Frequently Asked Questions
Got questions? We have answers. If you cannot find what you are looking for, get in touch.
About FindGreatSchools
FindGreatSchools is a free school finder for England that helps families find schools based on location, academic performance, Ofsted ratings, and pupil demographics. We bring together official government data in one easy-to-use platform so you can make informed decisions about your child's education.
Yes, FindGreatSchools is completely free. We believe every family should have access to clear, comprehensive school information regardless of their background.
We list every school in England that appears in the government's Get Information About Schools (GIAS) register — over 52,000 establishments including state schools, academies, free schools, and independent schools. Schools in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are not currently included as they use different data systems.
Data & Accuracy
All our data comes from official government sources. School details come from the GIAS register, exam results from the Department for Education's performance tables, demographic data from the School Census, and inspection ratings from Ofsted. We do not use any unofficial or crowd-sourced data.
We update our data as soon as new official releases are available. School details from GIAS are updated regularly. Exam results and demographic data are released annually by the DfE, typically in the autumn term. Ofsted ratings are updated monthly.
SUPP means the data has been suppressed by the Department for Education to protect pupil privacy. This happens when the number of pupils in a category is so small that individuals could potentially be identified. It is not an error — it is a standard practice in education statistics.
Using the School Finder
Go to the Schools page and enter your postcode or area name. You can adjust the search radius and apply filters for school type, Ofsted rating, and more. You can also use the Map view to browse schools visually.
Progress 8 measures how much progress pupils make between primary school and their GCSEs, compared to the national average. A score of 0 is average, positive scores mean above-average progress. Many educators consider Progress 8 more meaningful than raw exam results because it shows the value a school adds, regardless of pupils' starting points. See our Glossary for more detail.
Catchment area mapping is a planned feature. Currently, you can search by distance from a location to find nearby schools. We are working on adding official catchment boundaries where they are available.