When applying to an international school, UK school reports are often requested to help the admissions team understand a child’s academic level, attendance, subjects, behaviour and year placement.
A standard PDF report or emailed document may be accepted in some cases. However, many overseas schools need extra confirmation that the report is genuine before they can rely on it for admissions.
Why international schools ask for school reports
School reports help the receiving school assess where a child should be placed and whether they meet the academic requirements for entry.
They may also be used to review subject choices, English language level, learning support needs, attendance history or predicted performance.
Because these documents can affect admissions decisions, overseas schools may ask for them in a verified or legalised format.
Why a PDF may not be enough
Many UK schools now issue reports digitally. A PDF may be perfectly valid in the UK, but an overseas school may not be able to confirm whether it genuinely came from the school or whether it has been altered.
For formal admissions, the school may ask for a certified or legalised copy.
This usually means the UK school must confirm the report’s authenticity before a solicitor or Notary Public can certify it.
School verification
The first step is often getting the issuing school to verify the report.
This may involve the school confirming by email that the report is genuine, issuing a signed letter, or validating the version being used.
The verification should ideally come from an authorised member of staff and should clearly identify the document being confirmed.
Solicitor or notary certification
Once the report has been verified, a UK solicitor or Notary Public can certify the document for overseas use.
The certification confirms that the document has been checked and prepared correctly. The certified version can then be legalised if the receiving school or authority requires it.
Without school verification, a solicitor or notary may not be able to certify the report properly.
Legalisation for overseas use
Some international schools, education authorities or visa offices may require the certified school report to be legalised before submission.
Legalisation confirms the signature, stamp or seal of the solicitor or notary who certified the document.
This gives the overseas institution confidence that the UK document has been formally prepared for international use.
Translation requirements
If the international school does not accept documents in English, a certified or sworn translation may be required.
The order should be checked before arranging translation. In many cases, the school report is certified and legalised first, then translated afterwards.
Some authorities may also require the translation itself to be certified or legalised separately.
Other school documents that may be requested
Alongside school reports, international schools may ask for attendance records, transfer letters, academic references, predicted grades, enrolment confirmation or safeguarding-related documents.
Each document may need to be verified by the UK school before it can be certified or legalised.
Preparing all school documents together can help avoid repeated requests later.
Start before the move
School admissions deadlines can be tight, especially when a family is relocating at short notice.
Contact the UK school early, ask what documents they can verify, and confirm the international school’s requirements before arranging certification or legalisation.
If you need to use UK school reports for international school admissions, 12 Apostille can help check the requirements, coordinate the correct certification route and prepare the documents for overseas submission.