About SchoolFinder
SchoolFinder is an independent guide to private, prep, grammar and sixth-form schools in England. It exists because comparing schools is unreasonably hard: the information sits across school websites, inspection reports and government spreadsheets, in formats that make like-for-like comparison almost impossible.
Where the data comes from
The school list is built from the Department for Education’s Get Information About Schools register, covering independent schools and state grammar schools in England. Locations are geocoded from postcodes via postcodes.io. Fees, admissions detail and co-curricular information are compiled from schools’ own published material. Inspection outcomes come from published ISI and Ofsted reports, and exam results from published performance data.
- 1,447 schools with published day fees
- 1,492 with an inspection outcome on record
- 627 with A-level results, 969 with GCSE results
- 1,816 mapped to coordinates
Coverage is uneven because disclosure is uneven — a school that does not publish its fees will show no fee. We would rather show a gap than a guess, so blank means unknown, not zero.
How the rankings work — and what they don’t tell you
Our league tables rank on published attainment: the percentage of A-levels graded A*–B, or GCSEs graded 7 and above. That is a real measure, and it is also a limited one.
Attainment reflects who a school admits at least as much as how well it teaches. A highly selective school will rank above a school that may be adding far more to its pupils. We say so on the tables rather than pretending otherwise, and our guide to reading league tables explains how to correct for it.
Inspection ratings need similar care. Both inspectorates changed their frameworks recently, so many published ratings use vocabulary no longer issued. We show these with their year and label them historical — see our explainer on the new Ofsted report cards.
Editorial approach
- Articles cite primary sources — GOV.UK, Ofsted, the ISI, ISEB and the relevant charities — so you can check a claim rather than take our word for it.
- We use ranges and general phrasing where real figures vary, rather than inventing precision.
- We don’t link out to competing school-search sites, and we say when something is a judgement rather than a fact.
- Where guidance depends on your circumstances — money, law, a child’s needs — we point you to a professional instead of guessing.
How this site is funded
The site currently carries no advertising, no affiliate links and no paid listings. Schools cannot pay to appear, to rank higher, or to change what their profile says. If that ever changes, this section will say so, and anything paid for will be labelled.
What this site is not
SchoolFinder is not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting for any school, inspectorate or government body. Nothing here is financial, legal or educational advice, and no directory can tell you whether a particular school suits a particular child — that comes from visiting. Always confirm fees, deadlines and admissions criteria with the school directly before acting on them.
Corrections
If something here is wrong — a fee, a result, an inspection outcome, a closed school still listed — please tell us at privacy@schoolfinder.info and we will check it against the source and correct it. Schools are welcome to write in about their own entry.