diff --git a/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/FilterBarOptions.test.tsx b/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/FilterBarOptions.test.tsx
index 35355b4..723b117 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/FilterBarOptions.test.tsx
+++ b/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/FilterBarOptions.test.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import type { ResultFilters } from '@/lib/types';
 /*
  * A filter's options must not come from the results it is filtering, or
  * choosing one leaves only that one on offer: pick "Girls" and "Boys" is gone
- * until the filter is cleared. School type, gender and admissions offer the
+ * until the filter is cleared. School type groups, gender and admissions offer the
  * full lists, as phase already did. Local authority stays scoped to the
  * results, so a postcode search offers the councils nearby rather than 153.
  *
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ const filters = {
   phases: ['Middle deemed primary', 'Nursery', 'Primary', 'Secondary', 'All-through'],
   genders: ['Boys', 'Girls', 'Mixed'],
   admissions_policies: ['Non-selective', 'Selective'],
+  school_type_groups: [
+    { value: 'academy', label: 'State school: academy or free school' },
+    { value: 'council', label: 'State school: council-run' },
+  ],
 };
 
 // What the results came back with once narrowed by the chosen filters.
@@ -54,11 +58,11 @@ beforeEach(() => {
 });
 
 describe('filter options', () => {
-  it('offer every school type, gender and admissions policy, whatever the results hold', () => {
-    params = new URLSearchParams('postcode=SW196AR&radius=1&school_type=Community+school&gender=girls');
+  it('offer every school type group, gender and admissions policy, whatever the results hold', () => {
+    params = new URLSearchParams('postcode=SW196AR&radius=1&school_type=council&gender=girls');
     render(<FilterBar filters={filters} resultFilters={narrowed} />);
     const sheet = openSheet();
-    expect(optionsOf(sheet, 'School type')).toEqual(['Any school type', 'Academy converter', 'Community school']);
+    expect(optionsOf(sheet, 'School type')).toEqual(['Any school type', 'State school: academy or free school', 'State school: council-run']);
     expect(optionsOf(sheet, 'Gender')).toEqual(['Boys, Girls & Mixed', 'Boys', 'Girls', 'Mixed']);
     expect(optionsOf(sheet, 'Admissions')).toEqual(['All admissions types', 'Non-selective', 'Selective']);
   });
@@ -107,13 +111,13 @@ describe('the secondary-only filters', () => {
 
   it('are cleared by choosing a primary phase, rather than left applied and hidden', () => {
     params = new URLSearchParams(
-      'postcode=SW196AR&radius=1&phase=secondary&gender=girls&has_sixth_form=yes&admissions_policy=selective&school_type=Community+school');
+      'postcode=SW196AR&radius=1&phase=secondary&gender=girls&has_sixth_form=yes&admissions_policy=selective&school_type=council');
     render(<FilterBar filters={filters} />);
     fireEvent.change(within(openSheet()).getByRole('combobox', { name: 'Phase' }), { target: { value: 'primary' } });
     const next = pushedParams();
     expect(next.get('phase')).toBe('primary');
     for (const key of ['gender', 'has_sixth_form', 'admissions_policy']) expect(next.get(key)).toBeNull();
-    expect(next.get('school_type')).toBe('Community school');
+    expect(next.get('school_type')).toBe('council');
   });
 
