Independent schools: making a material change

Request a material change to an independent school (also known as a private school) registered with the Department for Education.

School proprietors, school staff, or governing bodies of independent schools, can make a request for material changes to registered details such as:

• proprietor details
• school address details
• age range of pupils – this will cover the nursery or sixth form element of an independent school as we do not list this separately
• school capacity
• gender of entry
• boarding provision – adding or removing provision
• special educational needs (SEN) – adding or removing provision

Changing your school’s registered details

If you would like to apply for a material change to your school’s registered details:

• email the independent schools team
• quote the school name in the subject heading
• explain the change request in your email

Once the change is approved, the independent schools team will update Get information about schools.

Any unauthorised change attempts a school may try to make to Get information about schools will be rejected by the independent schools team.

Schools under regulatory or enforcement action

We will only consider, and grant a material change to, independent schools that do not meet the independent school standards, and who are under regulatory or enforcement action, if granting the material change helps them meet the standards.

For example:

• change of premises where previously there has been a failing in relation to school premises
• increase in capacity where previously the school has been operating in excess of their registered capacity

Generally, we will not approve material changes until a school is inspected again and found to meet all of the standards.

Changing your school’s religious character designation

Requesting a designated religious character change is different to religious ethos. Read guidance about changing an independent school’s religious character designation.

Admission policy and religious ethos

Material changes for admissions policy, and change of religious ethos, do not apply to independent schools.

Contact

Independent schools team

Email [email protected]

An independent school (or private school) is not funded by the government and charges fees for attendance.

If you are an academy, read Academies: making significant changes or closure by agreement.