The small steps of a child into his or her first school should not be giant leaps of faith for their parents left at the gate. Instead it should be a wonderful moment of realisation for both parties as the preparation they have undertaken together begins to unfold into a definitive and progressive education.

The Good Schools Guide online has details of every primary, infant, first and junior school in the UK including, for England only, a detailed analysis of examination results that is available only from us and catchment area maps. Primary schools educate children from ages 5 to 11 (a number admit younger children into nursery classes).

Primary schools in the UK

There are almost 30,000 primary schools in the UK; they are:

• small(ish), a typical one-form-entry primary school will accommodate approximately 200 pupils but they range from one class for all ages in remote hamlets, to larger schools of around 500 pupils in inner city locations,
• local - in most urban areas there will be several primary schools within a short drive,
• fast-changing.

In some areas separate schools for infants (aged 5-7) and juniors (aged 7-11) exist. A few areas still have first schools for children (aged 5-8) and middle schools for 9-13 year olds.

Choosing a primary school

A large number of primary schools (or their equivalents) are good, even in areas that are a disaster for senior schools. Children in primary schools have (mostly) not reached the age of serious disruption, teaching is more child-centred than it will be later, and catchment areas are smaller. Our results analysis system, Qlikview will give you (if you are a subscriber ) an insight into state primary schools which is available nowhere else.

Parents have the thankless and seemingly endless task of finding out where the best primary school is, what they are meant to be doing with regard to their child's education and how they should be preparing their child for the imminent 'first day'. These formative years of educational infancy are important, and getting them right is crucial.

If you want to keep abreast of primary schools education we recommend our excellent book, A Parents' Guide to Primary School which doesn't include school reviews but does answer all those burning questions. Indeed, A Parents' Guide to Primary School not only directs you to the best primary school for your child, but also teaches you both how to prepare for school and how to get the most from school.

Consider this guide your homework for your child's future.

Primary school catchment areas

State primary schools must follow their stated admissions policy when allocating places. The key criteria is usually distance from school, having a sibling at the school, faith (if a faith school) and any special needs. Policies vary from school to school and year-on-year so do check carefully, the LA will old the current information. However, if you are looking t...