   it('are kept when the new phase still has them', () => {
diff --git a/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/FilterBarTypeFaith.test.tsx b/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/FilterBarTypeFaith.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f03d1b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/FilterBarTypeFaith.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+import { fireEvent, render, screen, within } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { FilterBar } from '@/components/FilterBar';
+import { track } from '@/lib/analytics';
+
+/*
+ * School type offers six groups a parent recognises, not GIAS's 34 types, and
+ * a Faith filter sits beside it (spec 2026-10-02-school-type-groups-and-faith-
+ * filter-design.md). Both lists come from /api/filters.
+ */
+
+let params = new URLSearchParams('postcode=SW196AR&radius=1');
+const push = jest.fn();
+jest.mock('next/navigation', () => ({
+  useSearchParams: () => params,
+  usePathname: () => '/',
+  useRouter: () => ({ push, replace: jest.fn(), prefetch: jest.fn() }),
+}));
+jest.mock('@/lib/analytics', () => ({ track: jest.fn() }));
+
+const filters = {
+  local_authorities: ['Wandsworth'], school_types: ['Community school'], years: [],
+  phases: ['Primary', 'Secondary'], genders: [], admissions_policies: [],
+  school_type_groups: [
+    { value: 'academy', label: 'State school: academy or free school' },
+    { value: 'council', label: 'State school: council-run' },
+    { value: 'special', label: 'Special school (SEND)' },
+  ],
+  faiths: [
+    { value: 'none', label: 'No religious character' },
+    { value: 'roman_catholic', label: 'Roman Catholic' },
+  ],
+};
+
+const pushedParams = () => new URLSearchParams(push.mock.calls.at(-1)![0].split('?')[1]);
+const openSheet = () => {
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /^Filters/ }));
+  return screen.getByRole('dialog', { name: 'Filters' });
+};
+const optionsOf = (scope: HTMLElement, name: string) =>
+  within(within(scope).getByRole('combobox', { name })).getAllByRole('option').map((o) => o.textContent);
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  params = new URLSearchParams('postcode=SW196AR&radius=1');
+  push.mockClear();
+  jest.mocked(track).mockClear();
+});
+
+describe('School type', () => {
+  it('offers the groups, not the GIAS types, on desktop and in the sheet', () => {
+    render(<FilterBar filters={filters} />);
+    const groups = ['Any school type', 'State school: academy or free school',
+      'State school: council-run', 'Special school (SEND)'];
+    expect(optionsOf(screen.getByRole('group', { name: 'Filters' }), 'School type')).toEqual(groups);
+    expect(optionsOf(openSheet(), 'School type')).toEqual(groups);
+  });
+
+  it('puts the group key in the URL and names the chip by its label', () => {
+    const view = render(<FilterBar filters={filters} />);
+    fireEvent.change(within(openSheet()).getByRole('combobox', { name: 'School type' }),
+      { target: { value: 'special' } });
+    expect(pushedParams().get('school_type')).toBe('special');
+    params = new URLSearchParams('postcode=SW196AR&radius=1&school_type=special');
+    view.rerender(<FilterBar filters={filters} />);
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Remove filter: Special school (SEND)' })).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it('names an old raw-label link\'s chip by that label', () => {
+    params = new URLSearchParams('postcode=SW196AR&radius=1&school_type=Community+school');
+    render(<FilterBar filters={filters} />);
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Remove filter: Community school' })).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it('is left out when the API sends no groups', () => {
+    render(<FilterBar filters={{ ...filters, school_type_groups: undefined }} />);
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('combobox', { name: 'School type' })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+});
+
+describe('Faith', () => {
+  it('offers its options in the More filters panel and in the sheet', () => {
+    render(<FilterBar filters={filters} />);
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /More filters/ }));
+    const faiths = ['Any faith or none', 'No religious character', 'Roman Catholic'];
+    expect(optionsOf(document.body, 'Faith')).toEqual(faiths);
+    expect(optionsOf(openSheet(), 'Faith')).toEqual(faiths);
+  });
+
+  it('shows as a chip, counts on both buttons, and clears with Clear all', () => {
+    params = new URLSearchParams('postcode=SW196AR&radius=1&faith=roman_catholic');
+    render(<FilterBar filters={filters} />);
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Remove filter: Roman Catholic' })).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Filters, 1 applied' })).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /More filters \(1\)/ })).toBeInTheDocument();
+    fireEvent.click(within(screen.getByRole('group', { name: 'Applied filters' }))
+      .getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear all' }));
+    expect(pushedParams().get('faith')).toBeNull();
+    expect(pushedParams().get('postcode')).toBe('SW196AR');
+  });
+
+  it('goes into the search analytics event', () => {
+    params = new URLSearchParams('faith=roman_catholic');
+    render(<FilterBar filters={filters} />);
+    const input = screen.getByRole('searchbox', { name: 'School name or postcode' });
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: 'st marys' } });
+    fireEvent.submit(input.closest('form')!);
+    expect(track).toHaveBeenCalledWith('search_submitted',
+      expect.objectContaining({ filters_active: 'faith=roman_catholic', filters_count: 1 }));
+  });
+
+  it('is left out when the API sends no faiths', () => {
+    render(<FilterBar filters={{ ...filters, faiths: [] }} />);
+    expect(within(openSheet()).queryByRole('combobox', { name: 'Faith' })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/FilterSheet.test.tsx b/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/FilterSheet.test.tsx
index ca17bf0..46dd87d 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/FilterSheet.test.tsx
+++ b/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/FilterSheet.test.tsx
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ jest.mock('@/lib/analytics', () => ({ track: jest.fn() }));
 const filters = {
   local_authorities: ['Wandsworth', 'Merton'], school_types: ['Community school'], years: [],
   phases: ['Primary', 'Secondary'], genders: ['Girls', 'Mixed'], admissions_policies: [],
+  school_type_groups: [{ value: 'council', label: 'State school: council-run' }],
 };
 
