Choosing a school is not just a data problem. It's a decision about your child's day-to-day: teaching quality, friendships, safety, confidence, and whether they feel supported when things get difficult.
The best approach is to combine three lenses: (1) what is practical for your family (location, transport, timings), (2) what the official data suggests (Ofsted, performance measures, attendance), and (3) what you see and hear when you visit (culture, behaviour, communication, leadership).
Key takeaways
- Start with fit (your child + your family logistics) before optimising for metrics.
- Read Ofsted and performance data with context, trends, and inspection dates in mind.
- Use open days to validate culture: behaviour, support, and communication.
In this guide
Start with your child, not the league table
Before you compare schools, define what a good fit looks like for your child. A highly academic school can be brilliant for one pupil and a poor match for another if pastoral support is weak or the culture feels high-pressure.
Think in plain English: does your child thrive with structure? Do they need calm classrooms? Do they need a strong SEND offer, smaller class sizes, or wraparound care? These answers change what you should prioritise when you look at Ofsted reports and performance data.
- Write down 3 must-haves and 3 nice-to-haves (for example: strong SEND support, calm behaviour, good travel time).
- Decide what you will trade off (for example: a slightly longer commute for better pastoral care).
Build a shortlist that works in real life
A school can look perfect on paper and still fail your family if the commute is unreliable or after-school logistics are impossible. Location strategy is part of admissions strategy.
Aim to create a shortlist you can actually visit, compare, and rank. Include at least one strong backup option that you would genuinely be happy with.
- Test travel time at school-run hours (not mid-day).
- Check start/end times, breakfast club, after-school provision, and transport options.
- Make sure your shortlist includes realistic options based on oversubscription and admissions rules.
Use Ofsted and performance data the right way
Ofsted is useful, but it is not a full picture. Treat it like a structured snapshot of inspection findings. Always check the inspection date and read the narrative, not only the headline grade.
Performance data helps you understand outcomes and progress, but you should look for trends and context. A single year can move because cohorts are small, leadership changes, or the intake shifted.
- Prefer trends over a single number (look for consistent improvement or decline).
- For secondary schools, use progress measures alongside attainment measures.
- Use attendance and behaviour culture as early indicators of day-to-day quality.
What to look for on open days (and what to ignore)
Open days are where you validate the reality behind the marketing. Notice how staff speak about behaviour, how pupils behave in corridors, and how confident the leadership team is when answering hard questions.
Do not over-index on facilities. A shiny building matters less than strong teaching, consistent behaviour systems, and a culture where pupils feel safe and supported.
- Ask how behaviour is managed in lessons, not only in theory.
- Ask how the school supports pupils who fall behind and pupils who need stretching.
- Check how the school communicates with parents and how quickly issues are addressed.
Turn your research into a calm application plan
Once you have a shortlist, rank schools based on fit and feasibility. In many local authorities you can list multiple preferences, so your goal is to avoid a risky list that contains only oversubscribed long-shots.
Keep a simple timeline: open day dates, application deadlines, offer day, and what you will do next if you do not get your first choice (waiting lists and appeals).
A simple plan you can follow
Use this as a lightweight workflow as you shortlist, visit, and decide.
- Define your must-haves and constraints (commute, childcare, SEND needs, culture).
- Shortlist schools you can realistically attend and afford (time and money).
- Compare Ofsted + performance trends and flag questions for open days.
- Visit and write down evidence, not vibes (behaviour, support, communication).
- Rank preferences with at least one strong backup.
Practical templates
Use these lists as prompts on open days and when comparing schools side-by-side.
- Admissions rules understood end-to-end (distance, siblings, faith, selection).
- Commute tested at school-run time.
- Behaviour system is clear and consistently applied.
- Pastoral and SEND support structure is credible.
- Curriculum options fit your child (especially for secondary).
- Staff stability and leadership changes checked.
- Open day notes captured with follow-up questions.
- How do you support pupils who are behind (and those who need stretching) in core subjects?
- What is the behaviour system and how is it applied consistently across staff?
- How do you communicate with parents (frequency, channels, response times)?
- What SEND provision is available and how often are plans reviewed?
- How do you handle bullying concerns and safeguarding reports?
- Choosing based on the headline Ofsted grade without reading the report date and narrative.
- Comparing schools using a single metric without trends or cohort context.
- Assuming catchment guarantees a place without checking tie-break rules.
- Underestimating commute and after-school logistics.
Use this with Schoolboard
Turn the guide into a shortlist you can compare on the map and school pages.
- Use the map to shortlist schools inside a realistic commute radius.
- Filter and sort by Ofsted, performance measures, and school type.
- Open school pages to compare admissions, demographics, and performance side-by-side.