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Choosing one school over another is often one of the most important decisions parents face. Side stepping the usual dilemmas over catchment areas, faith, state or private schools, feeder pre-schools and friendship groups, a school’s Ofsted rating offers way to compare state schools.   What...

– Online testing for GCSE and A levels could be rolled by 2025 – Ofqual said the pandemic had made on-screen exams a matter of 'not if, but when' – Exams regulator said it would also explore adaptive testing   It was announced this week that Ofqual, the exams regulator, will actively...

Everything you need to know if a pupil has to miss a GCSE or A level due to Covid  The Joint Council of Qualifications (JCQ) and the Department for Education have issued guidance on protocol for students who miss key exams. After two years of cancelled GCSE and A levels, exams will be going...

National Offer Day 2022 in England and Wales is Tuesday April 19. Offer emails will be sent by your local education authority. Offers are usually sent out on April 16, but it is different this year because it comes after the long Easter bank holiday weekend. April 19 is the next working...

The Government has issued new advice for school pupils as free Covid testing scrapped and isolation period reduced Children who test positive for Covid-19 are being advised to self-isolate for just three days rather than five under new guidance for 'living with Covid' from today. The new...

The best performing schools in England can now claim their School Guide 2022 Certificate of Excellence. Schools awarded 5-stars or 4-stars by School Guide can download their new Certificate of Excellence for free. School...

If you’ve applied for a primary or secondary state school in England, here’s everything you need to know about National Offer Day.   When is National Offer Day in England in 2022?  National Offer Day in England for secondary schools is Tuesday 1 March and National Offer Day for Primary...

Exam boards have today published advanced information about what will be on summer 2022 tests, to help with coronavirus disruption.  The information will help students focus their revision for the final months and will give an indication of some of the content, texts, topics, themes and...

• Government guidelines introduced this week require all secondary school pupils to return to the classroom wearing a mask • Calls for the Department for Education to publish evidence to back up “premature” policy  • Backlash as supporting document includes admission that there is...

As children return to school this week, the education secretary Nadhim Zahawi says 'we must be everything we can' to keep schools open and announces new measures and extra help as Omicron cases continue to surge.  Here’s everything you need to know about the latest guidelines for...

'Tis the season of goodwill and we are delighted to announce that we have awarded our first ever School Guide Star Rating of six stars – just in time for Christmas.  North Pole Primary School was this week given a magical extra star making it School Guide's one and only six star...

Everything you need to know about the confirmed planned changes for next summer's GCSE and A level exams  After pandemic disruption and grade-prediction pandemonia, the return to exams may bring relief of normality for some students – and their parents. Plans to push ahead and return to...

It was announched that the government will not hit its half term target for school vaccinations with rate of jabbed 12+ pupils only going up by 1% per day and overall take up at 14%. Why are rates so low? – Partly reflects high infection rates among young people. If a child tests positive...

2022 has been labelled “a transition year” for GCSE and A levels by Ofqual as plans were revealed today for exams to go ahead with a grading system that aims to “maximise fairness”. Papers will be marked more leniently than 2019 but not as generously as 2021.  The exam regulator has also...

This week the government announced its plan to manage Covid over the next few winter months and this includes some new rules for schools including giving up the right to order closures, changes to testing and the vaccination roll-out for 12-15 years olds.  Here’s our guide to the measures that...

If you are currently visiting school open days and weighing up state versus independent options, it’s worth considering the ‘extras’ bill that comes on top of the school fees each term.  Extra costs are not necessarily optional. We have listed those you should expect, together with some...

There's a new Head Boy on the education block: former vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi was appointed Education Secretary this week in the PM's cabinet reshuffle. The Department for Education is under new management with Gavin Williamson and schools minister Nick Gibb both getting the...

Experienced Primary Head Teacher Emma says it’s 100% possible to get through the first weeks of your child starting school without the stress. Here are her top three tips Starting school is a big deal. Your once tiny baby is suddenly about to enter into the world of education and the fact it...

It’s never been a better time to study languages with hi-tech teaching to boost grades and employers saying language qualifications give candidates the edge. One leading language expert shares 8 reasons why opting for a language at GCSE and A level is the smart choice    Language learning...

Founder of School Guide and mum of two teenage boys, Victoria, visits the beautiful family-perfect resort of Paleros and discovers the secret to a safe and hassle-free family holiday during travel restrictions is to let Mark Warner holidays take the strain  • Why the extra travel admin is 100%...

  GCSE students have received another set of record grades, in the second year of pandemic chaos disruption and cancelled exams in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Government confirmed earlier this year that grades would be based on teachers’ assessments (TAGs), with last year’s...

What if...? What's next? How do we appeal? School Guide's pick of the best A level results day resources   All years of school runs, days in the classroom and hours revising have finally turned into minutes. A level results day is here and grades are released from 8.30am. The...

