[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"{\"resolve_relations\":[\"blog_post.author\"],\"version\":\"published\"}blog/school-open-days-visit-more-than-one":3,"blog-related-school-open-days-visit-more-than-one":301},{"data":4,"headers":278},{"story":5,"cv":269,"rels":270,"links":277},{"name":6,"created_at":7,"published_at":8,"updated_at":9,"id":10,"uuid":11,"content":12,"slug":14,"full_slug":261,"sort_by_date":37,"position":262,"tag_list":263,"is_startpage":33,"parent_id":266,"meta_data":37,"group_id":267,"first_published_at":8,"release_id":37,"lang":43,"path":37,"alternates":268,"default_full_slug":37,"translated_slugs":37},"We were in catchment for an Outstanding school. 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Fulford School was our catchment school, rated Outstanding by Ofsted, with results to match. Then we went to the open evenings. By the end of them, the whole family had the same unexpected favourite, and our son chose Archbishop Holgate's instead. He was right to.","text",{"type":54,"attrs":61,"content":62},{"textAlign":37},[63],{"text":64,"type":59},"We run a school data website, so it would be tidy to report that the spreadsheet made the decision. It did not. The data built the shortlist; the visits picked the school. With open days starting in September and applications for September 2027 secondary places closing on 31 October, the next few weeks are when that second part happens. 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",{"text":89,"type":59,"marks":90},"Archbishop Holgate's School",[91],{"type":81,"attrs":92},{"href":93,"uuid":37,"anchor":37,"target":84,"linktype":85},"/schools/136617",{"text":95,"type":59}," was inspected in January 2026 under the new report card framework and judged to be of strong standard in six of its seven graded areas, including achievement, curriculum and teaching, and leadership. 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Case closed.",{"type":66,"attrs":118,"content":119},{"level":68,"textAlign":37},[120],{"text":121,"type":59},"What the visits showed",{"type":54,"attrs":123,"content":124},{"textAlign":37},[125],{"text":126,"type":59},"An open evening tells you things no dataset can. The state of the buildings and how the school uses them. The warmth of the staff and teachers. Whether the pupils leading the tours can answer a question that is not in the script. What the head chooses to say when given twenty minutes of your attention.",{"type":54,"attrs":128,"content":129},{"textAlign":37},[130],{"text":131,"type":59},"At Archbishop Holgate's, it all landed: the buildings, the staff, the overall feel of the place. And not just with our son. By the end of the evening, every one of us had quietly arrived at the same favourite, and it was not the school we had gone in backing. Our son walked out of one open evening politely unmoved, and out of Archbishop Holgate's talking about where things were and what he would do there. He could picture himself in one of them, and not the other.",{"type":54,"attrs":133,"content":134},{"textAlign":37},[135],{"text":136,"type":59},"None of this is a criticism of Fulford, an excellent school that York families happily choose every year. That is precisely the point: here were two strong schools, one child, and only one of them felt like his. The numbers could never have told us which.",{"type":66,"attrs":138,"content":139},{"level":68,"textAlign":37},[140],{"text":141,"type":59},"We let him decide",{"type":54,"attrs":143,"content":144},{"textAlign":37},[145],{"text":146,"type":59},"It helped that we all agreed, but the final call was still his. He had visited both schools; he had formed a clear view, and it was going to be his five years, not ours. A child who chose their school starts with a stake in it: he walked in on day one to a place he had already decided to like.",{"type":54,"attrs":148,"content":149},{"textAlign":37},[150],{"text":151,"type":59},"Not every family will hand over the final say, and not every child will want it. But if you only visit one school, nobody in the family gets a real choice at all.",{"type":66,"attrs":153,"content":154},{"level":68,"textAlign":37},[155],{"text":156,"type":59},"How to do open day season 2026 properly",{"type":158,"content":159},"bullet_list",[160,168,175,182,189],{"type":161,"content":162},"list_item",[163],{"type":54,"attrs":164,"content":165},{"textAlign":37},[166],{"text":167,"type":59},"Book now. 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Here's how to read the numbers without jumping to the wrong conclusions.",{"type":66,"attrs":501,"content":502},{"level":68},[503],{"text":504,"type":59},"The acronyms, in plain English",{"type":158,"content":506},[507,518,528],{"type":161,"content":508},[509],{"type":54,"content":510},[511,516],{"text":512,"type":59,"marks":513},"FSM (Free School Meals)",[514],{"type":515},"bold",{"text":517,"type":59},": the share of pupils eligible for free meals; a common proxy for disadvantage in the intake.",{"type":161,"content":519},[520],{"type":54,"content":521},[522,526],{"text":523,"type":59,"marks":524},"EAL (English as an Additional Language)",[525],{"type":515},{"text":527,"type":59},": pupils who speak another language at home alongside English.",{"type":161,"content":529},[530],{"type":54,"content":531},[532,536],{"text":533,"type":59,"marks":534},"SEN (Special Educational Needs)",[535],{"type":515},{"text":537,"type":59},": split into SEN support and, for higher needs, an EHC plan (formerly a statement).",{"type":54,"content":539},[540],{"text":541,"type":59},"Each is shown as a percentage of the school roll, which lets you compare schools of different sizes.",{"type":66,"attrs":543,"content":544},{"level":68},[545],{"text":546,"type":59},"What FSM tells you, and what it