How to call your child's UK school from abroad
Working abroad while your child is at school in the UK? Here's how to call the school, when to ring, and what to arrange so the school can reach you too.
Finding and dialling the number
UK schools have ordinary landline numbers, starting 01 or 02, on the school's website and on letters home. To call one from abroad:
- Start with + (or 00 in most countries, 011 from the US and Canada).
- Then 44, the UK's country code.
- Then the number without its first 0. So 0161 496 0000 becomes +44 161 496 0000.
When to call
School offices are usually staffed on weekdays during term time, from shortly before the school day starts until after it ends. Check the UK time against yours first: the UK is on UTC+0 in winter and UTC+1 in summer. Outside term time, try email instead.
Make sure the school can reach you
- Give the school your number abroad, with its country code, and say which time zone you're in.
- Add a contact in the UK who can get to the school quickly if your child is ill or there's an emergency.
- Ask whether the school sends messages by app or email: they reach you wherever you are.
- Keep your details up to date whenever your number or address changes.
What it costs
With DanaTel, you can call UK landlines and mobiles from the browser on your phone or computer, with nothing to install. Calls to the UK cost £0.05/min, billed in 6-second steps, and unanswered calls are free. See every country's price if your family is spread further.
DanaTel isn't connected with any school.
