Does this show which schools are in catchment?

It shows the schools nearest to your postcode, with distances. Catchment (priority admission) areas are set by each council and change year to year, so we link you straight to your council's official admissions process rather than guess a boundary.

Where do the schools and ratings come from?

Schools come from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register (GIAS). For each school we link to its live Ofsted report, so you always see the current inspection rather than a rating that may be out of date.

How is the distance measured?

It's the straight-line (as-the-crow-flies) distance from your postcode to each school, which is why a nearby school can still be a longer walk once you follow the roads.

Are the Ofsted ratings current?

We link to each school's live Ofsted report, so you see the latest one published. Ofsted scrapped single-word overall grades in September 2024 and started using report cards under a new framework from November 2025, so older reports may look different from newer ones until a school is re-inspected.

Does it include private schools and nurseries?

GIAS lists state-funded schools and registered independent schools in England, along with many early-years and college settings, so you'll usually see a mix of primaries, secondaries and other nearby schools.

Why can't I see schools for a Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish postcode?

Our schools data comes from the Department for Education, which covers England only. For Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, your local council or devolved government is the place to check schools and admissions.

How do I actually apply for a school place?

You apply through your local council, not the school directly, and there are firm annual deadlines (usually mid-January for primary and end of October for secondary). GOV.UK's school admissions pages point you to your council's application process.

Can I check schools before I've bought a home?

Yes — that's exactly what it's for. Checking schools while you're still comparing areas is far easier than discovering the catchment doesn't work after you've moved.

Yes. It's free and there's no sign-up.

Check schools near a postcode

Thinking about an area? See the nearest schools, how far each one is, and its latest Ofsted report — then check catchment with the council.

Enter a postcode to see the nearest schools, with a link to each school's live Ofsted report.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools. Distances are straight-line from the postcode, not catchment areas.

Last updated: August 2026

How the school checker works

Enter a postcode and the checker finds its location, then lists the schools closest to it — nurseries, primaries, secondaries and colleges — with the straight-line distance to each, nearest first.

Every school comes from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register (GIAS) — the official record of state-funded and registered independent schools in England. For each one we link straight to its live Ofsted report, so you read the current inspection rather than a rating copied out months ago.

GIAS covers England only. Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish postcodes won't return schools here — for those, your local council is the place to look.

How to check schools near a postcode

Enter the postcode
Type the postcode of the area you're considering and press check.
Scan the nearest schools
See the closest schools with distances, sorted nearest first.
Open the Ofsted reports
Click through to each school's current Ofsted report to read the detail, not just a grade.
Confirm catchment with the council
Nearest isn't guaranteed — check admission rules and deadlines on your council's site.

How to read the results

Distance is as-the-crow-flies, not walking or driving time. A school 0.4 miles away on the map might still be a 15-minute walk once you follow the roads.

Nearest doesn't mean you'll get a place. Admission (catchment) areas are set by each council and can shift year to year, and popular schools fill on distance in a way that moves with demand. Treat the list as a starting point, then check the rules on GOV.UK school admissions and your council's own pages.

Ofsted stopped giving a single overall grade — like Outstanding or Good — in September 2024, and began rolling out report cards under a new inspection framework from November 2025. Older reports may still show the previous grades until a school is re-inspected, which is another reason to open the live report rather than trust one headline word.

A quick example

Say you're weighing up an area and have children starting school soon. Enter the postcode and you'll see the closest schools with their distances and a link to each Ofsted report.

Open two or three reports, note which ages each school covers (infant, junior, primary, all-through), then use GOV.UK's apply-for-a-school-place to find your council's catchment rules and deadlines. Ten minutes tells you whether the area realistically works for your family — before you book a viewing.

What to check next

Schools are one piece of the picture. Before you commit to an area, it's worth a look at what else is around it.

Check crime near the postcodeRecent street-level crime around the area, from the police.Check planning applicationsWhat's been proposed nearby — extensions, new builds, developments.Get your free moving checklistEvery task timed to your move date, once you've chosen the area.

Common questions

Does this show which schools are in catchment?: It shows the schools nearest to your postcode, with distances. Catchment (priority admission) areas are set by each council and change year to year, so we link you straight to your council's official admissions process rather than guess a boundary.
Where do the schools and ratings come from?: Schools come from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register (GIAS). For each school we link to its live Ofsted report, so you always see the current inspection rather than a rating that may be out of date.
How is the distance measured?: It's the straight-line (as-the-crow-flies) distance from your postcode to each school, which is why a nearby school can still be a longer walk once you follow the roads.
Are the Ofsted ratings current?: We link to each school's live Ofsted report, so you see the latest one published. Ofsted scrapped single-word overall grades in September 2024 and started using report cards under a new framework from November 2025, so older reports may look different from newer ones until a school is re-inspected.
Does it include private schools and nurseries?: GIAS lists state-funded schools and registered independent schools in England, along with many early-years and college settings, so you'll usually see a mix of primaries, secondaries and other nearby schools.
Why can't I see schools for a Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish postcode?: Our schools data comes from the Department for Education, which covers England only. For Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, your local council or devolved government is the place to check schools and admissions.
How do I actually apply for a school place?: You apply through your local council, not the school directly, and there are firm annual deadlines (usually mid-January for primary and end of October for secondary). GOV.UK's school admissions pages point you to your council's application process.
Can I check schools before I've bought a home?: Yes — that's exactly what it's for. Checking schools while you're still comparing areas is far easier than discovering the catchment doesn't work after you've moved.
Is it free?: Yes. It's free and there's no sign-up.

Where this data comes from

Schools by area

Jump straight to the nearest schools for a town or city.