Expert advice, school rankings analysis, and the latest education news to help you make informed decisions
How to apply for a state school place in England for September 2027 entry: the 31 October and 15 January deadlines, how preferences really work, offer day, waiting lists, appeals, and applying from abroad or mid-year.
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GuideMainstream with support, an SEN unit or a special school? How school places work with and without an EHC plan, what to ask on a visit, help with transport, and what the 2026 SEND reforms do and do not change yet.
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GuideSince September 2026 every child in a family on Universal Credit can get free school meals, but you still have to apply. What changed, why infants should still register, which schools have free breakfast clubs, holiday clubs, and how to pay for care before and after school.
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GuideWho qualifies for 30 hours from 9 months, the 15 hours every 3 year old gets, the offer for some 2 year olds, a birth date table showing when hours start and when to apply, reconfirming your code, and what a nursery can still charge.
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GuideDay nursery, pre-school or school nursery? What the rules guarantee in every setting, how to read a nursery's Ofsted history, what a nursery can and cannot charge for funded hours, and the questions to ask when you visit.
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AdmissionsMoving house and need a new school? How in-year applications work in England, who you apply to, what proof of address councils want, how fast you should hear, and what happens if no school has room.
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GuideWhat nursery costs in England in 2026 by age, hours and region, how funded hours, Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit change the bill, the extras and holiday weeks the averages leave out, and how to compare quotes.
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