 const pushedParams = () => new URLSearchParams(push.mock.calls.at(-1)![0].split('?')[1]);
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ describe('the phone Filters button', () => {
   });
 
   it('counts every applied filter, phase and type included', () => {
-    params = new URLSearchParams('postcode=SW196AR&radius=1&phase=primary&school_type=Community+school');
+    params = new URLSearchParams('postcode=SW196AR&radius=1&phase=primary&school_type=council');
     render(<FilterBar filters={filters} />);
     expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Filters, 2 applied' })).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ describe('the applied-filter chips', () => {
   });
 
   it('carry a Clear all that keeps the search', () => {
-    params = new URLSearchParams('search=southmead&school_type=Community+school');
+    params = new URLSearchParams('search=southmead&school_type=council');
     render(<FilterBar filters={filters} />);
     fireEvent.click(within(screen.getByRole('group', { name: 'Applied filters' }))
       .getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear all' }));
diff --git a/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/FilterSheetPending.test.tsx b/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/FilterSheetPending.test.tsx
index 19dd2e7..be88818 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/FilterSheetPending.test.tsx
+++ b/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/FilterSheetPending.test.tsx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ jest.mock('@/lib/analytics', () => ({ track: jest.fn() }));
 const filters = {
   local_authorities: ['Wandsworth'], school_types: ['Community school'], years: [],
   phases: ['Primary', 'Secondary'], genders: [], admissions_policies: [],
+  school_type_groups: [{ value: 'council', label: 'State school: council-run' }],
 };
 
 const pushedParams = () => new URLSearchParams(push.mock.calls.at(-1)![0].split('?')[1]);
@@ -53,10 +54,10 @@ it('builds a second change on the first, not on the URL it has not reached', ()
   const sheet = openSheet();
   fireEvent.change(within(sheet).getByRole('combobox', { name: 'Phase' }), { target: { value: 'primary' } });
   fireEvent.change(within(sheet).getByRole('combobox', { name: 'School type' }),
-    { target: { value: 'Community school' } });
+    { target: { value: 'council' } });
   const next = pushedParams();
   expect(next.get('phase')).toBe('primary');
-  expect(next.get('school_type')).toBe('Community school');
+  expect(next.get('school_type')).toBe('council');
   expect(next.get('postcode')).toBe('SW196AR');
 });
 
diff --git a/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/ResultsToolbar.test.tsx b/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/ResultsToolbar.test.tsx
index c59842e..bc16678 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/ResultsToolbar.test.tsx
+++ b/nextjs-app/__tests__/components/ResultsToolbar.test.tsx
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ jest.mock('@/components/SchoolMap', () => ({ SchoolMap: () => <div data-testid="
 const filters = {
   local_authorities: ['Wandsworth'], school_types: ['Community school'], years: [],
   phases: ['Primary', 'Secondary'], genders: [], admissions_policies: [],
+  school_type_groups: [{ value: 'council', label: 'State school: council-run' }],
 };
 