Official plans outlining changes to next summer's exams have now been published. They aim to help address “considerable disruption” to schooling due to the coronavirus pandemic. Proposed changes to 2022 GCSE and A levels include: • Teachers to be told to streamline syllabus next term •...

Two highly experienced head teachers – one from primary school; one from secondary school – share their tips and advice for pupils preparing to move up in September   Moving from primary school to secondary school can be exciting and daunting in equal measure. Ongoing coronavirus disruption...

Many sports days are cancelled but 60,000 footy fans are allowed to gather at Wembley. Rules are inconsistent, unfair and confusing say parents who are calling for Covid guidelines for schools to be updated    I run a Facebook group for mums and dads in my home town of Bath and each week...

It's been labelled "hyper-creepy" and Boris Johnson has been accused of "barmy brainwashing" for backing the plan to ask school children to sing a new song to celebrate One Britain One Nation Day (OBON) on June 25th. Would be happy for your child to sing along?   The Department for...

      The government confirms £320m PE and sport premium for next academic year following pressure from schools and leading sport charities School Guide was delighted to learn this week that the Department for Education finally announced that schools will be able to carry forward...

    Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 runs from 10-16 May and this year's theme is nature.  Mark Rowland, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation, the organisation set up to help people understand, protect and sustain their mental health, explains why they chose the theme of...

Want an A* at A level? Try leaving school. School closures and cancelled exams have changed attitudes to staying on at school for the traditional sixth form experience. A new breed of sixth form colleges has opened up a world of online learning and wide range of A levels to ambitious students....

Sixth Form Options Explained  5 Tips for Choosing a Sixth Form When To Apply for Sixth Form    Sixth form options are changing and moving to a new school or college for post-GCSE study is an increasingly common option. Here's the lowdown on what's on offer, how to choose and when to...

Three things you can do if you didn't get your first choice school for your child, according to an experienced primary school head teacher    Whether you’ve gone through the application process for primary school for the first time or are a seasoned pro, opening the school offer email (or...

It’s been called the ‘Me Too’ moment for education as a growing number of reports have emerged of sexual harassment and abuse in schools. Urgent calls have been made to stamp out 'rape culture'. • Schools abuse helpline launched by NSPCC  • Review into sexual abuse in schools has been set...

The government has U-turned on school Covid-19 testing policy – rapid tests taken in schools should now be followed up by a confirmatory lab test. The move has been hailed as "better late than never" by scientists.    School Guide called for a government U-turn and for guidelines to be...

Warnings have been issued for pushy parents as the exams regulator published guidelines for schools on assessing grades this week, and told head teachers to keep records of parent pressure over exam grades.  Ofqual, the exams regulator, in guidance on submitting grades published this...

School Guide's Essential Q&A for Parents on Covid Jabs for Kids It was reported this week that 11 million school-age children could get a Covid vaccination ahead of returning to school in September if new clinical trials show the jab is safe for children under the age of 16. Safety data...

Hailed as a 'game changer' that would reduce the number of children being sent home, rapid Covid tests in secondary schools in England are causing confusion among families. Children are being asked to self-isolate based on a standalone rapid test with no opportunity for parents to submit a...

It’s estimated that as many as 250,000 kids could be stuck at home during the first week back to school due to ‘false positive' results from rapid Covid-19 tests. Will the government's refusal to allow follow-up lab tests to weed out incorrect results be their next big U-turn on...

Exams in 2021 have been cancelled due to the wide spread disruption of learning caused by the school closures as part of the measures to control the spread of coronavirus. While pupils and parents may be divided on the teacher assessed grades scheme now confirmed for summer 2021, key dates and...

It's time to prioritise PE alongside maths and English as part of 'catch up' plans • 81% of parents want schools to offer 30 minutes of activity a day as children return  • Two thirds of parents worried their children's activity levels have dropped "dramatically" during lockdown  •...

School Guuide's latest survey reveals a huge amount of parents are worried about how fit their children are as they return to school on next week.  We asked School Guide parents if they were concerned about their children's activity levels. We sent a survery to 4,000 mums and dads and asked...

All you need to know about the new rules on testing in schools including: When does Lateral Flow Testing start in schools? How does Lateral Flow Testing work? How many rapid Covid tests does my child need to have? How do parents opt in to the new 'click and collect' scheme that tests...

Externally-set questions to be ‘optional’ for schools the Schools Minister Nick Gibb has announced today.  There had been a backlash to the idea of so-called mini exams being part of this year's grading system when it was tabled as part the joint consultation by Ofqual and the Department for...

It's been confirmed by Schools Minister Nick Gibb that exams results in 2021 will be published as follows:  August 10 is results day 2021 for A-levels August 12  is results day 2021 for GCSEs   The dates are two weeks later than the early-July date tabled in the consultation by the...

