Find the right school. Win the place.
See every school near you, how good it really is and how close you need to live to get in. Free, in one place.
30,840
schools across the UK
1,622
private schools
28 years
of inspection history
Every day
fresh news and open days
What's happening in UK schools right now
The newest Ofsted reports, the next admissions deadlines, and how England's schools are graded today.
Admissions deadlines in England
Secondary school (Year 7): 5 days left
Secondary school (Year 7) applications for September 2027 close in 5 days, on Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply; offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
Primary school (Reception): 81 days left
Primary school (Reception) applications for September 2027 close in 81 days, on Friday 15 January 2027. Apply; offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Latest Ofsted inspections
Newest first. Each one is on the school's page with the full report.
- Bridestowe Primary SchoolOkehampton · PrimaryNew report
5 October - Gorefield Primary AcademyWisbech · PrimaryNew report
5 October - Oaklands Junior SchoolCrowthorne · PrimaryNew report
5 October - Birley Spa Primary AcademySheffield · PrimaryNew report
28 September - Burrowmoor Primary AcademyMarch · PrimaryNew report
28 September - Earby Springfield Primary SchoolBarnoldswick · PrimaryNew report
28 September
How England's schools are graded
92.5% are Outstanding or Good. Grades can be years old, so check the date on each school.
- Outstanding2,939 (14%)
- Good15,991 (78%)
- Requires improvement1,432 (7%)
- Inadequate98 (0%)
Schools by nation
- England25,665
- Scotland2,510
- Wales1,567
- Northern Ireland1,098
Source: Ofsted, each school's latest graded inspection
Counties with the most Outstanding schools
Share of graded schools rated Outstanding. Click for the county's league table.
- Middlesex20.5%
- Herefordshire19.5%
- Hertfordshire18.5%
- Surrey18.2%
- Berkshire16%
How to choose a school, in four steps
The same four steps whether your child is starting reception or moving up to Year 7.
1. Start from where you live
Put in your postcode and see every school within a sensible journey, primary or secondary, state or independent. Most families end up choosing between four or five schools, and the right one is often not the nearest. Look a little wider than you think you need to: a school two miles away with a bus at the gate can suit a child better than one round the corner.
2. Find out how good each school really is
Read past the headline grade. Each school page carries every Ofsted inspection since 1997, the new report card where there is one, and results set against the council and England: KS2 for primaries, GCSE and A-level for secondaries. In Wales we show Estyn's reports, and in Scotland and Northern Ireland what each inspectorate publishes.
3. Work out your chances of a place
A school you cannot get into is not a choice. Most oversubscribed schools fill by distance after looked-after children and siblings, and the distance moves every year. Each school page shows how far places went in past years, so you can see whether your address is comfortably inside, on the edge or outside, before you put the school first.
4. Visit, rank and apply on time
Open days for secondary schools run mostly in September and October. Rank your choices honestly: in England a higher preference never costs you a place at a lower one, so put the school you want most first. Save your shortlist and we will tell you when a school on it is inspected, changes headteacher or announces an open day, and remind you before the deadline.
Choose with total confidence
Results, inspections, catchments, fees and open days for every school, in one place. No more twelve-tab evenings.
Every school near you, side by side
Search any postcode, town or school and line them up on what matters to your family.
See how good a school really is
Every inspection since 1997 and the full report card, so you see the whole story, not just the latest grade.
Spot the schools on the way up
Exam results year on year, ranked against your area and the whole of England.
Know your chances before you apply
See how far each school offered places last year and exactly where your address sits.
Compare private school fees in seconds
Fees read from each school's own fee page, with the year they apply to, side by side, so you know the real cost before you visit.
Never miss a change
Save your shortlist and hear first about new inspections, results, open days and closures.
Start with the best schools near you
Jump straight to the top schools in your city, or browse by phase and rating.
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Read before you decide
What 30,000 schools tell you about getting it right.
Questions parents ask
Is School Signal free?
Yes. Searching, comparing and shortlisting every school is free, for good, and a free account adds saved lists and email alerts on the schools you watch: a note when one has a new Ofsted inspection, and a weekly round-up of news, open days and admissions deadlines. Pro, from £9 a month including VAT, adds commute times, house prices around each school, school place pressure and area comparisons.
Which schools does School Signal cover?
Every open school in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - 30,840 in all, including 1,622 private schools: nurseries, primaries, secondaries, sixth forms, special schools and independent schools.
How up to date is the information?
We check for new inspection reports every day, so a new Ofsted report usually appears within a day or two of publication. Exam results update when the Department for Education publishes them, and admissions figures each year after offer day.
How do I know if I will get a place?
Check how far places went at each school in recent years on its school page, and compare that with your home. Our catchment checker does this for every nearby school at once. It is a guide, not a promise: the distance changes with each year's applicants, and siblings and looked-after children come first.