doesn't",{"type":54,"content":548},[549,551,555,557,561],{"text":550,"type":59},"A high FSM figure means more disadvantage in the intake, and it often correlates with lower ",{"text":552,"type":59,"marks":553},"raw",[554],{"type":515},{"text":556,"type":59}," results. But that's about the children a school starts with, not how well it teaches them. A high-FSM school posting strong ",{"text":558,"type":59,"marks":559},"progress",[560],{"type":515},{"text":562,"type":59}," may be doing a far better job than a leafy school coasting on an advantaged intake. It's one of the clearest reasons to look at progress, not just attainment.",{"type":66,"attrs":564,"content":565},{"level":68},[566],{"text":567,"type":59},"EAL and ethnic mix: reading community fit",{"type":54,"content":569},[570,572,576],{"text":571,"type":59},"EAL percentages and the ethnic make-up of a school show how diverse it is. For many families this is central: whether you want a school where your child sees others who share their background, or a genuinely mixed environment. A high EAL figure is ",{"text":573,"type":59,"marks":574},"not",[575],{"type":515},{"text":577,"type":59}," a negative for results; plenty of high-EAL schools are among the strongest performers in the country.",{"type":54,"content":579},[580,582,586],{"text":581,"type":59},"We publish an ",{"text":583,"type":59,"marks":584},"18-category ethnicity breakdown",[585],{"type":515},{"text":587,"type":59}," per school for England and Wales, detail most school-search sites don't surface. The picture differs across the UK: Scotland reports broader groups, and Northern Ireland publishes a community (religion) breakdown instead, which we show where it's available.",{"type":66,"attrs":589,"content":590},{"level":68},[591],{"text":592,"type":59},"SEN: will your child be supported?",{"type":54,"content":594},[595,597,601,603,607,609,613,615,621],{"text":596,"type":59},"If your child has additional needs, the provision on offer matters more than the headline rating. Look at the share of pupils on ",{"text":598,"type":59,"marks":599},"SEN support",[600],{"type":515},{"text":602,"type":59}," and with ",{"text":604,"type":59,"marks":605},"EHC plans",[606],{"type":515},{"text":608,"type":59},", and check whether the school has specialist or resourced provision. Encouragingly, Ofsted's new report cards grade ",{"text":610,"type":59,"marks":611},"Inclusion",[612],{"type":515},{"text":614,"type":59}," as an area in its own right, so a recent report card tells you more about SEN support than an old single word ever did. We explain that on our ",{"text":616,"type":59,"marks":617},"report cards",[618],{"type":81,"attrs":619},{"href":620,"uuid":37,"anchor":37,"target":84,"linktype":85},"/ofsted-report-cards",{"text":622,"type":59}," page.",{"type":66,"attrs":624,"content":625},{"level":68},[626],{"text":627,"type":59},"How to use demographics in your shortlist",{"type":158,"content":629},[630,636,646,656,668],{"type":161,"content":631},[632],{"type":54,"content":633},[634],{"text":635,"type":59},"Don't read any single number as simply 'good' or 'bad': context is everything.",{"type":161,"content":637},[638],{"type":54,"content":639},[640,644],{"text":641,"type":59,"marks":642},"Compare to the local and national average",[643],{"type":515},{"text":645,"type":59}," (we show a muted \"nat\" figure beside each one).",{"type":161,"content":647},[648],{"type":54,"content":649},[650,654],{"text":651,"type":59,"marks":652},"Pair FSM with progress",[653],{"type":515},{"text":655,"type":59}," to see how well a school serves the children it actually has.",{"type":161,"content":657},[658],{"type":54,"content":659},[660,662,666],{"text":661,"type":59},"Use EAL and ethnicity for ",{"text":663,"type":59,"marks":664},"community fit",[665],{"type":515},{"text":667,"type":59},", not as a results signal.",{"type":161,"content":669},[670],{"type":54,"content":671},[672,676],{"text":673,"type":59,"marks":674},"Weight SEN heavily",[675],{"type":515},{"text":677,"type":59}," if it's relevant to your child.",{"type":54,"content":679},[680,682,687],{"text":681,"type":59},"Demographics turn a school from a league-table row into a real community. You can see the full breakdown on any school's page, and filter by what matters to you on our ",{"text":683,"type":59,"marks":684},"school search",[685],{"type":81,"attrs":686},{"href":224,"uuid":37,"anchor":37,"target":84,"linktype":85},{"text":208,"type":59},"Results and Ofsted aren't everything. A school's demographics tell you who goes there and whether your child will fit in and be supported: here's how to read FSM, EAL, SEN and the ethnic mix.",{"id":37,"alt":37,"name":29,"focus":37,"title":37,"source":37,"filename":29,"copyright":37,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":690},{},"School demographics explained: FSM, EAL, SEN & ethnic mix — FindGreatSchools",{"id":693,"alt":694,"name":29,"focus":29,"title":29,"source":29,"filename":695,"copyright":29,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":696,"is_external_url":33},211157169760346,"Pupils in uniform spread across a school field in front of a red brick school, with a large tree and autumn trees around the grounds","//a.storyblok.com/f/290322185225760/2048x1146/a7a6613b2a/school-demographics-explained.jpg",{},"2026-06-24 00:00","What FSM, EAL and SEN percentages and a school's ethnic mix really tell you, why progress beats raw results, and how to use demographics to choose a school.","school-demographics-explained","blog/school-demographics-explained",-50,[703],"demographics","e5567467-b6ea-4b2c-8627-9c123077739a","2026-06-24T18:44:29.686Z",[],{"name":708,"created_at":709,"published_at":710,"updated_at":711,"id":712,"uuid":713,"content":714,"slug":716,"full_slug":927,"sort_by_date":37,"position":928,"tag_list":929,"is_startpage":33,"parent_id":266,"meta_data":37,"group_id":930,"first_published_at":931,"release_id":37,"lang":43,"path":37,"alternates":932,"default_full_slug":37,"translated_slugs":37},"School