School Guide unmasks the new guidelines on face coverings in schools Do pupils have to wear face masks for PE? What is 'double masking' and should your child do it?  Are face masks compulsory in all classrooms from 8 March?    When PM Boris Johnson accounced all schools would reopen...

The leaked document first landed in School Guide's Inbox late on Sunday evening, and by Monday morning it was confirmed:  All schools in England to reopen on March 8  PM Boris Johnson had opted for the so-called Big Bang approach with all pupils returning to the classroom on the same day...

The New York Times has launched the Primal Scream Line, a free phone line for parents to vent their homeschooling and lockdown frustrations.    It started in September, as the school year inched closer but the school gates stayed firmly closed. A group of mothers from New Jersey decided they...

Getting your child into a good school is one the most important goals of modern family life. But for many navigating the postcode lottery of admissions, it can feel like trying to crack the Crystal Maze. School Guide is here to help.  The good news is that the proportion of secondary school...

New poll School Guide reveals we are a nation divided on the teacher vaccine issue with results coming in close to 50/50 among parents of school age children School Guide, the UK’s leading school information website for parents, surveyed almost 800 parents of school aged children and the...

As we approach the third week of Lockdown, we thought we all deserve a smile.  This classroom Nutcracker basketball routine is 60 seconds of pure lockdown joy.  It was first featured as our Video of the Week on the School Guide Newsletter, the weekly hub for education news and insights,...

The official consultation on how exams will be set and marked in 2021 has now been published and parents are invited to have their say on the proposals. We've read the 45-page document and summarised the key areas and published all questions to make it easier for parents and students to jump...

*UPDATE* Friday 15 January  The Department for Education and Ofqual have now officially launched a 2-week consultation – open to parents, students and anyone working in education – so you can have your say. We have read the 45-page document, and outlined the 16 key areas and 74 questions it...

Will my child get into their first choice school? Am I more likely to get my first choice school if I don’t put a second choice? What if I miss the school application deadline?  With primary school admission deadlines this Friday (15 January 2021), School Guide's Inbox is packed with...

"This year we are going to put our trust in teachers rather than algorithms." – Education Secretary outlines latest arrangements for cancelled GCSE, AS and A level exams in 2021 including teacher assessed grading Teachers' estimated grades will be used to replace cancelled exams, Gavin...

Back to school arrangements for England –– NOW CONFIRMED (Wed 30 Dec) by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson.  Millions of pupils will not return for the first two weeks of school of 2021.    > Start of term to be delayed in England. Government will allow more time so every school is...

Wales' GCSE, AS and A-level exams in summer 2021 are to be cancelled, with grades based on classroom assessments, Education Minister Kirsty Williams has announced.    Just one day after emerging from its national circuit break lockdown, Wales is the second of the home nations to announce a...

They are out!  School Guide's annual Certificates of Excellence are now live on School Guide Download one for your child's school today.    Since 2014, School Guide has been awarding star ratings to schools across the UK. The star ratings are added to a certificate we create for every...

Gavin Williamson, the UK education secretary, has announced most GCSEs and A levels will be delayed next year. The Department for Education has said there will be a change to the ordinary timetable in light of disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.  Pupils in England will take most...

What parents need to know about scientists' proposal for a two-week national lockdown over half-term   With a large number of schools starting half term as soon as next Friday, confirmation of whether a national “circuit breaker” will go ahead is now pressing.  This week, Sage, the...

A new interative map has been launched today that allows anyone to search for their local school and see government data on the number of cases in the area, and whether it’s on a local “watchlist”. The Covid-19 Map for Schools has been created by the National Education Union to show the Covid...

A teacher shared her advice on THE EXACT time kids should go to sleep each night... ... And here is the handy table.    A teacher in the USA unwittingly broke the internet when she added a "helpful chart" on social media that lists out exact bedtimes for pupils. Surfacing just as...

GCSE grades for England's pupils released today mark the highest pass rate and the highest proporation of top grades since the qualification was reformed in 2017.  Pupils who had their GCSE exams cancelled during the most disrupted academic year in UK history, saw grades increase after a week...

It’s here — an historic day for A level pupils. No exams results day. The Education Secretary has introduced at the eleventh hour a "triple lock” system which he says will be fair to A level pupils who did not sit a single A level exam due to schools being closed during the Covid-19...

When is an appeal not an appeal? When it’s a 2020 appeal.  Appeals will not happen as normal this year. Many parents have already received emails from schools telling them there is no appeal process and there is nothing pupils and their families can do if they are unhappy with their results...

Research suggests that gap between private and state school pupils has widened during lockdown. Over a third of private schools have offered a full daily timetable of online lessons compared to only 8% of state schools. What does this mean for pupils, especially those facing the most important...

