funded school admission authorities, independent schools, local authorities and parents.
Educational professionals can search for and update establishment details using this service, previously called Edubase.
Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.
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