catchment areas explained: how they really work","2026-06-24T18:44:28.616Z","2026-08-20T21:16:53.319Z","2026-08-20T21:16:53.333Z",191025433103945,"5aad6ce2-ceb0-482b-b36e-2aa35b29ced3",{"_uid":715,"slug":716,"tags":717,"title":708,"author":718,"content":724,"excerpt":915,"category":916,"component":250,"seo_image":917,"seo_title":919,"cover_image":920,"published_date":925,"seo_description":926},"post-school-catchment-areas-explained","school-catchment-areas-explained","catchment areas, admissions, guide",{"name":472,"created_at":473,"published_at":474,"updated_at":475,"id":476,"uuid":477,"content":719,"slug":484,"full_slug":485,"sort_by_date":37,"position":486,"tag_list":722,"is_startpage":33,"parent_id":40,"meta_data":37,"group_id":488,"first_published_at":489,"release_id":37,"lang":43,"path":37,"alternates":723,"default_full_slug":37,"translated_slugs":37,"_stopResolving":45},{"bio":479,"_uid":480,"name":472,"role":481,"avatar":720,"component":34},{"id":37,"alt":37,"name":29,"focus":37,"title":37,"source":37,"filename":29,"copyright":37,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":721},{},[],[],[725],{"_uid":726,"content":727,"component":248},"rt-school-catchment-areas-explained",{"type":50,"content":728},[729,733,738,748,753,763,793,803,808,818,822,827,837,842,884,889,906],{"type":54,"content":730},[731],{"text":732,"type":59},"\"Are we in catchment?\" is one of the most stressful questions in school admissions, and one of the most misunderstood. Being inside a catchment area doesn't guarantee a place, and being outside one doesn't always rule you out. Here's how catchment areas and distance rules really decide who gets in.",{"type":66,"attrs":734,"content":735},{"level":68},[736],{"text":737,"type":59},"What a catchment area is (and isn't)",{"type":54,"content":739},[740,742,746],{"text":741,"type":59},"A catchment is the geographical area a school gives priority to. It's set by the ",{"text":743,"type":59,"marks":744},"admission authority",[745],{"type":515},{"text":747,"type":59}," (the local council for community schools, or the school or academy trust itself for academies, faith and foundation schools), so the rules vary enormously from one school to the next. A catchment is a priority zone, not a promise.",{"type":66,"attrs":749,"content":750},{"level":68},[751],{"text":752,"type":59},"How places are actually allocated",{"type":54,"content":754},[755,757,761],{"text":756,"type":59},"When more children apply than there are places, a school works through its published ",{"text":758,"type":59,"marks":759},"oversubscription criteria",[760],{"type":515},{"text":762,"type":59}," in order. A typical order looks like this:",{"type":158,"content":764},[765,771,777,783],{"type":161,"content":766},[767],{"type":54,"content":768},[769],{"text":770,"type":59},"Children in care or previously in care",{"type":161,"content":772},[773],{"type":54,"content":774},[775],{"text":776,"type":59},"Children with a sibling already at the school",{"type":161,"content":778},[779],{"type":54,"content":780},[781],{"text":782,"type":59},"(For faith schools) religious criteria",{"type":161,"content":784},[785],{"type":54,"content":786},[787,791],{"text":788,"type":59,"marks":789},"Distance from home to school",[790],{"type":515},{"text":792,"type":59},": usually the final tie-breaker",{"type":54,"content":794},[795,797,801],{"text":796,"type":59},"Distance is normally measured in a ",{"text":798,"type":59,"marks":799},"straight line",[800],{"type":515},{"text":802,"type":59}," (\"as the crow flies\") from your home to the school gate. Because it's the last tie-breaker, the effective catchment shrinks in years with lots of siblings or applicants.",{"type":66,"attrs":804,"content":805},{"level":68},[806],{"text":807,"type":59},"'Last distance offered': the number that really matters",{"type":54,"content":809},[810,812,816],{"text":811,"type":59},"Many councils publish the distance of the ",{"text":813,"type":59,"marks":814},"furthest-away child offered a place last year",[815],{"type":515},{"text":817,"type":59},". This is the single most useful signal of your realistic chances, far more telling than the official catchment line on a map. If last year's last place went to a family 300 metres away and you're a kilometre out, the published catchment is cold comfort.",{"type":54,"content":819},[820],{"text":821,"type":59},"It moves year to year with the number of siblings and applicants, so treat it as a guide rather than a guarantee, but always look it up.",{"type":66,"attrs":823,"content":824},{"level":68},[825],{"text":826,"type":59},"Faith schools, grammars and other criteria",{"type":54,"content":828},[829,831,835],{"text":830,"type":59},"Faith schools often rank religious practice above distance, so a child next door may miss out to a practising family further away. Grammar schools admit by test, with distance only breaking ties between qualifying children. Always read the ",{"text":832,"type":59,"marks":833},"specific school's",[834],{"type":515},{"text":836,"type":59}," admissions policy; never assume.",{"type":66,"attrs":838,"content":839},{"level":68},[840],{"text":841,"type":59},"Common catchment myths",{"type":158,"content":843},[844,854,864,874],{"type":161,"content":845},[846],{"type":54,"content":847},[848,852],{"text":849,"type":59,"marks":850},"\"In catchment means a place.\"",[851],{"type":515},{"text":853,"type":59}," No: you still have to win on the criteria when a school is oversubscribed.",{"type":161,"content":855},[856],{"type":54,"content":857},[858,862],{"text":859,"type":59,"marks":860},"\"Rent near the school for a term.