The annual school awards season can often fill pupils – and parents – with dread. Exams have been cancelled in 2020 and School Guide’s Founder Victoria argues that schools should give the gongs a rest too    Schools have been closed for the majority of secondary school pupils now for over...

A round up of the less publicised points from the Big Back To School Plan announced this week by the Department for Education   It's not all bubbles and hand washing. Here's five points that have been written about less but may have a large impact on your child.    1. School...

All schools in England will reopen at the start of the new academic year in September, the government confirmed today. Finalising details that were discussed earlier in the week.  Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced today a firm intention to re-open all schools in September if...

The Education secretary spoke for the first time today about the plans the government will announce in full later this week to get all pupils back in the classroom in England at the start of the new academic year. The Headlines • All pupils back five days from September • Bubbles to...

A five-minute read on the latest plans for the six-week break    This week the chancellor Rishi Sunak said it was a  “tragedy” that many children will not be back in school until this autumn. He was speaking the day after the government's school u-turn, in which plans for all England's...

Remember, remember…  Why our children may not be back to normal until November      Guy Fawkes once set the Houses of Parliament alight in November but this week the seat of government was enflamed by news that November could be the time when we see schools finally fully reopen after the...

The key evidence on the safety and impact of reopening schools was published today by the government's scientific advisory group, Sage. It was the report many parents were waiting for but what does it tell us?  Here are the main points:  > Risk of coronavirus to pupils going back to...

  Many parents have had "the email" this week. The one from their child’s head teacher inviting them back into the classroom on 1st June. While over 2,000 primary schools say they will remain closed, two parents with children due to return after half term explain why one will and one won’t be...

When will the schools go back and is it safe to send your child into a classroom? School Guide looks at the current advice and guidance to help you decide This week the government announced that June 1st would be the earliest that parents across England would see the beginning of the end of...

If you irritated by what other homeschool parents are doing with their children right now, you are not alone. We've reached the irritation phase of the pandemic and being annoyed by pretty much everyone around you is a normal reaction, experts say.  Ditto if you are apparently even more...

What unofficial Ofsted grade would your lockdown homeschool get? Here's a selection for you to download and display. No clipboard required.  Instructions: Parents homeschooling during the COVID-19 lockdown are welcome to self-evaluate and display the most suitable rating in your window...

With nurseries closed and settling in sessions impossible during lockdown, many parents are worried their pre-schoolers won’t be ready for ‘big’ school. But focus on this simple set of skills and your little ones will be all set for September   Primary school places were announced last week...

We are usually most focused on grade trajectories here at School Guide and looking at what constitutes a Grade 9 performance at school.  But it was a tweet about a different trajectory that won the internet this week.  Author Matt Haig posted a graph from the Financial Times showing daily...

UK School Closure Timeline • Most likely date for children to go back • Some schools 'may reopen next month' • Primary pupils will return first  • Tandem approach to opening being considered • Summer holidays could be scrapped   On Wednesday, nurseries and primary schools in Denmark...

School Guide tells parents everything they need to know about primary school admissions based on the latest information including how schools and local authorities will handle:  • Announcement of primary school places  • The appeals process during lockdown  • Transition and handover for...

  As the UK heads into week three of school closures, a team of scientists at The University College London says keeping pupils away from lessons has little impact on the spread of coronavirus, even with other lockdown measures. Looking at countries like the UK that have closed nurseries,...

  School's Out... or is it? Help on how to handle lockdown holidays As the School of Mum and Dad reaches the end of week two, many of us across the UK have kids who would be breaking up  from school tooday – if the schools weren't closed due to the coronavirus crisis.  In this video, I...

No further work or assessments required, teacher judgements not to be shared ahead of submission to exam boards and the big reveal is expected to be in August   Ofqual have today (Friday 3 April) set out the final agreed details about how GCSEs, AS and A levels will be awarded this summer in...

Following the decision to cancel public examinations this summer due the coronavirus pandemic and school closures, new information has emerged today on the way in which pupils will be graded.  The Headlines • Teachers must answer the key question: What grade would this particular student...

How parents can stay sane while children are learning at home during the coronavirus outbreak  The homepage of School Guide has a picture of smiling pupils sitting in a classroom with their hands up. I think a pupil with their hand up captures the essence of happy learning. It says I’m curious...

  As Monty Phython once sang, always look on the bright side of life. We know it's hard at the moment but we think you are all in for a much needed treat.  And here she is.  If you've not yet seen the video going viral of the mum of four bemoaning distance learning, it's hard not to...

The latest: calculated grades based on a combination of factors and the opportunity to sit an exam early in the next academic year Education Secretary this afternoon announced the government's decision on the way GCSE and A levels will be graded this summer.  The Office of Qualifications...

Clarity on GCSE and A levels? Wash your hands – but don’t hold your breath   School’s out and the public exams scheduled for May and June are cancelled in the light of the coronavirus pandemic. But, even this morning, there has been a suggestion that a new style of lockdown exam might be...

