Moving to London with kids: schools, areas and costs

Last reviewed: November 2026 by David from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.

The first thing most parents ask when moving to London with kids is which comes first, the flat or the school. In London the two decide each other: state schools rank applicants partly by home address, and some private schools take applications a year before entry, so a lease signed before the school plan can mean a long cross-city school run.

This guide follows the order that works: visa check, council deadlines, private fees after VAT, then the area. Rents are Office for National Statistics borough averages for September 2026; fees are the schools' 2026-27 figures.

How do you get a state school place when you arrive in London?

You apply through the council of the borough where you will live, not through the school, and if the school year has already started this is called an in-year application. GOV.UK says families applying from another country should contact the council for the area they are moving to, and may be asked for proof of the new address, such as a rental agreement.

Each borough runs its own system. Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster share one admissions team for in-year applications, but some schools, such as Holland Park School and Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, handle their own. Once a place is offered, the child usually starts at the beginning of the following term.

If your preferred school is full, add your child's name to its waiting list. The admission authority must keep that list open for at least the first term of each school year, and you can accept a later offer even if your child has already started somewhere else.

Does your visa give your child the right to a state school?

Usually yes, if the child comes as a dependant of a parent with settled status or on a work or student visa. The Department for Education guidance is precise on the exceptions: a child on a Child Student visa may only study at an independent school that is a licensed student sponsor, and children on the visitor route cannot enrol at a state school at all.

Checking is the parents' job: state schools must not ask for passports as a condition of admission, and councils cannot refuse an application because the family does not yet live in the area. EU and Swiss children arriving after 2020 are treated like other foreign nationals unless they hold EU Settlement Scheme status.

Admission deadlines and the London school year

The normal admissions round runs a year ahead. For September 2027, secondary applications closed on 31 October 2026, with offers on 1 March 2027; Reception applications close on 15 January 2027, with offers on 16 April. A child now in Year 6 applies through the London eAdmissions system, from abroad if need be. A late application is still considered, but GOV.UK warns it is less likely to win a preferred school.

Each council sets term dates, and academies may differ. Royal Greenwich, for example, runs 2 September to 18 December 2026, 4 January to 25 March 2027 and 12 April to 22 July 2027. International schools often keep their own calendar: the American School in London's first semester runs from 24 August to 16 December 2026.

Private and international schools after VAT

Since 1 January 2025, private school education and boarding carry VAT at 20%; nursery classes below compulsory school age stay exempt. Our guide to private school fees and VAT explains which invoice lines are taxed. Three central schools show the range.

Halcyon London International School

An International Baccalaureate school in Marylebone for students aged 11 to 18, which describes itself as the only not-for-profit IB school in London. Annual 2026-27 tuition including VAT is £41,040 for Grades 6 to 9 and £42,912 for Grades 11 and 12. New families add a £375 application fee, an £1,800 deposit and a one-off £2,250 development fee plus VAT; lunch and the annual residential trip are included.

EIFA International School London

A secular bilingual school at 36 Portland Place that teaches French and English to children aged 2 to 14, from Nursery to Year 9, and was rated Good by Ofsted in June 2024. Its 2026-27 Nursery fee of £7,448 a term carries no VAT; from Reception the termly fee including VAT runs from £8,938 to £9,770. The school says it combines the French and English curricula, useful if your children may later return to a French-system school.

The American School in London

A kindergarten to Grade 12 school in St John's Wood with students from more than 70 countries. Annual 2026-27 tuition including VAT is £43,224 in the Lower School, £47,988 in the Middle School and £49,932 in the High School, plus a £2,400 capital fee for new students. It accepts applications a year before entry and keeps a wait pool for late applicants, who should apply by 15 March.

For assessments and interviews, see our guide to international school admissions in London.

Which London areas suit families with kids?

Richmond, Wimbledon, Hampstead, St John's Wood and Chiswick combine a direct line into the centre with parks and an international school within reach. The table compares them using the ONS average rent for a three-bedroom home in each borough.

Source: ONS Price Index of Private Rents, borough averages for September 2026; school locations from each school's website. Streets near popular schools and stations can rent well above the borough average, so compare areas with it rather than treat it as a quote. Deutsche Schule London is a recognised German school abroad whose graduates take the Abitur; the Collège Français Bilingue de Londres teaches around 700 pupils half in French and half in English up to 4ème; the International School of London and Marymount teach the IB.

What does family life in London cost?

Housing and school fees decide the budget, while children's transport is cheap. ONS puts the average London rent at £2,338 a month in September 2026, with Kensington and Chelsea the most expensive area in the UK at £3,739.

A worked example. A family renting an average three-bedroom home in Merton pays £2,418 a month, or £29,016 a year. One child at the American School in London's Lower School adds £43,224 in tuition and the £2,400 capital fee in the first year, so housing and schooling come to £74,640 before bills and food. With a state primary the family pays rent only: the school decision is the largest variable in the budget.

Your first 90 days: a checklist

1. Confirm that each child's visa allows study at a state school, or get a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies from a sponsoring independent school.
2. Contact the council for your target borough and ask which schools have in-year places in your child's year group.
3. For private schools, apply to two or three at once and budget for non-refundable charges, such as Halcyon's application fee and EIFA's entrance fee.
4. Sign the lease once a school place is confirmed, and keep the rental agreement for the council.
5. Order Zip Oyster photocards online and register with a GP surgery near your new home.

Compare schools before you sign a lease

Check curricula, locations and fee bands across the city in our ranking of the best international schools in London, then match the shortlist to the areas above.

Sources: GOV.UK school admissions guidance; Department for Education guidance on foreign national children (March 2024); Kensington and Chelsea in-year admissions (2026-27); HMRC on VAT and private school fees; ONS private rents, September 2026; TfL on Zip Oyster photocards (2025); Royal Greenwich term dates 2026-27; 2026-27 fee pages of Halcyon, EIFA and the American School in London; websites of the other schools named.

More guides to schools in London

• Best international schools in London
• International school fees in London
• How to choose an international school in London
• International school admissions in London
• Bilingual schools in London
• best international schools in London

Frequently asked questions

Can my child start a London state school soon after we arrive?

Yes, through an in-year application to the council of the borough where you will live. The council or the school offers a place if one is free in your child's year group, and the child usually starts at the beginning of the following term. If your preferred school is full, join its waiting list, which must stay open for at least the first term.

How much rent should a family budget for in London?

ONS figures for September 2026 put the average three-bedroom rent at £2,254 a month in Hounslow, £2,418 in Merton, £2,703 in Richmond upon Thames, £3,071 in Camden and £3,912 in Westminster. These are borough averages, so homes near popular schools and stations can cost noticeably more. Add council tax, utilities and a deposit to the monthly figure.

Do children pay for public transport in London?

Children aged 5 to 10 travel free on buses, the Tube, trams, DLR, London Overground and the Elizabeth line with a 5-10 Zip Oyster photocard. From 11 to 15, the Zip card gives free bus and tram travel and half fares on the Tube and rail. TfL raised the photocard application charges in July 2025, so check the current fee before ordering.