\"",[861],{"type":515},{"text":863,"type":59}," Councils check addresses, and admissions fraud can have an offer withdrawn.",{"type":161,"content":865},[866],{"type":54,"content":867},[868,872],{"text":869,"type":59,"marks":870},"\"Catchments never change.\"",[871],{"type":515},{"text":873,"type":59}," They're redrawn as housing and demand shift.",{"type":161,"content":875},[876],{"type":54,"content":877},[878,882],{"text":879,"type":59,"marks":880},"\"My nearest school has to take my child.\"",[881],{"type":515},{"text":883,"type":59}," Only if you're the highest priority under its criteria.",{"type":66,"attrs":885,"content":886},{"level":68},[887],{"text":888,"type":59},"How to check your real chances",{"type":54,"content":890},[891,893,899,901,904],{"text":892,"type":59},"Use our ",{"text":894,"type":59,"marks":895},"map search",[896],{"type":81,"attrs":897},{"href":898,"uuid":37,"anchor":37,"target":84,"linktype":85},"/map",{"text":900,"type":59}," to see which schools sit near a postcode and exactly how far away each one is, then look up each school's admissions criteria and last-distance-offered on the council's website. Because we layer ",{"text":703,"type":59,"marks":902},[903],{"type":515},{"text":905,"type":59}," onto the map, you can weigh community fit alongside distance, not just which school is nearest.",{"type":54,"content":907},[908,910,914],{"text":909,"type":59},"Catchment is about probability, not certainty. Combine the distance, the last distance offered and the school's own criteria before you bank on a place, and always list a realistic mix of preferences. Start exploring on our ",{"text":683,"type":59,"marks":911},[912],{"type":81,"attrs":913},{"href":224,"uuid":37,"anchor":37,"target":84,"linktype":85},{"text":208,"type":59},"Being 'in catchment' doesn't guarantee a place, and being out doesn't always rule you out. How catchment areas, distance rules and 'last distance offered' really decide who gets in.","5ab64f2b-382e-468b-af0a-7d670fe93058",{"id":37,"alt":37,"name":29,"focus":37,"title":37,"source":37,"filename":29,"copyright":37,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":918},{},"School catchment areas explained: how they really work — FindGreatSchools",{"id":921,"alt":922,"name":29,"focus":29,"title":29,"source":29,"filename":923,"copyright":29,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":924,"is_external_url":33},211234860530287,"A British village of stone cottages around a school with a bell tower, a church spire and rolling hills beyond","//a.storyblok.com/f/290322185225760/2048x1147/851bee810b/school-catchment-areas-explained.jpg",{},"2026-06-17 00:00","How UK school catchment areas work, what 'last distance offered' means, common catchment myths, and how to check your chances of a place.","blog/school-catchment-areas-explained",-40,[264],"53c7d5a0-5a46-4fa8-a1a9-edb92377b435","2026-06-24T18:44:28.670Z",[],{"name":934,"created_at":935,"published_at":936,"updated_at":937,"id":938,"uuid":939,"content":940,"slug":942,"full_slug":1168,"sort_by_date":37,"position":1169,"tag_list":1170,"is_startpage":33,"parent_id":266,"meta_data":37,"group_id":1172,"first_published_at":1173,"release_id":37,"lang":43,"path":37,"alternates":1174,"default_full_slug":37,"translated_slugs":37},"Beyond Ofsted: why a 'Good' rating isn't the whole story","2026-06-24T18:44:27.623Z","2026-08-20T16:00:42.908Z","2026-08-20T16:00:42.921Z",191025429016036,"2dd6c538-1fe6-48b3-8488-a85eeaaa76b8",{"_uid":941,"slug":942,"tags":943,"title":934,"author":944,"content":950,"excerpt":1157,"category":916,"component":250,"seo_image":1158,"seo_title":1160,"cover_image":1161,"published_date":1166,"seo_description":1167},"post-beyond-ofsted-ratings","beyond-ofsted-ratings","ofsted, school choice, guide",{"name":472,"created_at":473,"published_at":474,"updated_at":475,"id":476,"uuid":477,"content":945,"slug":484,"full_slug":485,"sort_by_date":37,"position":486,"tag_list":948,"is_startpage":33,"parent_id":40,"meta_data":37,"group_id":488,"first_published_at":489,"release_id":37,"lang":43,"path":37,"alternates":949,"default_full_slug":37,"translated_slugs":37,"_stopResolving":45},{"bio":479,"_uid":480,"name":472,"role":481,"avatar":946,"component":34},{"id":37,"alt":37,"name":29,"focus":37,"title":37,"source":37,"filename":29,"copyright":37,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":947},{},[],[],[951],{"_uid":952,"content":953,"component":248},"rt-beyond-ofsted-ratings",{"type":50,"content":954},[955,959,964,981,997,1002,1006,1010,1015,1019,1071,1076,1087,1091,1096,1148],{"type":54,"content":956},[957],{"text":958,"type":59},"For most parents, the Ofsted rating is the first thing they check, and it matters. But a rating is a single snapshot, sometimes years old, and on its own it can point you at the wrong school. Here's what an inspection does and doesn't tell you, and what to weigh alongside it.",{"type":66,"attrs":960,"content":961},{"level":68},[962],{"text":963,"type":59},"What an Ofsted rating actually measures",{"type":54,"content":965},[966,968,972,974,979],{"text":967,"type":59},"An inspection is a judgement made over a day or two by visiting inspectors. From ",{"text":969,"type":59,"marks":970},"November 2025",[971],{"type":515},{"text":973,"type":59}," schools are given a ",{"text":975,"type":59,"marks":976},"report card",[977],{"type":81,"attrs":978},{"href":620,"uuid":37,"anchor":37,"target":84,"linktype":85},{"text":980,"type":59}," that grades separate areas (achievement, behaviour, inclusion, leadership and more), while schools inspected earlier still carry a single word: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement or Inadequate.",{"type":54,"content":982},[983,985,989,991,995],{"text":984,"type":59},"Either