British schools produce strong feelings among newcomers: the uniform, the early start at age four, the council lottery for places, the wide range from village primaries to selective grammar schools. The system is not complicated once you know the order of the steps, but it is easy to miss a deadline.
Here is how schools in the UK work for a family that has just arrived, with the differences between England and Scotland where they matter most.
How do schools in the UK work for newcomers?
State schools are free. Each nation runs its own system: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different year names, curricula and admissions rules. In England, children start Reception in the September after they turn four, then move through Year 1 and upward. Compulsory education starts the term after the fifth birthday, and young people can leave school at 16 but must stay in education, an apprenticeship or training until 18. In Scotland, primary runs from P1 to P7, followed by secondary.
Any child who lives in the UK with parents who hold an EU Settlement Scheme status, a work or study visa, or Irish nationality can attend a state school. In England, the Department for Education says a school cannot refuse a child because of nationality or status, and parents should check that their own visa allows the stay.
The exceptions matter: a child who entered as a visitor, or on the 11-month Short-term Study visa, cannot enrol in a state school, only in an approved private school.
How do you apply for a state school place in England?
You apply through your local council, online or on a paper form, even for a school in another council's area. Admissions depend on each school's published criteria, usually looked-after children first, then siblings, then distance from the school and sometimes faith or catchment. The school may not ask for your passport or visa as a condition of admission.
Before applying: check the school's admissions page, the inspection report from Ofsted and the open-day dates. The main round has deadlines set for the September start, and your council sets the dates. If you arrive during the year, call the council and ask which schools have places, since the best-known schools are often full and the remaining places can be farther away.
Two tips follow. Choose your home with schools in mind, because distance counts. And apply to more than one school; most councils let you list several preferences.
Trying to understand a council's admission criteria or planning the timing around your arrival? Moovy can turn the GOV.UK pages into a checklist for your child's age, prepare the questions to ask the council and compare England with Scotland. Moovy cannot apply on your behalf or secure a place, which stays with the council.
What is different in Scotland?
In Scotland, your council normally gives a place in the school for your catchment area, and your child has a right to it. Depending on the council, you get a letter confirming the place or you enrol your child yourself. If you want a different state school, you make a placing request, which must be granted if there is space, and you can appeal a refusal. School starts in August, and a child who is still four at the start of the year can sometimes defer entry for a year.
Wales and Northern Ireland have their own procedures: gov.wales and the Education Authority give the details, and Northern Ireland lets pupils leave after 30 June of the school year in which they turn 16. See living in Scotland vs England for a broader comparison.
What help is there with meals and childcare?
In England, all pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 in state schools get free school meals. Beyond that they are means-tested, though from the 2026 to 2027 school year, children whose parents receive Universal Credit qualify whatever the household income. In Scotland, free meals cover P1 to P5 in state schools, and later years depend on the benefits you receive.
For under-fives in England, working parents who earn above a threshold can get up to 30 hours of free childcare a week from nine months to four years, with a National Insurance number; the official page does not state the threshold in the text we checked, so look it up. In Scotland, up to 1,140 hours a year of funded early learning and childcare is available for ages three to five, roughly 22 hours a week all year or 30 in term time.
What about French and international schools?
If you want a French curriculum, the AEFE network lists 10 establishments in the UK: nine in London, including the Lycée français Charles-de-Gaulle and the Ecole Jacques-Prévert, and one in Bristol. They have their own admissions and fees, and French families may apply for a consular scholarship under conditions. There is none in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Independent schools set their own fees and admissions, and you contact them directly. For qualifications, UK ENIC provides a Statement of Comparability for foreign diplomas, which universities and employers can use. See best places to live in the UK when your choice of school affects your choice of city.
What does a child need in order to enrol?
Each council lists its own documents on its school admissions page, so check before you gather papers. Typical items are proof of address, to confirm your catchment, and the child's birth certificate or passport. Bring recent school reports from the previous school and, for a child with special educational needs, any plan or assessment. In England, if a school is named in an Education, Health and Care plan, it must admit the child.
Translate key documents into English where you can, since a teacher who reads a clear report in English can place your child more quickly. A school may assess English at the start and offer extra support, which is common in areas with many newcomers. Ask what is available, because support differs between schools and councils.
How does the school year and the daily routine work?
The English school year starts in September and is divided into three terms, with holidays fixed by each council or school group, so dates can differ between neighbouring areas. Scotland starts in August. Most schools have a uniform, and many have a homework policy, a parents' app and a calendar of inset days when pupils stay home. Look at the school website early for the details.
Your child will also meet British habits: first names for teachers in some schools but not others, a strong emphasis on pastoral care, and a lot of team sports and clubs. Many parents say that the first six weeks are the hardest, and that friendships are made faster than expected. If your child is anxious, tell the form teacher in your first conversation, not in the third.
What if your child is older, or heading to university?
Secondary schools, sixth forms and colleges have their own entry rules and subject choices, and qualifications differ: GCSEs and A levels in England, Nationals and Highers in Scotland. If your teenager arrives in the middle of a qualification, ask the school how credits and exams will be treated. Compare the situation with your home country's diploma through UK ENIC, which can also help later with universities and employers. Check immigration rules for university study as well: it is a different status from a school place; see UK visas for EU citizens after Brexit.
Which mistakes should you avoid with schools in the UK?
- Signing a lease far from the school you want. Distance often decides admissions.
- Waiting to enquire until you arrive. Deadlines come well before September, and mid-year places can be limited.
- Mixing up year groups. Reception, Year 1 and so on in England; P1 to P7 in Scottish primaries.
- Forgetting the exit rules. In England, young people stay in education or training until 18.
- Assuming a visa lets a child in. Check the child's own status first; see moving to the UK.