diff --git a/nextjs-app/__tests__/hooks/useSchoolSuggest.test.tsx b/nextjs-app/__tests__/hooks/useSchoolSuggest.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4681b86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nextjs-app/__tests__/hooks/useSchoolSuggest.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+import { renderHook, act, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { useSchoolSuggest } from '@/hooks/useSchoolSuggest';
+
+const realFetch = global.fetch;
+
+function mockFetch(rows: unknown[], delayMs = 0) {
+  global.fetch = jest.fn(async (_url: unknown, init?: { signal?: AbortSignal }) => {
+    if (delayMs) {
+      await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+        const t = setTimeout(resolve, delayMs);
+        init?.signal?.addEventListener('abort', () => {
+          clearTimeout(t);
+          reject(Object.assign(new Error('aborted'), { name: 'AbortError' }));
+        });
+      });
+    }
+    return { ok: true, json: async () => ({ suggestions: rows }) };
+  }) as unknown as typeof fetch;
+}
+
+const ROW = {
+  urn: 1, school_name: 'Brecknock Primary School', local_authority: 'Camden',
+  postcode: 'NW1 1AA', phase: 'Primary', school_type: 'Community school',
+};
+
+describe('useSchoolSuggest', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => { jest.useFakeTimers(); });
+  afterEach(() => { jest.useRealTimers(); global.fetch = realFetch; });
+
+  it('does not fetch below the minimum query length', () => {
+    mockFetch([ROW]);
+    renderHook(() => useSchoolSuggest('b', true));
+    act(() => { jest.advanceTimersByTime(500); });
+    expect(global.fetch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('does not fetch at all when disabled', () => {
+    // The flag being off must mean no request, not a hidden dropdown.
+    mockFetch([ROW]);
+    renderHook(() => useSchoolSuggest('brecknock', false));
+    act(() => { jest.advanceTimersByTime(500); });
+    expect(global.fetch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('debounces rather than firing per keystroke', () => {
+    mockFetch([ROW]);
+    const { rerender } = renderHook(
+      ({ q }) => useSchoolSuggest(q, true), { initialProps: { q: 'br' } });
+    rerender({ q: 'bre' });
+    rerender({ q: 'brec' });
+    act(() => { jest.advanceTimersByTime(199); });
+    expect(global.fetch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    act(() => { jest.advanceTimersByTime(2); });
+    expect(global.fetch).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it('opens with results once they arrive', async () => {
+    mockFetch([ROW]);
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useSchoolSuggest('brecknock', true));
+    act(() => { jest.advanceTimersByTime(200); });
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.suggestions).toHaveLength(1));
+    expect(result.current.open).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('close() hides the list without clearing the query', async () => {
+    mockFetch([ROW]);
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useSchoolSuggest('brecknock', true));
+    act(() => { jest.advanceTimersByTime(200); });
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.open).toBe(true));
+    act(() => { result.current.close(); });
+    expect(result.current.open).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/nextjs-app/hooks/useSchoolSuggest.ts b/nextjs-app/hooks/useSchoolSuggest.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..53ba171
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nextjs-app/hooks/useSchoolSuggest.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+'use client';
+
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import { fetchSuggestions, SUGGEST_MIN_QUERY, type Suggestion } from '@/lib/suggest';
+
+/*
+ * Long enough that a fast typist does not fire a request per character, short
+ * enough that the list feels attached to the keyboard.
+ */
+const DEBOUNCE_MS = 200;
+
+export function useSchoolSuggest(query: string, enabled: boolean) {
+  const [suggestions, setSuggestions] = useState<Suggestion[]>([]);
+  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [activeIndex, setActiveIndex] = useState(-1);
+  // Set when the user dismisses the list, so a re-render does not reopen it.
+  const dismissed = useRef('');
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const q = query.trim();
+    if (!enabled || q.length < SUGGEST_MIN_QUERY || dismissed.current === q) {
+      setSuggestions([]);
+      setOpen(false);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    /*
+     * Abort the superseded request on every keystroke. This is correctness,
+     * not economy: without it a slow response for "st" can land after the fast
+     * one for "st marys" and replace a correct list with a stale one.
+     */
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    const timer = setTimeout(async () => {
+      const rows = await fetchSuggestions(q, controller.signal);
+      if (controller.signal.aborted) return;
+      setSuggestions(rows);
+      setActiveIndex(-1);
+      setOpen(rows.length > 0);
+    }, DEBOUNCE_MS);
+
+    return () => {
+      clearTimeout(timer);
+      controller.abort();
+    };
+  }, [query, enabled]);
+
+  return {
+    suggestions,
+    open,
+    activeIndex,
+    setActiveIndex,
+    close: () => {
+      dismissed.current = query.trim();
+      setOpen(false);
+      setActiveIndex(-1);
+    },
+  };
+}
diff --git a/nextjs-app/lib/suggest.ts b/nextjs-app/lib/suggest.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5a17d9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nextjs-app/lib/suggest.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/**
+ * Client for /api/suggest.
+ *
+ * No `cache: "no-store"`. The compare modal's search uses it, and copying that
+ * here would discard both the browser cache and the ETag 304s the backend's
+ * CacheAndETagMiddleware already provides — on the one endpoint where prefix
+ * queries repeat most.
+ */
+
+export interface Suggestion {
+  urn: number;
+  school_name: string;
+  local_authority: string;
+  postcode: string;
+  phase: string;
+  school_type: string;
+}
+
+/** Below this the response is thousands of schools and worth no round trip. */
+export const SUGGEST_MIN_QUERY = 2;
+
+const API = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL || '/api';
+
+/** Suggestions for `q`. Never throws: no suggestions is a fine outcome. */
+export async function fetchSuggestions(
+  q: string, signal?: AbortSignal,
+): Promise<Suggestion[]> {
+  if (q.trim().length < SUGGEST_MIN_QUERY) return [];
+  try {
+    const res = await fetch(`${API}/suggest?q=${encodeURIComponent(q.trim())}`,
+      { signal });
+    if (!res.ok) return [];
+    const body = await res.json();
+    return body.suggestions ?? [];
+  } catch {
+    // Includes AbortError, which is the normal path on every keystroke.
+    return [];
+  }
+}