Question 1

Does living near a school guarantee a place?

Accepted Answer

No. Proximity helps but isn’t a guarantee — admissions use oversubscription criteria (siblings, faith, distance) and true catchment areas change year to year and aren’t centrally published. Always check the local authority’s admissions criteria.

Question 2

Where do the schools and Ofsted ratings come from?

Accepted Answer

The Department for Education’s “Get Information about Schools” (GIAS) service and Ofsted ratings — official open data under the Open Government Licence. We show the nearest schools by straight-line distance from the postcode.

Question 3

Why “Schools Near You” and not “catchment checker”?

Accepted Answer

Because true catchments are set by each council and shift year to year — calling it a catchment checker would over-promise. We show nearest schools + Ofsted by distance, which is the honest, useful version.

Question 4

Does a good local school affect house prices?

Accepted Answer

Typically yes — a strong, well-rated school adds a demand premium nearby. It’s a signal, not a guaranteed place at that school.

Question 5

Why do some schools show a grade and others say “Not rated”?

Accepted Answer

Ofsted withdrew the single overall grade (Outstanding/Good/Requires improvement/Inadequate) on 2 September 2024 and moved to a “report card” model on 10 November 2025. We show the last single grade on record, with its inspection date. A school inspected after September 2024 has no comparable single grade, so it shows “Not rated” — check its current Ofsted page for the latest report.

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