All the latest official data for 2020 is now at your fingertips on the UK's most trusted School Guide for parents School Guide, the UK's best school guide, is now showing all the official data from last summer's key tests and exams published by the government this month.  We are the only...

An unconditional offer from university is so last decade according to new reports. Universities have been slammed for “pressure selling” to sixth formers and the education secretary has now ordered the practice, which peaked in 2019, to stop    One in four universities made unconditional...

It's freely available to all but over 25% of teens don't get enough. Sleep is the forgotten secret to school success says a new report A new World Health Organisation study has revealed one in four 11 to 15-year-olds in England have too little sleep, and this could be the single biggest...

School DIY projects send parents over the edge at the end of the the busiest term of the year says Victoria Bond, Founder of School Guide   It came in last night. The One. Like a lot of families across the UK, my two senior school boys and I are limping through Christmas productions, end of...

The small country on the Baltic sea outperforms all the major European economies, including the UK who sits at number 22 in the influential global education tests, and ranks sixth in the world. How do they do it?    The results of the international education league tables are published...

  Think twice before you post pictures online of your children, experts warn.   Proud parents sharing pictures of their darling children sounds like the most natural thing in the world. But experts are warning about the perils of ‘sharenting’ – the practice of parents sharing images...

The stats don't lie. New evidence shows pupils are three times more likely to get an A at A level in 2019 than in 1989 A level results were critised last week after it was revealed that candidates taking one maths paper could achieve an A grade with only 55% of the marks. This means pupils...

Having a flourishing CV is as important as getting good exam results says School Guide's Founder Victoria. Here's how to help your child get ahead while you are all on holiday   GSCE and A level results are just out and, for many, the piece of paper with their grades will be the most...

SATs week 2019. We thought long and hard about what to say to help all the wonderful pupils – and, you, their tremendous, hard working parents – as they face fronted adverbials against the clock. We decided to put the politics and pressure to one side and just share 5-minutes of pure...

One leading Deputy Head shares her tried-and-tested tips on how we can best help our children help themselves when it comes to health and wellbeing in the classroom – and beyond.   It is a worrying time to be a parent. We are constantly told we have a generation of young people who cannot...

     *** Update December 2018. We are very grateful to Mapbox for supporting School Guide with a new mapping system and allowing us to return the pupil heatmaps to the site ***   We are so sorry to announce that due to huge hikes in the cost of using Google maps we have had to...

It's no wonder many parents find official league tables harder to read than ever when one of the most senior school leaders in the country recently branded the new GSCE performance tables "potentially baffling".  Parents are "struggling to keep up" and most of us would need a Grade 9 in...

In recent years, even school leaders have labelled the performance tables published the government "baffling". The Department for Education has chosen to drop many 'old school' statistics from their headline measures (e.g. the percentage of pupils achieving 5 or more good GCSEs at each school)...

Confused by the all the scores, stars and SATs results? School Guide is here to help parents navigate the world of official school statistics. We've done all the homeowork and put together this straightforward jargon buster to help parents understand key school statistics and choose the best...

It's possible – as School Guide's Founder Victoria discovered on her first ever family activity holiday. Here's how she ticked the screen-free family holiday box at Mark Warner's Levante Beach Resort in Greece   We’ve all read (and probably eye-rolled at) the newspaper stories about reversing...

Snapchat, the social media app loved by teens, recently added a new location-sharing feature called Snap Map.  Snap Map lets users share their exact location in real time with people on their "friends" list.  Schools, however, are issuing warnings to parents over serious concerns about the...

7 tips to get YOU through the start of Year 7   When I discovered I was pregnant for the first time, I was over the moon when a friend passed me a well-thumbed copy of What To Expect When You Are Expecting. The book is as close as it gets to a baby bible, and helped me get to grips with the...

What a term. What a time. What to make of it all?  Summer 2016 and the end of the school year coincides with one of the most turbulent times in recent political history. Post-EU Referendum, we barely digest one piece of news and another seismic change hits the headlines.  Here at School...

We've shined our School Guide shoes and straightened our ties this week to welcome a new partner to our fast-growing Tutor Directory. School Guide has joined forces with TutorMapper to offer parents an additional tried and tested resource when looking for tutors and a new badge scheme that...

A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that informs readers concisely about a complex issue and presents the issuing body's philosophy on the matter. It is meant to help readers understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision. Wikipedia The government published its...

It's budget day and parents across the land are waking up to the news that all state primary and secondary schools in England will become academies by 2022.  Words like 'forced' and 'no choice' are being used in the news and it's hard as parents to grasp whether or not these changes will be...

