Schooling and Childcare

If you plan to bring your children with you to Loughborough while you are studying, you will need to arrange education and possibly childcare.

Below you can find information on childcare, different types of schools, the admission process and other school related concerns.

Early Years Childcare

Nursery schools or pre-schools provide early education and childcare to children under the ‘compulsory school age’ (see below).  Childminders provide childcare in a more informal setting, usually the home of the childminder.

There is usually a charge for full or part-time nursery school places.  However, all children aged 3 and 4 living in the UK, including the children of international students, can receive 570 free hours per year of nursery education. This is generally provided as 15 hours per week for 38 weeks.

Leicestershire County Council provides a list of local early years' childcare providers. You should contact the provider directly to apply for a place.

There is a nursery on the Loughborough campus which is open for children of students, staff and the local community. Full details of the places available, opening times and the application process can be found on their website.

Education for school-aged children

Education in state-run schools in the UK is free.

Most children in England attend school from the September after they turn 4, until they are 16 or 18. Parents are obliged to ensure that their children receive full-time education while they are of “compulsory school age”

Compulsory school age

A child reaches compulsory school age on the 1st January, 1st April or 1st September following their 5th birthday. In England, a young person can leave education at the end of the academic year in which they turn 16. From ages 16-18 they must continue in some form of education or training.

Children attend primary school from the age of 4 to 11 and secondary school from the age of 11 to 16. From the age of 16 to 18, they can attend a school sixth form or college.

Finding a school and applying for a school place

You will probably want your child to attend the school closest to your home. The Leicestershire County Council website has a list of local schools and useful information on school admissions policies. You should apply to state schools in Leicestershire via the County Council website.

You can apply for a school place up to four weeks prior to arriving in Leicestershire if you have a local address. If you plan to seek accommodation after you arrive, you will need to wait until your arrival to start the application process.

The Ofsted inspectorate website contains the most recent inspection reports for all state schools. You may also wish to contact the individual schools to arrange a visit prior to applying.

Please contact the Student Advice and Support Service if you need more detailed advice or you are experiencing any problems with the school application process.

You will probably want your child to attend the school closest to your home. The Leicestershire County Council website has a list of local schools and useful information on school admissions policies. You should apply to state schools in Leicestershire via the County Council website.

You can apply for a school place up to four weeks prior to arriving in Leicestershire if you have a local address. If you plan to seek accommodation after you arrive, you will need to wait until your arrival to start the application process.

The Ofsted inspectorate website contains the most recent inspection reports for all state schools. You may also wish to contact the individual schools to arrange a visit prior to applying.

How can the University support you?

Please contact the Student Advice and Support Service if you need more detailed advice or you are experiencing any problems with the school application process.

Last Updated: 2nd November 2023