New government website to help parents compare schools as primary applications open
Online profiles bring together attendance, results as well as things like breakfast clubs
The government has launched a new online tool it says will help parents choose the right school for their child.
The "find and compare school and college profiles" service puts information about each school in one place, according to the government.
Primary school applications are now open in every local area, with parents given until January to apply.
What the school profiles include
Each school profile brings together a school's location, age range, attendance, results and wider offer, such as free breakfast clubs.
For parents of older children, there is also information on secondary schools' GCSE subject entries.
The profiles show the next steps pupils at each school have taken after Year 11, whether that is further education, apprenticeships or employment.
What is being added next
The government says the service will keep developing after launch.
A side-by-side comparison feature, currently offered for secondary schools, will be rolled out to primary schools.
Ofsted reports will also be added next year, which the government says will show where different schools excel.
Information on what children can do outside the classroom will be added in the coming years.
That follows the government's plans for a curriculum overhaul, which aims to reduce curriculum overload and make more space in the school day for arts, sports, nature and future skills.
Schools Minister Georgia Gould said:
"Choosing a school for your child is a big decision, and not one that parents take lightly.
"We are putting clearer information at parents' fingertips – an everyday fix to help them find the right fit and keep them in the know throughout those all-important school years.
"This is about helping parents become a partner in their child's education from day one, with more information, more choice, and better outcomes."
Two new alliances launched as well
The website launches alongside two new expert-led alliances, focused on enrichment and parental engagement.
The government says new findings show that children whose parents received very clear information about their progress achieved higher GCSE results and were less likely to be persistently absent from school.
The School-Parent Partnership Alliance and the Enrichment Alliance will bring together sector experts, schools, trusts and parents.
They will test what works and share best practice on giving children a richer school experience and strengthening the partnership between home and school.
The School-Parent Partnership Alliance is inviting parents, teachers and school leaders to share their experiences.
It wants to hear about the ways parents and schools work together, such as parent forums, school apps or transition days for the whole family.
The most effective suggestions will be tested in more schools from next year.
Fiona Forbes, co-chair of the School-Parent Partnership Alliance, said:
"Parents are the most important people in their children's lives, and a key, but under-utilised, stakeholder in our education system.
"Our research in the Parent Voice Project has demonstrated how often they feel underappreciated by schools in the educational journey. As such I am very pleased to get the School-Parent Partnership underway and to launch its mission to strengthen how teachers and parents can work together.
"But to do that we need to hear from as many parents and school staff as possible through our listening exercise - I urge people to get involved."
The Enrichment Alliance builds on the Enrichment Framework published earlier this year.
It will test ways schools can offer an accessible extra-curricular programme shaped by the community.
The government says it will help prepare schools for the upcoming curriculum reforms, making room for experiences from practical experiments to debate, performance and learning beyond the classroom.
The government says this will help tackle a sharp drop-off in engagement and attendance during the early secondary years.