10 things to know before picking your child's school

Resources and tools

1. How do you find a school near you? - With this handy online tool

2. How does our chosen school rate with Ofsted? - Get the government agency report of schools you're considering

3. Where is your school in the top school rankings? - The Sunday Times' list of top schools, from primary to secondary, pre-prep and independent

4. How does it fare in the Good Schools Guide? - Not every school is included but this book parses them on everything from academic programs to fashionability of the school uniform. The site has both free and paid-for content.

Choosing a school

5. Shocker: Carpark gossip isn't always the best way to pick your child's learning institution

6. Private schools are 'no better for A levels' - Research suggesting the brightest pupils do well no matter where they study contradicts other recent studies

7. More than half of secondary schools are substandard

On paying for private school

8. Get ready for some sticker shock - The cost of a private education can cost more than £350,000 from ages 3 to 18

9. The big maths problem - Should you shell out for a house in a good cachement area or pay private school fees?

10. How your home can pay school fees

Click here for School Gate's Applying to primary school - what you need to know