School Guide's Founder Victoria and her son, Billy, 8, give Carol Vorderman's maths website the thumbs up It’s just gone 7am on a Saturday morning and my 8-year-old son, Billy, is pestering to switch on the laptop. The object of his screen time affection is not an episode of Pokemon or a new...

This week is Children’s Mental Health Week and, according to a new survey published by oganisers Place 2 Be, one in five children are now experiencing mental health problems before the age of 11. Place 2 Be is a national counselling and support network and their patron, the Duchess of Cambridge,...

The government releases its official GCSE results each year in January for secondary schools in England and it's always an exciting time for School Guide. We pull in the new performance data and watch the GCSE dials on our school pages go up and down. For the first time we display our...

On the 11th day of Christmas, the government announced plans to crackdown on “innumeracy" and introduce a new computerised test to ensure that all 11-year-olds know their times tables by the time they leave primary school. Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said today that a pilot scheme will be...

It’s back to school in the UK this week but it’s not just pupils who have been returning to the classroom. Increasing numbers of successful business leaders are also going back to school thanks to a fast-growing initiative called Founders4Schools.  Founders4Schools connects teachers and...

The Department for Education has this week published early league tables for state secondary schools in England, based on provisional data from this summer's GCSE results. The aim is to give parents a taster of 2015 GSCE data to help those families frantically completing application forms for...

Now that the last minute dash to the shoe shops and the late night labelling sessions are fading to a distant memory, we thought it was time for School Guide to take a look at the new national curriculum and give parents a beginners guide.  As of September, all children aged between five and...

“The very word – maths – can evoke a lot of emotion, and much of that emotion is wrapped up in anxiety. Anxiety from the pupils who know they needs this golden ticket – this maths GCSE – but also anxiety from parents who often have negative feelings about maths themselves from their own childhood...

"OK so tomorrow we have swimming; Wednesday it's drama; Thursday, tennis; and Friday we have gymnastics. The weekend is pretty jammed with ballet and tap and then we're back to Monday with Tilly's tutor... hmm maybe we should schedule a play date for half term?" This was the conversation I...

A big brown envelope arrived through my letterbox in July. It contained a certificate stating that I was now officially a teacher. My dedication and perseverance throughout the rollercoaster of my PGCE had paid off and, thanks to a gruelling round of interviews, I was fortunate to have my first...

This week has been an emotional rollercoaster in our household. Less for my daughter, Alice, who has just started primary school, but more for me as I come to terms with my youngest and last child leaving the golden preschool years behind and stepping into the time machine of our school...

Last week my 11-year-old son went off to big school. I know the definition of big school depends on your own family perspective. It's starting nursery if you have a 3-year-old, primary school for the nearly 5s and, for the thousands of pupils who joined Year 7 like my son, secondary...

I am 20 and about to go into my second year at Durham University. I have had seventeen summers of trial and error under my belt. I’ve seen both sides of the great school’s out debate. There have been entire summer months when I have not written a word and definitely suffered the consequences when...

Is your child taking the CEM 11+ exam in the new academic year? We've helped millions of children pass their 11+ exam and have prepared this guest blog for School Guide to highlight the five key questions parents need to ask to make sure their child has the best shot at success.  1. Is my...

 Highly experienced Lead Inspector talks exclusively to School Guide and reveals flaws in system "I can't believe anyone would send their child to a school on the basis of just reading an Ofsted inspection report" "Often the report is out of date and therefore you cannot set great store by...

Welcome to our new Expert Help series. School Guide is proud to be home to the UK’s most comprehensive schools dataset. We know that exam results and performance data tell an important story for parents but we also know that there is another side to school life: a softer side that celebrates...

I have three degrees and a Doctorate in Education. Understanding how children learn is not only my job, it is my passion. I was a teacher myself for many years and know how hard the job can be. It is the second hardest job in the world – after being a parent.  On reflection, I think I shocked...

Every now and then a news story related to schools really catches my eye. This morning there was a cracker on BBC News: Are erasers in school instruments of the devil? The story revealed that a leading cognitive scientist has suggested rubbers be banned from classrooms. In some schools,...

School Guide prides itself on making key school statistics easy to find online but there's no substitute for visiting a school on Open Day if you want to get a true sense of a school, it's ethos and community.  That's why School Guide has launched it's new Open Day Calendar; a new destination...

School Guide and Rightmove are today announcing an exclusive partnership to bring together two of the most important areas of British family life: school and property.  School Guide now shares our market-leading schools data set with Rightmove, the UK’s largest property website, and enables...

Education, education, education. Tony Blair’s early Noughties election mantra may seem old school in an era when the political focus has shifted to the economy, NHS and immigration. But a recent poll saw education firmly back at the heart of the election for many ‘school run’ mums. 13,000...

I feel as though we are preparing for the 7+ exams #SATs #stressful #parenting So read the tweet posted on @SchoolGuideUK's Twitter feed last week by a worried parent. For many, the start of Key Stage 1 SATs on Monday marks their child’s first encounter with proper performance testing. SATs...

