Guidance

Independent school registration

Find out the requirements for the registration of independent schools, also known as private schools.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 1 December 2013
• Last updated: 16 September 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 16 September 2026

     Updated 'Registration of independent schools: guidance for proprietors' to reflect current policy and processes and clarify the areas where DfE receives the highest volume of queries.

  2. 27 April 2026

     Added 'Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform' to 'Details', which includes information about a public consultation that closes on 18 May 2026.

  3. 24 August 2022

     Added a link to making material changes guidance.

  4. 3 August 2022

     Removal of the 2015 revised standards document. The standards are outdated due to the 2019 updated version available on the Regulating independent schools guidance page.

  5. 21 August 2019

     Independent School Registration guidance updated to reflect the current policy, including sign posting to the relevant guidance and legislation that is already published elsewhere.

  6. 15 January 2016

     Updated 'Independent school registration' to clarify definition of full-time education and to emphasise that schools must not operate prior to registration.

  7. 9 July 2015

     Updated the registration advice to include the 2014 regulations.

  8. 18 December 2014

     Added 'Revised independent school standards' detailing changes to the independent school standards from 5 January 2015.

  9. 1 December 2013

     First published.

Applies to England

• Publication for Wales

Documents

Registration of independent schools: guidance for proprietors

PDF, 478 KB, 40 pages

Details

Independent school registration

This guidance is for proprietors and prospective proprietors of independent schools in England that are not academies or free schools. It may also be of use to governors, headteachers, teachers and parents.

You must register if you’ll provide full time education for:

• 5 or more pupils of compulsory school age
• 1 or more pupils of compulsory school age with an education, health and care (EHC) plan
• 1 or more pupils of compulsory school age who are looked-after by the local council

Apply to register an independent school

Use this application form and submission instructions to apply.

Help with registering as an independent school

Independent Education and School Safeguarding Division

Department for Education
Bishopsgate House
Feethams
Darlington
County Durham
DL1 5QE

Email Independentschool.applications@education.gov.uk

Apply to make a material change to a registered independent school

Read our independent schools: making a material change guidance if you need to make a material change.