Frequently Asked Questions

Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education) inspects schools in England and rates them on a 4-point scale: Outstanding (the highest), Good, Requires Improvement, and Inadequate. These ratings reflect the overall quality of education, behaviour, personal development, and leadership at the school.

Outstanding schools are typically inspected every 4 years, Good schools every 4 years, and schools rated Requires Improvement or Inadequate are inspected more frequently, usually within 2 years. However, Ofsted can inspect any school at any time if concerns are raised.

Ofsted inspects schools on four main areas: Quality of Education (curriculum, teaching, and learning), Behaviour and Attitudes (pupil conduct, attendance), Personal Development (character, resilience, wellbeing), and Leadership and Management (school governance, staff development).

Not necessarily. A "Good" rated school may be an excellent fit for your child. Consider other factors like location, SEND support, school ethos, and exam results. An Outstanding rating from 5 years ago may not reflect the current state of the school.

Progress 8 measures how much progress pupils make between the end of primary school (KS2) and their GCSE results at age 16. A score above 0 means pupils made more progress than average nationally, below 0 means less progress. It is considered a fairer measure than raw results as it accounts for each pupil's starting point.

Attainment 8 is the average grade achieved across 8 GCSE subjects. It includes English, Maths, three EBacc subjects (sciences, languages, humanities), and three other approved qualifications. A higher score indicates better overall GCSE results.

KS2 SATs are taken by Year 6 pupils (age 10-11). Results show the percentage meeting "expected standard" or "higher standard" in Reading, Writing, and Maths. The national average is typically around 60-65% for combined RWM at expected standard. Progress scores show how much pupils improved during primary school.

Key metrics include the average points per entry (with a corresponding grade like B or C+), and the percentage achieving AAB or higher (important for competitive university courses). Value-added scores show whether the sixth form helped students achieve better grades than predicted.

The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is a set of core GCSE subjects: English, Maths, Science, a language, and History or Geography. Schools report EBacc entry rate (percentage of pupils taking all EBacc subjects) and EBacc achievement rate.

A school is oversubscribed when it receives more applications than available places. For example, if a school has 90 places but receives 270 applications, it has an oversubscription ratio of 3.0x. Oversubscribed schools use admission criteria to decide which pupils get places.

Common criteria include: looked-after children (always top priority), siblings already at the school, distance from school (measured straight line or by walking route), catchment area, and for faith schools, religious practice. Each school publishes its admission policy.

A catchment area is the geographic zone around a school. Children living within this area often get priority for admission. However, not all schools use catchment areas - many simply rank by distance from the school gates.

For Reception (age 4-5), apply by 15 January for September entry. For Year 7 secondary school, apply by 31 October of Year 6. Applications are made through your local council. Late applications are considered after all on-time applications.

SEND stands for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. This includes learning difficulties (dyslexia, dyscalculia), autism spectrum conditions, ADHD, speech and language needs, physical disabilities, sensory impairments, and social/emotional/mental health needs.

An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document for children with significant SEND needs. It describes the child's needs and the support they require. Schools must provide the support specified in an EHCP. The plan is reviewed annually.

SEN Support is help provided by schools for pupils with SEND who do not have an EHCP. This might include small group interventions, specialist teaching, assistive technology, or adapted resources. Schools must identify and support all pupils with SEND.

Use Classpot's SEND filter to find schools offering support for specific needs like autism, dyslexia, speech and language, hearing or visual impairment. We show which schools have SEN units or resourced provisions for more intensive support.

We use official government sources: GIAS (Get Information About Schools) for school details, DfE performance tables for exam results, Ofsted for inspection ratings, and Parent View for survey responses. We update our data regularly to ensure accuracy.

You can save up to 4 schools to compare side-by-side. Click the "Compare" button on any school card, then view your comparison from the bar at the bottom of the screen. Compare Ofsted ratings, exam results, SEND support, and admission statistics.

Rankings are based on the most appropriate exam results for each school type: KS2 combined progress scores for primary schools, Progress 8 for secondary schools. We rank schools at local authority, regional, and national levels.

Enter your postcode on any school page to see estimated journey times by car, public transport, and walking. This helps you understand the practical commute for your child's daily school run.

Click the heart icon on any school card or profile page to save it to your favourites. Access your saved schools anytime from the Favourites page. Favourites are stored locally in your browser.