State or private school after moving abroad? A guide for Nigerian parents

Why the Nigerian rule of thumb does not travel

At home, a private school often means teachers who turn up, classes that are not overcrowded and a real chance at good WAEC results. In the UK, US and Canada, free schools are funded by the government, staffed by trained teachers and checked against public standards. The question stops being "Can I afford private?" and becomes "Is this particular school right for my child?"

That is a better question, because the spread between two free schools in the same city can be wider than the gap between free and private.

The UK: state, grammar and independent schools

All children in England aged 5 to 16 are entitled to a free place at a state school. State schools include community schools, academies, free schools and faith schools. Academies and free schools are run by trusts and have more freedom over their curriculum, but they are still free to attend.

Grammar schools are the free selective option. They choose pupils by academic ability, using a test usually called the 11+. Not every area has them. Where they do exist, registration for the test often closes well before the test itself, so check with your council while your child is in Year 5.

Independent schools, also called private schools, charge fees and do not have to follow the national curriculum. They must be registered and are inspected, either by Ofsted or by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. Since 1 January 2025, VAT at 20% applies to private school fees and boarding fees, so a fee you saw quoted before 2025 may now be higher.

State school places are allocated by your council. You apply by 31 October for a secondary place and by 15 January for a primary place, for the September after. When a school has more applicants than places, it uses published criteria. Children in care come first, then common criteria include siblings at the school, faith for faith schools, and distance from home. That last one is why parents talk about catchment, and why where you rent matters.

Ofsted ratings changed. Here is how to read them

Many parents still look for "Outstanding" or "Good". Single word overall grades have been scrapped. Since late 2025, Ofsted has used report cards for state funded schools, with a grade for each area, such as attendance and behaviour, achievement, personal development and well being, and a new area called inclusion.

Each area is graded on a five point scale: exceptional, strong standard, expected standard, needs attention or urgent improvement. Safeguarding is marked met or not met. Ofsted says these grades cannot be compared with the old ones, so a school last inspected under the old system will show an older style report until it is inspected again. Read the inspectors' words, not just the label.

The US: public, magnet, charter and private schools

Public schools in the US are free and zoned by address. Each home sits in an attendance zone, and the school for that zone is your default. In practice, the house or apartment you choose is your school choice.

• Magnet schools are public schools with a theme, such as science or the arts, designed to draw students from across a district. Entry rules vary, so check with the district.
• Charter schools are publicly funded, run under a contract with the state, a district or another body. They cannot charge tuition or set entrance exams. When more children apply than there are seats, places go by lottery.
• Private schools are run by organisations other than the government, are not mainly publicly funded, and may be religious or not. They set their own fees and admissions.

To research a district, start with your state's report card website. Every state publishes one, with test results in reading, maths and science, graduation rates, absenteeism, suspensions and teacher qualifications, for each district and school.

Canada: more than one free system

Canada surprises Nigerian parents in a good way. In Ontario, most publicly funded schools sit in four systems: English public, English Catholic, French public and French Catholic. All four are free, and most children can attend regardless of immigration status. Catholic and French language boards have their own eligibility rules, so ask the board before you sign a lease.

Other provinces organise things differently, with their own mix of public, Catholic, French language and independent schools. Check with your provincial ministry and local board.

Private schools exist but play a smaller role than in Nigeria. In Ontario they receive no provincial funding, and the province does not inspect private elementary schools at all. It only inspects private high schools that grant Ontario Secondary School Diploma credits, and it tells parents to do their own research.

The three countries side by side

The honest trade offs

• Cost. Private fees are only the start. Add uniform, trips and transport, and in the UK, VAT. Compare that with a slightly higher rent in a strong state school area.
• Timing. Free school deadlines are fixed and early. Miss the 31 October UK deadline and you join a waiting list. Private schools set their own dates, so ask early.
• Class sizes. Private schools often advertise smaller classes. Ask for the real number in your child's year, and what teachers do differently with it.
• Results. A large US government study of national test scores found private schools scored higher on average, but once it accounted for students' backgrounds, most of the gap disappeared. In grade 4 maths, public schools came out ahead. Much of what looks like a school effect is the families who choose it.

What a school cannot replace is what happens at home: daily reading, steady routines, and someone noticing early when a child starts to struggle.

How to check any school yourself

1. Read the latest inspection report in full. In England, use Ofsted. For an independent school, ask which inspectorate visits.
2. Look at published results. US state report cards and Ontario's school finder show test results. In England, ask the school or your council for its latest results.
3. Visit on a normal school day, not only at an open evening. Watch how children behave between lessons.
4. Ask the admissions team for last year's criteria and how far away the last child admitted lived.
5. Talk to parents whose children are already there, especially other Nigerian families.

Whatever school you choose

At Masani, our carefully vetted Nigerian teachers, the top 3% of those who apply, teach one to one online across UK, US, Canadian, Nigerian and international curricula, from primary through secondary. Lessons are scheduled in your time zone and recorded, every lesson ends with a written report, and you can track progress skill by skill in the parent portal, so you know how your child is doing whichever school they attend.

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