Schools in London

Nursery to sixth form

Nursery 3–4 · Primary 4–11 (Reception, Years 1–6) · Secondary 11–16 (Years 7–11, GCSEs) · Sixth form 16–18 (A levels, T levels).

Community, academy, free, faith, grammar, independent

All state schools are free. Academies and free schools set their own admissions; grammars test at 10 or 11; independent schools charge fees.

The four grades

Until 2024: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement or Inadequate as one overall grade. Many schools still show one; check its year.

• Outstanding
• Good
• Requires improvement
• Inadequate

Report cards, no single grade

Inspections since November 2025 grade several areas, from exceptional to urgent improvement. We never merge them with an older grade.

Key stage 2 (SATs)

Tests at 11 in reading, maths and grammar; writing is teacher-assessed. Headline: share of pupils at the expected standard in all three.

Attainment 8 and Progress 8

Attainment 8: grades across eight GCSEs; 50 is about a grade 5 each. Progress 8: gain since 11 against similar pupils; 0 is average.

Grade 5 in English and maths, EBacc

GCSEs run 9 (top) to 1; 4 is a standard pass, 5 a strong pass. EBacc: English, maths, sciences, a language, history or geography.

Catchment and last distance offered

Full schools rank by rules: children in care, often siblings, then distance. The last distance offered changes every year: a hint, not a place.

Faith criteria

A full faith school may put families of its faith first, often with a form and a reference of worship. Read its own rules.

Appeals and waiting lists

Refused a place? Join the waiting list and appeal to an independent panel. Infant classes are capped at 30, so those appeals rarely win.

Apply in autumn, hear in spring

Secondary: apply by 31 October, offers 1 March. Primary: by 15 January, offers 16 April. One form to your council, three to six choices (six in London).

What a top list means here

One published measure, one phase, London state schools, latest year. A rank says nothing about fit or admissions.