 function results(): SchoolsResponse {
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ describe('the toolbar filters', () => {
   });
 
   it('counts only what More filters hides', () => {
-    params = new URLSearchParams('postcode=SW196AR&radius=1&school_type=Community+school&local_authority=Wandsworth');
+    params = new URLSearchParams('postcode=SW196AR&radius=1&school_type=council&local_authority=Wandsworth');
     render(<FilterBar filters={filters} />);
     expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /More filters \(1\)/ })).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
diff --git a/nextjs-app/app/(frontend)/page.tsx b/nextjs-app/app/(frontend)/page.tsx
index 7faf807..68c097f 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/app/(frontend)/page.tsx
+++ b/nextjs-app/app/(frontend)/page.tsx
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ interface HomePageProps {
     gender?: string;
     admissions_policy?: string;
     has_sixth_form?: string;
+    faith?: string;
   }>;
 }
 
@@ -84,7 +85,8 @@ export default async function HomePage({ searchParams }: HomePageProps) {
     params.postcode ||
     params.gender ||
     params.admissions_policy ||
-    params.has_sixth_form
+    params.has_sixth_form ||
+    params.faith
   );
 
   // Failures propagate to the retryable error boundary.
@@ -105,6 +107,7 @@ export default async function HomePage({ searchParams }: HomePageProps) {
       gender: params.gender,
       admissions_policy: params.admissions_policy,
       has_sixth_form: params.has_sixth_form,
+      faith: params.faith,
     });
   } else {
     // Empty state by default
diff --git a/nextjs-app/components/FilterBar.tsx b/nextjs-app/components/FilterBar.tsx
index 4f406c3..6265ac7 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/components/FilterBar.tsx
+++ b/nextjs-app/components/FilterBar.tsx
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ function SelectShell({
 const FILTER_KEYS = [
   "phase",
   "school_type",
+  "faith",
   "local_authority",
   "gender",
   "has_sixth_form",
@@ -186,12 +187,14 @@ export function FilterBar({
   const currentGender = searchParams.get("gender") || "";
   const currentAdmissionsPolicy = searchParams.get("admissions_policy") || "";
   const currentHasSixthForm = searchParams.get("has_sixth_form") || "";
+  const currentFaith = searchParams.get("faith") || "";
 
   // Count the filters behind "More filters". Search, postcode, distance, phase
   // and school type each have their own control in the toolbar, so they are
   // visible without opening anything and are not counted here.
   const activeDropdownFilters = [
     currentLA,
+    currentFaith,
     currentGender,
     currentAdmissionsPolicy,
     currentHasSixthForm,
@@ -318,6 +321,7 @@ export function FilterBar({
       currentPhase && `phase=${currentPhase}`,
       currentLA && `la=${currentLA}`,
       currentType && `type=${currentType}`,
+      currentFaith && `faith=${currentFaith}`,
       currentGender && `gender=${currentGender}`,
       currentAdmissionsPolicy && `admissions=${currentAdmissionsPolicy}`,
       currentHasSixthForm && `sixth_form=${currentHasSixthForm}`,
@@ -370,6 +374,7 @@ export function FilterBar({
     currentSearch ||
     currentLA ||
     currentType ||
+    currentFaith ||
     currentPhase ||
     currentPostcode ||
     currentGender ||
@@ -387,7 +392,9 @@ export function FilterBar({
    */
   const laOptions =
     resultFilters?.local_authorities ?? filters.local_authorities;
-  const typeOptions = filters.school_types;
+  // Six groups a parent recognises, not GIAS's 34 establishment types.
+  const typeOptions = filters.school_type_groups ?? [];
+  const faithOptions = filters.faiths ?? [];
   const phaseOptions = filters.phases ?? [];
   const genderOptions = filters.genders ?? [];
   const admissionsPolicyOptions = filters.admissions_policies ?? [];
@@ -423,6 +430,7 @@ export function FilterBar({
   const values: Record<FilterKey, string> = {
     phase: currentPhase,
     school_type: currentType,
+    faith: currentFaith,
     local_authority: currentLA,
     gender: currentGender,
     has_sixth_form: currentHasSixthForm,
@@ -432,6 +440,11 @@ export function FilterBar({
     if (key === "has_sixth_form") {
       return value === "yes" ? "With sixth form" : "Without sixth form";
     }
+    // An old link may carry a raw GIAS type, which reads as itself.
+    const labelled = { school_type: typeOptions, faith: faithOptions }[
+      key as "school_type" | "faith"
+    ];
+    if (labelled) return labelled.find((o) => o.value === value)?.label ?? value;
     // Phase, gender and admissions values are lowercased option names; the
     // rest are the names themselves.
     const named: Partial<Record<FilterKey, string[]>> = {
@@ -487,9 +500,9 @@ export function FilterBar({
         disabled={isPending && look !== "sheet"}
       >
         <option value="">Any school type</option>
-        {typeOptions.map((type) => (
-          <option key={type} value={type}>
-            {type}
+        {typeOptions.map((o) => (
+          <option key={o.value} value={o.value}>
+            {o.label}
           </option>
         ))}
       </select>
@@ -515,6 +528,25 @@ export function FilterBar({
     </SelectShell>
   );
 
