A guide to state schools
What are state schools in the UK?
There are many different types of state school in the UK. The terminology attached to state education is confusing and copious, indicative of the fact that education has been a popular plaything for every government since universal state-funded education in Britain was first introduced in 1870.
In the 21st century, while there is no single education system for the UK (England, N Ireland, Scotland and Wales each have their own), there are typically two phases of mainstream state education: primary (educating children aged 4 to 11) and secondary (11 to 18, although 16 to 18, AKA ‘sixth-form’, is sometimes still separate).
Remnants of older systems are evident in many parts of the country. Various terms for ‘school’ are applied (the word ‘college’ can refer to secondary schools, sixth-form institutions or universities; ‘high school’ is commonly used for secondary school in Scotland and in a minority of English local authorities; ‘academy’ can mean either a Scottish secondary school or a state school in England with a particular governance structure). Gaelic and Welsh words for school can compound the confusion. The terms ‘infant school’, ‘junior school’ and ‘middle school’ still live on in a minority of places although they are now generally considered phases within primary education.
A note of warning: the term ‘public school’, as used in the USA and other countries to describe state-funded schools, has a very different meaning in the UK.
Types of state schools in the UK
Academies and Free Schools
A primary, secondary or all-through school that is funded directly by the Department for Education and run by an independent board of governors or organisation, commonly a multi-academy trust (MAT). Free schools are academies which were founded in a particular way, typically set-up by a charity, group of parents or faith organisation. University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools are types of Free School usually specialising in technical or vocational education for secondary school pupils.
Community schools
A primary or secondary school that is funded and controlled by the local authority. Many of these have since converted to academy status (see above).
Comprehensive schools
The vast majority of UK state schools are ‘comprehensive schools’. ‘Comprehensive’ refers to a school’s pupil intake, meaning that they are academically all-inclusive with no academic selection. This contrasts with how grammar or partially selective schools admit pupils.
Faith schools
A primary or secondary school, the vast majority of which are Church of England or Roman Catholic. There are also small numbers of Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh schools. These schools build aspects of faith into their school timetable and are allowed to select pupils based on religion and religious practice. Faith schools are increasingly converting to academy status but many are still ‘voluntary aided’ or ‘voluntary controlled’. This means all or nearly all of their funding comes from the state but that a separate organisation (such as a church or religious foundation) runs or helps to run the school.
Grammar schools
Academically selective secondary schools that are still found in some parts of England and in Northern Ireland.
State boarding schools
As you might imagine, these are state schools with provision to allow some, or all, pupils to live onsite. State boarding schools are rare but places are highly sought after. As with any other state school, the standard school day costs nothing but everything else is covered by school fees, paid for by parents.
What is a multi-academy trust?
A multi-academy trust or MAT is an organisation in England which runs two or more academy schools – they are also sometimes called ‘school groups’. A few MATs run 50 or more schools but many operate on a smaller basis with just a handful of academies in their control. The majority of state schools in England are now run by MATs and the government has indicated that it wants that number to grow.
You can expect schools within a particular trust to share an ethos and have similar approach to the curriculum. It is also common for MAT schools to share some staff and facilities with other schools in their trust.
How to choose a good state school?
Choosing a state school involves more than looking at exam results. Parents should consider the school’s ethos, leadership, academic outcomes, support for pupils with additional needs and the opportunities available beyond the classroom.
We always recommend parents visit the schools in which they’re interested. Most schools have at least one open day a year and should provide details on their website. Make sure you read our advice on attending open days. But there are other things you can do to help you form a judgment.
Results and value added
How well do children do academically? Don't just look at the headline figures, delve beyond the headlines. If you're in the market for a primary school, you may want to find out how your school options have performed in the KS2 Sats, or whether in the past they have seen many pupils move on to grammar schools. At secondary schools, you may want to check GCSE and A level performance. This data is available from a school search on The Good Schools Guide website.
If your child is keen on a particular subject, try to find out how the school fares with it at. Value-added performance measure such as Progress 8 are also a good indicator of how much a school will help pupils improve compared to a national average.
If a school has been under-performing, ask what measures have been put in place to improve results – and for whom. Use the data analysis provided on this website to get under the skin of schools.
Inspection reports
All state schools in England are routinely inspected by Ofsted so make sure to read the latest Ofsted inspection report. What are the headline grades, Outstanding, Inadequate or somewhere in between? Don’t judge a school entirely by its Ofsted report: a report can quickly fall out of date. We review more than 300 state schools, giving our personal, independent views, written after visiting the school, talking to the head, staff, pupils and parents.
Communication with parents
How does the school report to parents? What, when? Is there an active PTA? Are parents invited to be involved with the school? How? What about newsletters and the website? Is it up to date and are the words friendly, welcoming and informative or dull and instructional?
Support for additional needs
What is the school's attitude to those who need extra help and support, whether social, emotional or academic? Are there programmes to stretch the more academic children? What and when? What about those with special educational needs and disabilities? Are they helped, supported and included? How? How supportive is the school? Does the praise/discipline system flex to meet individual needs? Does it fit with your expectations?
PE, games and sport
How much of the curriculum is devoted to keeping children fit, active and healthy? Do they run teams for all or just the lucky few? Is there sport for all – including those who find traditional team games tricky? Do they play against other schools? Is there space for sport onsite? Many inner city schools – particularly primaries – have very little space but head off to a nearby school or park for their annual sports day.
Extracurricular life and break times?
Browse the school website and school noticeboards - what are the pupils doing? Are there plenty of extracurricular activities? What about trips and tours - for all or just the lucky few? Is the library well-stocked and well-used? Is there a refuge for children requiring a space for quiet reflection?
Homework
How much homework is set, how often, and how are parents expected to help? Are there clinics available for children who are struggling? Do they have any parent forums or meetings to help parents understand what children are doing?
What is taught at state schools?
While not all state schools in England are required to follow the National Curriculum, most stay fairly close to it.
Be sure to read our articles on English Primary Schools and the National Curriculum as well as our article on English Secondary Schools and the National Curriculum.
We also have articles on the Scottish primary education, Scottish secondary education, Welsh schools and their curriculum, and Northern Irish schools and their curriculum.
Applying to a state school
State schools in England take children from the September after they turn 4 up until the age of 18. Our articles about state primary school admissions and state secondary school admissions are essential reading for any parent about to embark on the admissions process.
Common questions about UK state schools
What are state schools in the UK?
State schools are government-funded schools that provide free education for children aged 4 to 18. They are funded through taxation and every child is entitled to a school place.
Are state schools free in the UK?
State schools are free to all children living in the UK. They are funded by the state through taxation meaning parents do not pay tuition fees.
What are the different types of state school in the UK?
Most UK state schools are either primary schools or secondary schools but within those age phases there are many different types including academies, free schools, community schools, comprehensive schools, faith schools, denominational schools, grammar schools and state boarding schools.
What age do children start state school in the UK?
There are slight differences between the four home nations regarding compulsory school age but most children in the UK will start school before they turn 5 years old.
Is there a UK national curriculum for schools?
Each of the four nations of the UK have their own curriculum. In the England it is called the National Curriculum; Scotland has its Curriculum for Excellence; Wales has the Curriculum for Wales; Northern Ireland has Northern Ireland Curriculum.
Do all state schools follow the National Curriculum?
Not all state schools in England are required to follow the National Curriculum, although most stay fairly close to it. State schools in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland follow their respective curricula.
