Grammar Schools, Academies and Admissions: How School Places Work in England

England has several types of state school and the labels confuse most parents. Here is what they mean in practice, and how a place is allocated.

School types

• Academies and free schools are state-funded and free to attend, run by academy trusts rather than the council. They set their own term dates and have more curriculum freedom but follow the same admissions code. Most secondary schools are now academies.
• Local-authority maintained schools (community, voluntary-aided, voluntary-controlled, foundation) are run with the council. Voluntary-aided schools are usually faith schools and may prioritise families of that faith.
• Grammar schools are state schools that select by ability through the 11-plus test. There are about 160, concentrated in Kent, Buckinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Trafford and a few other areas. This site tags them as "Grammar (selective)".
• Independent schools charge fees, set their own admissions and rarely appear in the performance tables.

How admissions work

For state schools you apply through your local authority by the national deadlines (31 October for secondary, 15 January for primary). Each school publishes oversubscription criteria, typically: children in care, siblings, distance from home, and for faith schools, religious practice. Distance is measured to a few metres, so catchment maps matter. You list preferences in order and are offered the highest preference where you qualify.

Grammar schools add the 11-plus, sat in the September of Year 6; some areas use a single test for all grammars. Coaching is widespread, which is one reason the DfE's progress measures matter more than raw results when judging selective schools.

What the data on this site shows

Each profile gives the school type, admissions policy, ages, pupil numbers, free school meals share and the latest Key Stage results. The rankings compare primaries with primaries and secondaries with secondaries. For a fair view of a grammar school, compare it with other grammars in the Grammar Schools category rather than with the comprehensive next door.

Questions to settle early

• Are you in the catchment of your preferred schools, and how far did last year's furthest admitted pupil live?
• Is a faith school's priority criteria something your family meets?
• If considering a grammar, is your child likely to thrive under the pace, not just pass the test?