+  const faithSelect = (look: Look) => (
+    <SelectShell wide>
+      <select
+        value={currentFaith}
+        onChange={(e) => handleFilterChange("faith", e.target.value)}
+        className={selectClass(look, currentFaith)}
+        aria-label="Faith"
+        disabled={isPending && look !== "sheet"}
+      >
+        <option value="">Any faith or none</option>
+        {faithOptions.map((o) => (
+          <option key={o.value} value={o.value}>
+            {o.label}
+          </option>
+        ))}
+      </select>
+    </SelectShell>
+  );
+
   const genderSelect = (look: Look) => (
     <SelectShell wide>
       <select
@@ -764,7 +796,7 @@ export function FilterBar({
 
             {phaseOptions.length > 0 && phaseSelect("pill")}
 
-            {typeSelect("pill")}
+            {typeOptions.length > 0 && typeSelect("pill")}
 
             <button
               type="button"
@@ -797,6 +829,7 @@ export function FilterBar({
           {filtersOpen && (
             <div className={styles.filters}>
               {laSelect("panel")}
+              {faithOptions.length > 0 && faithSelect("panel")}
 
               {isSecondaryMode && (
                 <>
@@ -869,7 +902,12 @@ export function FilterBar({
             {phaseOptions.length > 0 && (
               <SheetField label="Phase">{phaseSelect("sheet")}</SheetField>
             )}
-            <SheetField label="School type">{typeSelect("sheet")}</SheetField>
+            {typeOptions.length > 0 && (
+              <SheetField label="School type">{typeSelect("sheet")}</SheetField>
+            )}
+            {faithOptions.length > 0 && (
+              <SheetField label="Faith">{faithSelect("sheet")}</SheetField>
+            )}
             <SheetField label="Local authority">{laSelect("sheet")}</SheetField>
             {isSecondaryMode && (
               <>
diff --git a/nextjs-app/lib/types.ts b/nextjs-app/lib/types.ts
index 00f6a75..47fa1c9 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/lib/types.ts
+++ b/nextjs-app/lib/types.ts
@@ -484,6 +484,12 @@ export interface RankingsResponse {
   local_authority?: string;
 }
 
+/** A filter option whose URL value differs from what a parent reads. */
+export interface FilterOption {
+  value: string;
+  label: string;
+}
+
 export interface Filters {
   local_authorities: string[];
   school_types: string[];
@@ -491,6 +497,9 @@ export interface Filters {
   phases: string[];
   genders: string[];
   admissions_policies: string[];
+  /** Parent-facing school type groups; the URL's school_type takes their value. */
+  school_type_groups?: FilterOption[];
+  faiths?: FilterOption[];
 }
 
 export interface NationalAveragesYear {
@@ -567,6 +576,7 @@ export interface SchoolSearchParams {
   gender?: string;
   admissions_policy?: string;
   has_sixth_form?: string;
+  faith?: string;
 }
 
 export interface RankingsParams {