Whether the Easter holidays are already a chocolate-filled memory or your child is returning to school this week, the annual April break is fast-becoming the ultimate time for families with children facing exams in the summer term to take a Get Ahead Get Away.  These days B is rarely for break...

The school uniform debate would appear to be a very British affair. The Europeans are able send their children to school quietly without a monogrammed jumper fuss. Finnish secondary school children, the European darlings of the international performance league tables, do not wear blazers or ties...

Today is just another ordinary Thursday for the hundreds of thousands of school pupils across England. But today's also the day that the hard work and exam results produced by GSCE and A level pupils last summer are published by the Department for Education. The new performance tables are out,...

So last weekend our little family did The Thing. My eldest son sat the assessment tests for a local selective secondary school. The school in question is one of his options for entry in September 2015 and we had discussed, long and hard, whether he wanted to go through the entrance exam...

In Roman times, craftsmen would cover the imperfections of pots and statues with wax. The derivation of the word sincere comes from two Latin words: sine (without) and cera (wax). As the cracked waxed pots looked similar to the naked eye, it became important to test the quality of the pottery....

I have two daughters under the age of 11 but I have already been through the school application process five times. I applied for their first primary school place, and then applied again when we moved area. I have most recently also pressed send on an application for a senior school place for...

Hands up if you have an opinion on your child's school? Thought so. It's as easy as ABC to add star ratings for local schools on School Guide. Sharing your parents-eye view on a school is a great way to share knowledge and help other parents find the best schools. Every school on School...

So, here I am. The morning after my first secondary school Open Day. High on PTA squash and easing myself in to the decision hot seat. My eldest son is in Year 6 of primary school and I find myself in the peculiar position of attempting to follow my own advice.  Last year I wrote Maximise your...

We're shining our shoes and straightening our ties today to mark the arrival of our new site sponsor Galore Park. Galore Park is the UK's number one publisher of learning materials for pupils studying at independent schools and have helped thousands of children unlock 11+ and 13+ Common...

One of the most shared images on the School Guide Facebook page in the last few months features this super stylish maths corner in a primary school classroom. Colour co-ordinated and stimulating, the bright design aims to stimulate bright little minds. Stylish and maths may not often be words...

Our new School Guide Tutor Directory launches today. It makes it quick and easy for parents to find the best tutor for their child. Many of you read our recent blog on the dilemma parents face about hiring a tutor and told us it was a useful tool. Read the article here. But those of you who...

Read your child's end of school report yet? Don't skip the attendance section. This data proves that school attendance has a direct impact on how your child will perform in school. This chart, compiled using data from the Department for Education by School Guide, the data-driven site aimed...

New partnership creates one-stop education information for parents School Guide and Mumsnet are today announcing a partnership to provide clear online school information combined with Mumsnet users’ first-hand experience of schools. School Guide’s bold infographic style and no-nonsense...

'Oooooh... so you are Sophie's sister!' This could be the best or worst sentence to hear when you start a new school. My siblings and I can’t even decide on the same film for film night, so how can we be expected to conform to the same education system? My sister, Annie, and I have just...

Last month a university in New York State announced it was launching a course on the sociology of Miley Cyrus. According to its teaching professor, the singer provides the perfect subject for exploring the cultural conflict many of our girls face today. Miley appears to be both in-your-face...

No formal tests until 18 and hair brushing during lessons. So how do Finnish children manage to put their UK counterparts in the shade? Maths teacher and mum of three Naomi Sani visited Helsinki to find out I was a young teacher in a secondary school when I first came across this quote from...

ON MONDAY, hundreds of thousands of children will find out whether they have a place at their chosen secondary school. For some this will be at a school that required them to sit the 11-plus or Common Entrance Exam. How did they get there? Increasing numbers will have had a private tutor. 1 in...

School Noticeboard gives every UK school the opportunity to create their own login and add news, photos and information about their school events. Register today and tell the parents who visit your page about: School Open Days New awards or school prizes Special trips or...

Modern school terminology can be confusing. Like Key Stage. Or SATs. Or the difference between the English and International Baccalaureate. Even school years are unrecognisable for many parents. Forget O levels in the fifth year; now it's GCSEs in Year 12. Parents need an -ology just to navigate...

January: the season of stopping. Abstinence rules and the dark winter days are spent making amends for the sparkling excesses of Christmas. This year, however, not all the red light headlines have been related to rationing the Rioja. Since the start of the new school term, there has been an...

FESTIVE BREAKING NEWS! 80% of pupils at North Pole Primary have seen Mummy kissing Santa Claus SOURCE: Headmistress Mrs Carol Singer As children break up from school for Christmas across the UK, annual performance data from a small school at the northernmost point on Earth, North Pole...