way, the rating reflects what inspectors found about the ",{"text":986,"type":59,"marks":987},"quality of education, behaviour, leadership and safeguarding",[988],{"type":515},{"text":990,"type":59}," on that visit. It is not a direct measure of exam results, how much progress pupils make, class sizes, or, crucially, whether the school is right for ",{"text":992,"type":59,"marks":993},"your",[994],{"type":515},{"text":996,"type":59}," child.",{"type":66,"attrs":998,"content":999},{"level":68},[1000],{"text":1001,"type":59},"A 'Good' school and an 'Outstanding' school can be closer than they look",{"type":54,"content":1003},[1004],{"text":1005,"type":59},"For years, Outstanding schools were exempt from routine inspection, so an \"Outstanding\" badge can be a decade old and tell you little about the school today. A school rated \"Good\" last term may well be stronger right now than an Outstanding school last seen in 2014.",{"type":54,"content":1007},[1008],{"text":1009,"type":59},"The gap between Good and Outstanding is often narrow, and frequently comes down to consistency rather than a different league of school. Parents agonise over it, but the deciding factors are usually found elsewhere.",{"type":66,"attrs":1011,"content":1012},{"level":68},[1013],{"text":1014,"type":59},"What the rating leaves out",{"type":54,"content":1016},[1017],{"text":1018,"type":59},"A single grade can't capture the things that often matter most:",{"type":158,"content":1020},[1021,1031,1041,1051,1061],{"type":161,"content":1022},[1023],{"type":54,"content":1024},[1025,1029],{"text":1026,"type":59,"marks":1027},"Progress, not just results",[1028],{"type":515},{"text":1030,"type":59},": how much a school adds to its pupils (Progress 8 at secondary, progress measures at primary), which is a fairer guide than raw attainment.",{"type":161,"content":1032},[1033],{"type":54,"content":1034},[1035,1039],{"text":1036,"type":59,"marks":1037},"Class sizes and staffing",[1038],{"type":515},{"text":1040,"type":59},": pupil-to-teacher ratio and spend per pupil.",{"type":161,"content":1042},[1043],{"type":54,"content":1044},[1045,1049],{"text":1046,"type":59,"marks":1047},"Who actually goes there",[1048],{"type":515},{"text":1050,"type":59},": the intake, and whether your child will fit in and be supported.",{"type":161,"content":1052},[1053],{"type":54,"content":1054},[1055,1059],{"text":1056,"type":59,"marks":1057},"Destinations",[1058],{"type":515},{"text":1060,"type":59},": where leavers go next.",{"type":161,"content":1062},[1063],{"type":54,"content":1064},[1065,1069],{"text":1066,"type":59,"marks":1067},"Recency",[1068],{"type":515},{"text":1070,"type":59},": leadership and culture change between visits; a rating is frozen at the inspection date.",{"type":66,"attrs":1072,"content":1073},{"level":68},[1074],{"text":1075,"type":59},"How we help you look past the badge",{"type":54,"content":1077},[1078,1080,1085],{"text":1079,"type":59},"Our ",{"text":1081,"type":59,"marks":1082},"composite School Score",[1083],{"type":81,"attrs":1084},{"href":114,"uuid":37,"anchor":37,"target":84,"linktype":85},{"text":1086,"type":59}," blends inspection with exam results, pupil progress, demographics and more into a single A–F grade. It discounts older inspections, so a stale Outstanding doesn't outrank a strong recent Good. Two schools with the same Ofsted word can land on very different Scores.",{"type":54,"content":1088},[1089],{"text":1090,"type":59},"We also distil the new report cards into one comparable badge, so you can line up new-style and old-style inspections side by side instead of comparing apples with oranges.",{"type":66,"attrs":1092,"content":1093},{"level":68},[1094],{"text":1095,"type":59},"A practical checklist for using Ofsted well",{"type":158,"content":1097},[1098,1108,1118,1128,1138],{"type":161,"content":1099},[1100],{"type":54,"content":1101},[1102,1106],{"text":1103,"type":59,"marks":1104},"Check the date.",[1105],{"type":515},{"text":1107,"type":59}," A grade from years ago describes a different school.",{"type":161,"content":1109},[1110],{"type":54,"content":1111},[1112,1116],{"text":1113,"type":59,"marks":1114},"Read the report, not just the word",[1115],{"type":515},{"text":1117,"type":59},", especially the areas you care about, such as inclusion or behaviour.",{"type":161,"content":1119},[1120],{"type":54,"content":1121},[1122,1126],{"text":1123,"type":59,"marks":1124},"Compare progress scores",[1125],{"type":515},{"text":1127,"type":59},", not only headline attainment.",{"type":161,"content":1129},[1130],{"type":54,"content":1131},[1132,1136],{"text":1133,"type":59,"marks":1134},"Look at the intake",[1135],{"type":515},{"text":1137,"type":59},": FSM, EAL and SEN tell you who the school serves.",{"type":161,"content":1139},[1140],{"type":54,"content":1141},[1142,1146],{"text":1143,"type":59,"marks":1144},"Visit, and talk to parents.",[1145],{"type":515},{"text":1147,"type":59}," No dataset replaces standing in the building.",{"type":54,"content":1149},[1150,1152,1156],{"text":1151,"type":59},"The rating is a starting point, not a verdict. Pair it with the data and a visit, and you'll choose with far more confidence. You can compare schools on every measure on our ",{"text":683,"type":59,"marks":1153},[1154],{"type":81,"attrs":1155},{"href":224,"uuid":37,"anchor":37,"target":84,"linktype":85},{"text":208,"type":59},"An Ofsted rating is one snapshot, sometimes years old. Here's what it does and doesn't tell you, and what to look at alongside it before you choose a school.",{"id":37,"alt":37,"name":29,"focus":37,"title":37,"source":37,"filename":29,"copyright":37,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":1159},{},"Beyond Ofsted: why a 'Good' rating isn't the whole story — FindGreatSchools",{"id":1162,"alt":1163,"name":29,"focus":29,"title":29,"source":29,"filename":1164,"copyright":29,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":1165,"is_external_url":33},211157157513305,"A woman in a burgundy coat holding a report card with coloured grade bars, looking towards a Victorian school across parkland","//a.storyblok.com/f/290322185225760/2048x1146/a3751d001d/beyond-ofsted-ratings.jpg",{},"2026-06-10 00:00","Why an Ofsted rating alone can mislead, what it leaves out (progress, class sizes, intake), and how to choose a school using more than the headline grade.","blog/beyond-ofsted-ratings",-30,[1171,265],"ofsted","7e920fc8-6499-4ff1-8989-9bc3ad7e47d4","2026-06-24T18:44:27.680Z",[],{"name":1176,"created_at":1177,"published_at":1178,"updated_at":1179,"id":1180,"uuid":1181,"content":1182,"slug":1256,"full_slug":1257,"sort_by_date":37,"position":486,"tag_list":1258,"is_startpage":33,"parent_id":266,"meta_data":37,"group_id":1259,"first_published_at":1260,"release_id":37,"lang":43,"path":37,"alternates":1261,"default_full_slug":37,"translated_slugs":37},"How to Choose the Right School for Your Child","2026-02-15T12:53:56.661Z","2026-08-20T16:16:09.832Z","2026-08-20T16:16:09.846Z",145286908592739,"15f44a0f-89bb-4f76-9bfd-0383b1f1e404",{"_uid":1183,"tags":1184,"title":1176,"author":1185,"content":1191,"excerpt":1245,"category":916,"component":250,"seo_image":1246,"seo_title":1248,"cover_image":1249,"published_date":1254,"seo_description":1255},"87cd8ca0-386e-4bfc-9c2b-039d53b254a0","school choice, admissions, guide",{"name":472,"created_at":473,"published_at":474,"updated_at":475,"id":476,"uuid":477,"content":1186,"slug":484,"full_slug":485,"sort_by_date":37,"position":486,"tag_list":1189,"is_startpage":33,"parent_id":40,"meta_data":37,"group_id":488,"first_published_at":489,"release_id":37,"lang":43,"path":37,"alternates":1190,"default_full_slug":37,"translated_slugs":37,"_stopResolving":45},{"bio":479,"_uid":480,"name":472,"role":481,"avatar":1187,"component":34},{"id":37,"alt":37,"name":29,"focus":37,"title":37,"source":37,"filename":29,"copyright":37,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":1188},{},[],[],[1192],{"_uid":1193,"content":1194,"component":248},"rt-blog1-1",{"type":50,"content":1195},[1196,1200,1205,1209,1214,1218,1223,1227,1232,1236,1241],{"type":54,"content":1197},[1198],{"text":1199,"type":59},"Choosing a school for your child is a deeply personal decision. It's not just about league tables and Ofsted ratings: it's about finding a community where your child will feel at home and thrive.",{"type":66,"attrs":1201,"content":1202},{"level":68},[1203],{"text":1204,"type":59},"1. Start with Location",{"type":54,"content":1206},[1207],{"text":1208,"type":59},"The school run is a daily reality. A great school that's an hour away might not be practical for your family. Use FindGreatSchools's map feature to explore schools within a realistic distance from your home.",{"type":66,"attrs":1210,"content":1211},{"level":68},[1212],{"text":1213,"type":59},"2. Look Beyond Ofsted",{"type":54,"content":1215},[1216],{"text":1217,"type":59},"Ofsted ratings are a useful starting point, but they don't tell the whole story. A 'Good' school might be a better fit for your child than an 'Outstanding' one. Consider the school's ethos, teaching style, extracurricular activities, and pastoral care.",{"type":66,"attrs":1219,"content":1220},{"level":68},[1221],{"text":1222,"type":59},"3. Consider the Community",{"type":54,"content":1224},[1225],{"text":1226,"type":59},"The demographic makeup of a school matters. You want your child to feel represented and included. FindGreatSchools's ethnicity data helps you understand the diversity of each school's community, so you can find a place where your family fits in.",{"type":66,"attrs":1228,"content":1229},{"level":68},[1230],{"text":1231,"type":59},"4. Check Performance Data",{"type":54,"content":1233},[1234],{"text":1235,"type":59},"Progress 8 is often more meaningful than Attainment 8. It measures how much progress pupils make compared to similar students nationally. A school with strong Progress 8 scores is adding real value, regardless of intake.",{"type":66,"attrs":1237,"content":1238},{"level":68},[1239],{"text":1240,"type":59},"5. Visit the School",{"type":54,"content":1242},[1243],{"text":1244,"type":59},"No amount of data can replace visiting a school in person. Attend open days, talk to teachers and parents, observe the atmosphere. Does it feel welcoming? Can you see your child being happy here?","Choosing a school is one of the biggest decisions you'll make as a parent. Here's a practical guide to help you weigh up the options and find the best fit.",{"id":37,"alt":37,"name":29,"focus":37,"title":37,"source":37,"filename":29,"copyright":37,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":1247},{},"How to Choose the Right School — FindGreatSchools Guide",{"id":1250,"alt":1251,"name":29,"focus":29,"title":29,"source":29,"filename":1252,"copyright":29,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":1253,"is_external_url":33},211160954038479,"A secondary school pupil in blazer and tie looking up and away, with a domed school building, a city skyline and classmates behind her at dusk","//a.storyblok.com/f/290322185225760/2048x1301/c6309c337c/how-to-choose-the-right-school.jpg",{},"2026-02-10 00:00","A practical guide to choosing the right school for your child, covering Ofsted ratings, demographics, distance, and school