School Compass
How to read school compare figures as a parent
Use published DfE tables and Ofsted/ISI excerpts to shortlist schools across South East England, London, and Dorset — without treating them as a league table.
How to read this as a parent
Published tables and inspection excerpts help you compare a shortlist. They do not choose a school for you.
What the data can tell you
- How nearby settings compare on the same published measures.
- Whether outcomes sit near, above, or below local / England context.
- Themes inspectors recently highlighted — strengths and next steps.
- Travel distance as a practical filter, not a measure of school quality.
What this is not telling you
- Whether your child will be happy, taught well, or make friends here.
- A guaranteed place — catchment overlays and offer-day demand figures are context, not admission chances, faith criteria, or waiting-list practice.
- Day-to-day ethos, behaviour climate, or SEND support beyond short excerpts.
- A ranked “best school” — tables and reports are one lens, not a verdict.
Fair conclusions you can draw
- Which settings look similar enough to visit side by side.
- Which questions the numbers raise for open days and phone calls.
- Where coverage is thin (missing grades, new academies) so you dig deeper.
How to use this for decisions
- Shortlist a few settings that look plausible on paper and on the map.
- Treat gaps and older inspections as prompts to ask, not automatic rejects.
- Visit (or watch a normal session), talk to staff, and weigh fit for your child.
- Keep notes on what you saw — printed packs are for that, not for league ranks.
Reading the inspection précis
- Excerpts are verbatim from the latest usable Ofsted or ISI report PDF.
- Positives and improvements are what inspectors wrote — not our summary of quality.
- A short précis cannot replace reading the full report in context.
- Academy conversion letters and admin PDFs are skipped when a real inspection exists.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers parents ask before they shortlist.
Is School Compass a league table?
No. It helps you shortlist and compare nearby settings using the same published figures and inspection excerpts — patterns to visit on, not a ranked verdict.
Why are some figures blank?
Gaps are honest: special/AP settings, new schools, ISI-inspected independents without Ofsted grades, or measures the DfE does not publish at school level. Treat blanks as prompts to ask on a visit.
How should I use inspection excerpts?
Excerpts are verbatim from the latest usable Ofsted or ISI report PDF. They show what inspectors wrote — not our summary. Read the full report for context before deciding.