This week marks Anti-Bullying Week (18-24 November) an annual event organised by the Anti-Bullying Alliance to encourage schools, clubs, individual children and young people across the country to band together with one mission: to make bullying unacceptable – for everyone, everywhere. The NSPCC...

Earlier this week School Guide’s Founder Victoria Bond had the opportunity to put some questions to the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove. Victoria, the mother of two school age children, wanted to discuss the issues that affect many of the thousands of parents who visit her site...

You've known about the deadline for secondary school applications for months. So why, with just ten days to go, are you still angsting about pressing send? You may need to separate the best school from what is best for your child The average child in the UK will spend eleven years of their...

To celebrate Children's Book Week (7-11 October), we're giving away £100 of book tokens to the school with the most LIKES on their School Guide page. All you have to do is follow these three simple steps: 1. Search for your child's school via name, location or postcode on School Guide 2....

We're sitting on a vast amount of data here at School Guide and we've recently opened our Data Lab to experiment with plotting trends and visualising data with the official statistics we hold on over 35,000 schools across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Our first test was to...

1. MAKE LIKE A CUB SCOUT: BE PREPARED Visit schools a year before you have to submit a school application. This takes the pressure off and means you can re-visit your shortlist just before you have to make a decision. Start in Year 5 (age 9 or 10) for secondary schools and look at primary...

So house prices in England are at a record high according to a new report from the Office for National Statistics this week. But moving home is still one of life’s most stressful experiences and a positive shift in house price tags will only go some way to compensate for the anxiety of moving....

It was always the Woolworths window that did it for me. There it was – first day of August, sun blazing – and the poster screamed, ‘BACK TO SCHOOL’. Smart shirts, itchy jumpers and innumerable pencil case/A4 binder combinations were displayed for all to see. I remember as a girl of nine or ten...

TODAY Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg unveils plans that could see children as young as five face “baseline” tests when they start reception as part of a new push to support pupils. According to a new survey, 63% of parents of school age children are not satisfied with school data that is...

SchoolGuide.co.uk, the UK’s best school guide, was awarded a prestigious Nominet Internet Award at a ceremony held at The British Library in London on 4th July. Celebrating the internet as a force for good, these annual awards recognise UK businesses, charities, individuals and public and private...

There’s a whiff of de-mob happiness in the air. Exams are coming to an end and schools are all set for the one day of the year when our children actually wear their daps: sports day. I’ve noticed a few blogs and stories popping up over the past week or so that got me thinking about the...

As one UK secondary school is set to ban homework we ask whether work should stop at school It’s Friday and, for most, it’s the end of the working week. As I write, I can see it’s approaching 3pm and our children will be in the last lesson of the day. Pencil cases will be tantalisingly close...

It’s not every day we get our School Guide smalls in a twist. But when top entrepreneur and chief executive of Knickerbox and Anne Summers Jacqueline Gold announced our parent-friendly school information site had won one of her sought-after #WOW awards, we were all in a flutter. Jacqueline...

My Leo ears pricked up recently when I heard about a new report that says summer-born children should have their exam results boosted to compensate for being almost a year younger than some of their peers. Born on a long hot August night in 1970, I started school a matter of days after my...

There was a lot of cheering at the TV this weekend by the School Guide team. No, we're not talking about the Britain’s Got Talent Semi Finals but an appearance by our website built for parents on the BBC, Webscape reporter Kate Russell fronts BBC Click, the guide to all the latest gadgets,...

A free website that puts essential school information at parents' fingertips launches today. School Guide brings key school statistics together in one place from several official websites including the Department of Education and Ofsted and makes it quick and easy for parents to choose the...

In 2012, English schools were on course for the biggest shake up of the 16+ examination system since O-Levels were abolished at the end of the 1980s. The English Baccalaureate Certificate was set to replace GSCEs. It was a shiny new qualification engineered to end grade inflation and see a return...

Parents are familiar with the 5-a-day message but a growing number of children are being put on a different kind of health regime to get ahead at school. Welcome to the world of the new Media Diet. The Media Diet – or Digital Rationing as it is also known – involves slimming down kids’ use of...

My pre-school son loves Judith Kerr's classic The Tiger Who Came to Tea and, as a maths teacher, I often find myself referring back to Amy Chua's book about Chinese parenting, Battle Hymn of The Tiger Mother. The term Tiger Mum was coined by Amy Chua. Tiger Mums believe in hard work and...

Government funding cuts mean that many valued school breakfast clubs have not re-opened this academic year raising fears that the children who need the facilities the most may be left hungry. One newspaper labels some cuts "severe" and reports: "Essex County Council said they had provided 219...

The government is to offer money for primaries who do the Academy deed from June 2012. The Department for Education has created the Primary Chains Grant (www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies/primary/a00210101/primarychainsgrant) to help primary schools that decide to...