diff --git a/nextjs-app/app/page.tsx b/nextjs-app/app/page.tsx
index 43cc328..b1c80f6 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/app/page.tsx
+++ b/nextjs-app/app/page.tsx
@@ -31,12 +31,24 @@ export default async function HomePage({ searchParams }: HomePageProps) {
 
   // Parse search params
   const page = parseInt(params.page || '1');
-  const radius = params.radius ? parseInt(params.radius) : undefined;
+  const radius = params.radius ? parseFloat(params.radius) : undefined;
+
+  // Check if user has performed a search
+  const hasSearchParams = !!(
+    params.search ||
+    params.local_authority ||
+    params.school_type ||
+    params.postcode
+  );
 
   // Fetch data on server with error handling
   try {
-    const [schoolsData, filtersData] = await Promise.all([
-      fetchSchools({
+    const filtersData = await fetchFilters();
+
+    // Only fetch schools if there are search parameters
+    let schoolsData;
+    if (hasSearchParams) {
+      schoolsData = await fetchSchools({
         search: params.search,
         local_authority: params.local_authority,
         school_type: params.school_type,
@@ -44,9 +56,11 @@ export default async function HomePage({ searchParams }: HomePageProps) {
         radius,
         page,
         page_size: 50,
-      }),
-      fetchFilters(),
-    ]);
+      });
+    } else {
+      // Empty state by default
+      schoolsData = { schools: [], page: 1, page_size: 50, total: 0, total_pages: 0 };
+    }
 
     return (
       <HomeView
diff --git a/nextjs-app/components/FilterBar.tsx b/nextjs-app/components/FilterBar.tsx
index bb25268..6ceda0b 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/components/FilterBar.tsx
+++ b/nextjs-app/components/FilterBar.tsx
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@ export function FilterBar({ filters, showLocationSearch = true }: FilterBarProps
   const currentLA = searchParams.get('local_authority') || '';
   const currentType = searchParams.get('school_type') || '';
   const currentPostcode = searchParams.get('postcode') || '';
-  const currentRadius = searchParams.get('radius') || '5';
+  const currentRadiusKm = searchParams.get('radius') || '0.8';
+  // Convert km back to miles for display
+  const currentRadiusMiles = (parseFloat(currentRadiusKm) / 1.60934).toFixed(1);
 
   const updateURL = useCallback((updates: Record<string, string>) => {
     const params = new URLSearchParams(searchParams);
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@ export function FilterBar({ filters, showLocationSearch = true }: FilterBarProps
     e.preventDefault();
     const formData = new FormData(e.target as HTMLFormElement);
     const postcode = formData.get('postcode') as string;
-    const radius = formData.get('radius') as string;
+    const radiusMiles = formData.get('radius') as string;
 
     if (!postcode.trim()) {
       alert('Please enter a postcode');
@@ -89,7 +91,10 @@ export function FilterBar({ filters, showLocationSearch = true }: FilterBarProps
       return;
     }
 
-    updateURL({ postcode, radius, search: '' });
+    // Convert miles to km for API (backend expects km)
+    const radiusKm = (parseFloat(radiusMiles) * 1.60934).toFixed(1);
+
+    updateURL({ postcode, radius: radiusKm, search: '' });
   };
 
   const handleClearFilters = () => {
@@ -138,12 +143,10 @@ export function FilterBar({ filters, showLocationSearch = true }: FilterBarProps
             className={styles.postcodeInput}
             required
           />
-          <select name="radius" defaultValue={currentRadius} className={styles.radiusSelect}>
-            <option value="1">1 km</option>
-            <option value="2">2 km</option>
-            <option value="5">5 km</option>
-            <option value="10">10 km</option>
-            <option value="20">20 km</option>
+          <select name="radius" defaultValue={currentRadiusMiles} className={styles.radiusSelect}>
+            <option value="0.5">0.5 miles</option>
+            <option value="1">1 mile</option>
+            <option value="2">2 miles</option>
           </select>
           <button type="submit" className={styles.searchButton}>
             Search
diff --git a/nextjs-app/components/HomeView.tsx b/nextjs-app/components/HomeView.tsx
index 438dbbb..1fc4fa9 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/components/HomeView.tsx
+++ b/nextjs-app/components/HomeView.tsx
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ export function HomeView({ initialSchools, filters }: HomeViewProps) {
         <div className={styles.locationBanner}>
           <span className={styles.locationIcon}>📍</span>
           <span>
-            Showing schools within {initialSchools.location_info.radius}km of{' '}
+            Showing schools within {(initialSchools.location_info.radius / 1.60934).toFixed(1)} miles of{' '}
             <strong>{initialSchools.location_info.postcode}</strong>
           </span>
         </div>
@@ -74,14 +74,22 @@ export function HomeView({ initialSchools, filters }: HomeViewProps) {
 
         {initialSchools.schools.length === 0 ? (
           <EmptyState
-            title="No schools found"
-            message="Try adjusting your search criteria or filters to find schools."
-            action={{
-              label: 'Clear Filters',
-              onClick: () => {
-                window.location.href = '/';
-              },
-            }}
+            title={hasSearch ? "No schools found" : "Search for Schools"}
+            message={
+              hasSearch
+                ? "Try adjusting your search criteria or filters to find schools."
+                : "Use the search above to find schools by name or search by location to discover schools near a postcode."
+            }
+            action={
+              hasSearch
+                ? {
+                    label: 'Clear Filters',
+                    onClick: () => {
+                      window.location.href = '/';
+                    },
+                  }
+                : undefined
+            }
           />
         ) : (
           <>
diff --git a/nextjs-app/lib/api.ts b/nextjs-app/lib/api.ts
index 3b28132..657b497 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/lib/api.ts
+++ b/nextjs-app/lib/api.ts
@@ -225,7 +225,20 @@ export async function fetchMetrics(
     },
   });
 
-  return handleResponse<MetricsResponse>(response);
+  const data = await handleResponse<any>(response);
+
+  // Transform backend response to match our TypeScript types
+  // Backend uses 'name' and 'type', we use 'label' and 'format'
+  return {
+    metrics: data.metrics.map((metric: any) => ({
+      key: metric.key,
+      label: metric.name, // Map 'name' to 'label'
+      description: metric.description,
+      category: metric.category,
+      format: metric.type, // Map 'type' to 'format'
+      hasNationalAverage: metric.hasNationalAverage,
+    })),
+  };
 }
 
 /**