Families, Childcare and Schooling
Partners and Families
If you have brought your partner with you, and they have permission to work in the UK, it is a good idea to visit the local Jobcentre Plus. It is run by the government and advertises a range of jobs. Your partner can also register with local recruitment agencies, we have a relationship with Adecco and details can be found on their website.
State and Private Schools
By law all children in the UK should attend school full-time from the age of five. If your child is under 16 years of age and will be with you as your dependant for more than six months, they should be able to go to a state primary or secondary school free of charge. The state system is divided into three types of schools:
- Nursery school (for children aged between 3 and 5 years of age)
- Primary school (for children aged from 4 to 11 years of age)
- Secondary school (for children aged from 11 to 16 years of age)
Private (independent) schools are often referred to as public schools – this can be confusing as public schools are not for the public and charge fees.
In England, children can leave school at the age of 16 but will have to stay in education or training until their 18th birthday. The options are either to continue to go to school or a college or to undertake an apprenticeship/traineeship.
School Holidays
The academic year for state schools runs from early September to late July and is split up in to three terms: Autumn term (between summer and Christmas); Spring term (between Christmas and Easter); and Summer term (between Easter and the Summer holiday).
Summer holidays are usually six or seven weeks long, starting in late July and ending in early September; Christmas and Easter holidays usually last about two weeks each.
Roughly halfway through each term there is a holiday of one week. Independent schools often have longer holidays including up to 10 weeks for summer, but often have longer school days and sometimes lessons on Saturday mornings.
Taking Children out of School
In the UK parents don’t have the automatic right to take their children out of school during term time. In fact parents can be prosecuted if their children fail to attend school. If you do need to take your child out of school, you should contact the school as early as possible to discuss it.
If your child is unwell or unable to attend school for another reason, you should contact the school as soon as possible.
After-School Clubs and Out-of-School Services
School Breakfast Clubs and After School Clubs are facilities that offer childcare before and after school hours. They are particularly useful for working parents as they help bridge the gap between school hours and working hours. They offer a safe, stimulating place in which children can play or take part in activities and crafts as well as getting on with their homework.
Supplementary Schools
There are also supplementary part-time schools in the UK catering for children from different religions or who speak different languages. Supplementary schools offer a range of educational opportunities for children and young people from ethnic minorities in addition to mainstream school provision.
They are generally voluntary organisation run by local community groups either at weekends or during the week in the evening. Your children can attend these in addition to their main school. For more information see:
