Guides for independent school parents
Admissions, fees, bursaries and results, explained plainly with sources.
- Entry point
11+ guide 2026
Top schools, competition ratios, fees after VAT and a simple way to decide which 11+ schools to sit.
20 min readRead guide - Money
Private school bursaries guide
How means-tested bursaries work at UK independent schools: who qualifies, what schools ask for, when to apply and how to judge your chances.
14 min readRead guide - Outcomes
How to read independent school exam results
How to read GCSE, A level, IB and university destination data for independent schools, and what headline results do not tell you.
13 min readRead guide - Wellbeing
Pastoral care at independent schools
What good pastoral care looks like at an independent school, how safeguarding is checked, and the questions to ask on a visit.
10 min readRead guide - Money
Private school fees and ways to pay
Private school fees in 2026: VAT, extras, deposits, payment plans and how to budget for the full cost from entry to the leaving year.
10 min readRead guide - Relocation
International parents' guide to UK independent schools
UK independent school admissions for families abroad: entry points, the Child Student visa, guardianship, English tests and London routes.
17 min readRead guide - Basics
Private School Glossary
Plain-English definitions of the terms used in UK independent school admissions, exams, fees, bursaries, boarding, visas and inspections.
224 termsRead guide - Choosing a school
Single-sex or co-ed school? What the evidence says
Choosing between girls', boys' and co-ed independent schools: what the research shows, our own school data and the questions to ask on a visit.
9 min readRead guide - SEND & exams
Exam access arrangements: extra time and support
How extra time, readers, scribes and rest breaks work in 11+ and 13+ entrance tests and in GCSE and A-level exams under JCQ rules, with a parent timeline.
9 min readRead guide
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