culture.","how-to-choose-the-right-school","blog/how-to-choose-the-right-school",[264,265],"43796edc-63fb-4bf9-bfef-39138db326de","2026-02-15T12:53:56.748Z",[],{"name":1263,"created_at":1264,"published_at":1265,"updated_at":1266,"id":1267,"uuid":1268,"content":1269,"slug":1405,"full_slug":1406,"sort_by_date":37,"position":38,"tag_list":1407,"is_startpage":33,"parent_id":266,"meta_data":37,"group_id":1408,"first_published_at":1409,"release_id":37,"lang":43,"path":37,"alternates":1410,"default_full_slug":37,"translated_slugs":37},"Understanding Ofsted Report Cards: What Replaced Single-Word Grades","2026-02-15T12:53:57.234Z","2026-08-20T21:16:50.395Z","2026-08-20T21:16:50.408Z",145286910943844,"de729f1b-d551-4564-9855-214cd1cdecb6",{"_uid":1270,"tags":1271,"title":1263,"author":1272,"content":1278,"excerpt":1394,"category":916,"component":250,"seo_image":1395,"seo_title":1397,"cover_image":1398,"published_date":1403,"seo_description":1404},"c43bc357-ed20-4af4-8aae-5c6e5b178410","ofsted, report cards, ratings, guide",{"name":472,"created_at":473,"published_at":474,"updated_at":475,"id":476,"uuid":477,"content":1273,"slug":484,"full_slug":485,"sort_by_date":37,"position":486,"tag_list":1276,"is_startpage":33,"parent_id":40,"meta_data":37,"group_id":488,"first_published_at":489,"release_id":37,"lang":43,"path":37,"alternates":1277,"default_full_slug":37,"translated_slugs":37,"_stopResolving":45},{"bio":479,"_uid":480,"name":472,"role":481,"avatar":1274,"component":34},{"id":37,"alt":37,"name":29,"focus":37,"title":37,"source":37,"filename":29,"copyright":37,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":1275},{},[],[],[1279,1327,1331],{"_uid":1280,"content":1281,"component":248},"rt-blog2-1",{"type":50,"attrs":1282,"content":1283},{"backgroundColor":37},[1284,1312,1317,1322],{"type":54,"attrs":1285,"content":1286},{"textAlign":37},[1287,1289,1293,1295,1299,1300,1304,1306,1310],{"text":1288,"type":59},"For years, Ofsted summed up a whole school in a single word. In November 2025 that ended: Ofsted replaced ",{"text":1290,"type":59,"marks":1291},"Outstanding",[1292],{"type":515},{"text":1294,"type":59},", ",{"text":1296,"type":59,"marks":1297},"Good",[1298],{"type":515},{"text":1294,"type":59},{"text":1301,"type":59,"marks":1302},"Requires Improvement",[1303],{"type":515},{"text":1305,"type":59}," and ",{"text":1307,"type":59,"marks":1308},"Inadequate",[1309],{"type":515},{"text":1311,"type":59}," with report cards. Here's what changed, what the new scale means, and how to read schools while both systems are still in use.",{"type":66,"attrs":1313,"content":1314},{"level":68,"textAlign":37},[1315],{"text":1316,"type":59},"What changed in November 2025",{"type":54,"attrs":1318,"content":1319},{"textAlign":37},[1320],{"text":1321,"type":59},"Inspections from 10 November 2025 onwards produce a report card instead of an overall grade. Rather than one verdict, inspectors now judge a school across several distinct areas and report each one separately. The aim is a fuller, more honest picture, and an end to a single label deciding a school's reputation.",{"type":66,"attrs":1323,"content":1324},{"level":68,"textAlign":37},[1325],{"text":1326,"type":59},"The new five-point scale",{"_uid":1328,"intro":1329,"component":1330},"f044eae4-8e75-44eb-84f9-250f7b8f6c3f","Every graded area uses the same five-point scale:","grade_legend",{"_uid":1332,"content":1333,"component":248},"14ad1a42-8466-4114-b948-3969c20e4caa",{"type":50,"attrs":1334,"content":1335},{"backgroundColor":37},[1336,1341,1358,1363,1368,1373,1384,1389],{"type":66,"attrs":1337,"content":1338},{"level":68,"textAlign":37},[1339],{"text":1340,"type":59},"The areas Ofsted grades",{"type":54,"attrs":1342,"content":1343},{"textAlign":37},[1344,1346,1350,1352,1356],{"text":1345,"type":59},"A report card covers up to nine areas: achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, personal development and wellbeing, and leadership and governance, plus early years and sixth-form provision where they apply. Safeguarding is reported separately as simply ",{"text":1347,"type":59,"marks":1348},"Met",[1349],{"type":515},{"text":1351,"type":59}," or ",{"text":1353,"type":59,"marks":1354},"Not met",[1355],{"type":515},{"text":1357,"type":59},", and a school can be placed in a category of concern where standards are most serious.",{"type":66,"attrs":1359,"content":1360},{"level":68,"textAlign":37},[1361],{"text":1362,"type":59},"What about the old single-word grades?",{"type":54,"attrs":1364,"content":1365},{"textAlign":37},[1366],{"text":1367,"type":59},"They don't disappear overnight. A school keeps its previous grade until it is re-inspected under the new framework, and with roughly 650 schools a month converting to the new framework it will take several years to reach every school. So for now you'll see both: most schools still carry a legacy Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate, while recently inspected schools show a report card. A legacy grade is a snapshot from its inspection year, sometimes several years old.",{"type":66,"attrs":1369,"content":1370},{"level":68,"textAlign":37},[1371],{"text":1372,"type":59},"How FindGreatSchools shows both",{"type":54,"attrs":1374,"content":1375},{"textAlign":37},[1376,1378,1383],{"text":1377,"type":59},"So you can compare like with like, we distil each report card into a single comparable badge and fold it into our overall school score, the same way we handle legacy grades, with a discount for older inspections. You can always open the full report card to see every area. We explain exactly how this works on our ",{"text":1379,"type":59,"marks":1380},"Ofsted report cards",[1381],{"type":81,"attrs":1382},{"href":620,"uuid":37,"anchor":37,"target":84,"linktype":85},{"text":622,"type":59},{"type":66,"attrs":1385,"content":1386},{"level":68,"textAlign":37},[1387],{"text":1388,"type":59},"Why inspection ratings still aren't everything",{"type":54,"attrs":1390,"content":1391},{"textAlign":37},[1392],{"text":1393,"type":59},"Whether report card or legacy grade, an