If you’ve tried to leave a review for your child's school recently or as a school governor you've wondered why your Google star rating has 'frozen', you aren't alone. Google has quietly disabled new reviews for all schools – here is why, and where you can still make your voice heard.
For years, Google Reviews were the go-to for checking a school's reputation. However, a major policy update has seen the tech giant disable reviews, edits, and the right to reply for educational institutions.
Why did Google disable school reviews?
Google now categorises schools as "critical services". Their logic is that because schools provide an essential public service, unfair or unverified reviews could disproportionately harm a school's reputation and deter families from attending.
While this protects schools from "review bombing," it has left many schools stuck with outdated 1-star ratings they can no longer answer, and parents with nowhere to share their positive experiences.
The Best Alternative: School Guide Reviews
If you can’t leave a review on Google, where should you go? The answer is School Guide. Long before Google dominated the space, School Guide was the primary source for trusted school data and parent feedback. In fact, Google actually pulls "Reviews from the web" directly from School Guide to display in their search results.
"Our TripAdvisor-style reviews are by parents, for parents. They give a taste of life at the school gates and answer the big question: what is this school REALLY like for the families who attend?"
Victoria Bond, Founder of School Guide
How to leave a parent review on School Guide
Unlike Google’s now-closed system, School Guide remains open for parent feedback but maintains high standards through pre-moderation. This ensures reviews are helpful, fair, and follow strict guidelines.
- Search for your school using the search bar at the top of this page.
- Register for a free account (it takes less than 2 minutes).
- Verify your email to ensure you are a real person.
- Write your review and award a star rating from 1 to 5.
Your review won't just sit on our site – our star ratings regularly appear on Page One of Google, helping other parents make confident choices.
Benefits for Schools
With Google Reviews blocked, your School Guide profile is now your most important digital shop window.
- Fresh Feedback: Capture the current atmosphere of your school rather than being defined by old Google comments.
- Moderated Content: Every review is checked by our team to ensure it meets our community guidelines.
- SEO Boost: School Guide reviews are highly optimized for search engines, often appearing right next to your official website.
Ready to share your experience? Search for your school now and join over 10,000 parents who use School Guide every day.
