Independent school registration
Find out the requirements for the registration of independent schools, also known as private schools.
Applies to England
Documents
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
Read our independent schools: making a material change guidance if you need to make a material change.
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 boarding team
Bishopsgate House
Feethams
Darlington
County Durham
DL1 5QE
Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform
Anyone wishing to register a new independent school may wish to be aware that the Department for Education is developing a substantial, system-wide reform programme. This will introduce a new regulatory framework, in the coming years, for independent special school registration.
We are therefore consulting on proposals to reform the SEND system. The consultation document explains the changes we plan to make and asks for comments from everyone with an interest.
SEND reform: putting children and young people first includes details on how you can respond to the consultation.
This consultation closes at 11:59pm on 18 May 2026.
Updates to this page
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Added 'Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform' to 'Details', which includes information about a public consultation that closes on 18 May 2026.
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Added a link to making material changes guidance.
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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 The standards are outdated due to the 2019 updated version available on the Regulating independent schools guidance page.
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Independent School Registration guidance updated to reflect the current policy, including sign posting to the relevant guidance and legislation that is already published elsewhere.
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Updated 'Independent school registration' to clarify definition of full-time education and to emphasise that schools must not operate prior to registration.
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Updated the registration advice to include the 2014 regulations.
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Added 'Revised independent school standards' detailing changes to the independent school standards from 5 January 2015.
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First published.