inspection is a snapshot in time. A school's leadership, culture and community can change between visits. Pair the rating with other evidence (Progress 8, pupil demographics, destination data and, above all, your own visit) before deciding what's right for your child.","In November 2025 Ofsted scrapped Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement and Inadequate in favour of report cards. Here's what the new five-point scale means, and how to read schools while both systems are still in use.",{"id":37,"alt":37,"name":29,"focus":37,"title":37,"source":37,"filename":29,"copyright":37,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":1396},{},"Understanding Ofsted Report Cards — FindGreatSchools",{"id":1399,"alt":1400,"name":29,"focus":29,"title":29,"source":29,"filename":1401,"copyright":29,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":1402,"is_external_url":33},211234848934510,"A school report on a desk showing unlabelled sage and gold bars, beside a pencil and mug, with a window onto green hills","//a.storyblok.com/f/290322185225760/2048x1147/b0e3adcfa3/understanding-ofsted-ratings.jpg",{},"2026-02-05 00:00","Ofsted replaced single-word grades with report cards in November 2025. What the five-point scale means and how to read schools during the transition.","understanding-ofsted-ratings","blog/understanding-ofsted-ratings",[1171],"cea289a4-2252-42c6-b9dc-1e2729d436a7","2026-02-15T12:53:57.271Z",[],{"name":1412,"created_at":1413,"published_at":1414,"updated_at":1415,"id":1416,"uuid":1417,"content":1418,"slug":1476,"full_slug":1477,"sort_by_date":37,"position":1478,"tag_list":1479,"is_startpage":33,"parent_id":266,"meta_data":37,"group_id":1481,"first_published_at":1482,"release_id":37,"lang":43,"path":37,"alternates":1483,"default_full_slug":37,"translated_slugs":37},"What Is Progress 8 and Why It Matters","2026-02-15T12:53:57.762Z","2026-08-20T21:16:47.545Z","2026-08-20T21:16:47.559Z",145286913106533,"8924f314-7f79-4417-a13d-07a9b563fcbf",{"_uid":1419,"tags":1420,"title":1421,"author":1422,"content":1428,"excerpt":1464,"category":1465,"component":250,"seo_image":1466,"seo_title":1468,"cover_image":1469,"published_date":1474,"seo_description":1475},"ae211204-fda6-4647-8ce7-0671ac89dd35","progress 8, GCSE, performance","What Is Progress 8 and Why It Matters More Than League Tables",{"name":472,"created_at":473,"published_at":474,"updated_at":475,"id":476,"uuid":477,"content":1423,"slug":484,"full_slug":485,"sort_by_date":37,"position":486,"tag_list":1426,"is_startpage":33,"parent_id":40,"meta_data":37,"group_id":488,"first_published_at":489,"release_id":37,"lang":43,"path":37,"alternates":1427,"default_full_slug":37,"translated_slugs":37,"_stopResolving":45},{"bio":479,"_uid":480,"name":472,"role":481,"avatar":1424,"component":34},{"id":37,"alt":37,"name":29,"focus":37,"title":37,"source":37,"filename":29,"copyright":37,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":1425},{},[],[],[1429],{"_uid":1430,"content":1431,"component":248},"rt-blog3-1",{"type":50,"content":1432},[1433,1437,1442,1446,1451,1455,1460],{"type":54,"content":1434},[1435],{"text":1436,"type":59},"When comparing secondary schools, many parents focus on Attainment 8 scores, the raw GCSE results. But Progress 8 tells a much more important story: how much progress did the school help pupils make?",{"type":66,"attrs":1438,"content":1439},{"level":68},[1440],{"text":1441,"type":59},"How Progress 8 Works",{"type":54,"content":1443},[1444],{"text":1445,"type":59},"Progress 8 compares each pupil's GCSE results against the national average for pupils with similar Key Stage 2 results. A score of 0 means average progress, positive means above average, and negative means below. A school scoring +0.5 is helping pupils achieve roughly half a grade higher than expected across eight subjects.",{"type":66,"attrs":1447,"content":1448},{"level":68},[1449],{"text":1450,"type":59},"Why It Matters",{"type":54,"content":1452},[1453],{"text":1454,"type":59},"A school in a leafy suburb might have high Attainment 8 scores because its intake is already high-achieving. But if its Progress 8 is negative, it's actually underperforming; those pupils would have done better elsewhere. Conversely, a school in a disadvantaged area with modest raw results but a strong positive Progress 8 is genuinely adding value.",{"type":66,"attrs":1456,"content":1457},{"level":68},[1458],{"text":1459,"type":59},"Finding Progress 8 on FindGreatSchools",{"type":54,"content":1461},[1462],{"text":1463,"type":59},"On each school's detail page, you'll find both Attainment 8 and Progress 8 scores in the performance section. We source this data directly from the DfE's official performance tables, updated annually.","Progress 8 measures the value a school adds to its pupils. Here's why it's a better indicator of school quality than raw results.","d0600974-b31f-4de8-b7b0-3f7bd20dcc28",{"id":37,"alt":37,"name":29,"focus":37,"title":37,"source":37,"filename":29,"copyright":37,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":1467},{},"What Is Progress 8? — FindGreatSchools",{"id":1470,"alt":1471,"name":29,"focus":29,"title":29,"source":29,"filename":1472,"copyright":29,"fieldtype":31,"meta_data":1473,"is_external_url":33},211234836122221,"A father and his daughter sitting up on a bed reading a picture book together by lamplight, a window onto hills at dusk behind them","//a.storyblok.com/f/290322185225760/2048x1147/ab879c6239/what-is-progress-8.jpg",{},"2026-01-28 00:00","Progress 8 measures how much progress pupils make at a school. Learn why it matters more than league tables when choosing a school.","what-is-progress-8","blog/what-is-progress-8",-20,[1480],"performance","02d09468-b906-4d92-a916-edae904353a0","2026-02-15T12:53:57.806Z",[],7]