What tables/comparison sites do you use to compare schools?

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Iofthetiger
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:14 pm

What tables/comparison sites do you use to compare schools?

Post by Iofthetiger »

Hi everyone
Thanks for all the useful comments in my previous thread re AGSB and AGSG.
I would like to ask how parents directly compare 2 schools whether they are state funded,grammar or private?
I have tried the OFSTED website but unfortunately some schools do not have a report, for example Altrincham prep school for boys.
I have looked at the Telegraph top 100 secondary schools which is quite useful.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to directly compare 2 or more schools whether its a report/stats/website.

Thanks
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: What tables/comparison sites do you use to compare schoo

Post by Guest55 »

Go and visit on a school day - that's the best way. You can't hide graffited toilets and cramped classrooms.
ToadMum
Posts: 11944
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: What tables/comparison sites do you use to compare schoo

Post by ToadMum »

And if you must use tables, try the 'real thing', at least as far as state schools are concerned:

http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/

You can look at e.g. how children with various levels of prior attainment do at the schools. But no, it won't tell you which school has the cleanest loos, that much you have to investigate for yourself :)
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
altydad
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 11:41 am

Re: What tables/comparison sites do you use to compare schoo

Post by altydad »

Hi,
You could try http://www.locrating.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
Mandy21
Posts: 302
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2013 12:27 pm

Re: What tables/comparison sites do you use to compare schoo

Post by Mandy21 »

I agree that there is nothing to substitute visiting the schools. All the intangible things like seeing whether the headteacher (if that is who shows you around) knows the names of the children, seeing the children working in a classroom, usually they have pupils who show you around. Do they look engaged? Are they articulate?

Do you have any friends / parents at nursery / parents from baby groups etc that you could ask?

APS (and the other preps) do have inspection reports (usually on their websites rather than OFSTED).
enema
Posts: 180
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 1:45 pm

Re: What tables/comparison sites do you use to compare schoo

Post by enema »

You could also read the Good Schools Guide reports but I'm a bit wary of who actually writes the reports. They seem to pick up some key themes of each school's experience though which might inform alongside other measures.
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