Why The Catchment exists
Choosing a school often means comparing council guidance, admissions policies and advice from friends or online forums. We created The Catchment to bring trusted local information together in one place, so families can make informed decisions with confidence.
Where are you in your journey?
Starting school
Primary Schools
Verified information for every local primary school across HA4 and HA5.
Browse the directory →Reception Timeline
Calculates every deadline based on your child's start year, with a running countdown and simple tick-off steps.
Try the tool →Looking ahead
State Secondary Schools
Every state secondary realistically in reach from HA4/HA5, verified against Ofsted and each school's own admissions guidance.
Browse the directory →Grammar Catchments
A realistic breakdown of which grammar schools are actually accessible from this area — and how each one's admissions system works.
See the breakdown →11+ Key Dates
The typical shape of the 11+ year, month by month — registration, tests, results and National Offer Day.
See the timeline →More guides and tools are being added all the time.
Why parents trust The Catchment
Independent
We're parent-built and not affiliated with any school, council or admissions authority. Paid placement may exist one day — but it will never change what we say.
Accurate
Every guide is checked against official council and school sources. If something changes, we update it.
Local
We focus on HA4 and HA5 because that's where families need clarity the most — not generic national advice.
Calm
Admissions can feel high-stakes and urgent. We try to make it feel manageable instead — plain explanations, delivered without drama, so you can think clearly rather than panic.
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School news, catchment changes and admissions reminders — we do the research so you don't have to.