How do I find out which are good primary schools in my local area?

Answer 1

Try this: Stand in front of some primary schools for a least 3 days in your local area after school lessons finishes and observed the children way of behaviour, they way they talk, the neatness of their uniform and the mannerism with other peers.

Answer 2

Ask around local parents and arrange to visit schools. You can tell a lot by the atmosphere. The best schools are not necessarily the ones with the best results. The best primary schools are happy, lively, friendly and caring. There will be a real sense of community. The staff will be happy and the children will look out for eachother. Look out for wall displays - they should be full of childrens' work, or in some way singing the children's praises. There should be soap in the toilets!

Answer 3

Assuming you are in the UK, your local Education Authority will have information on the schools in your area and should be able to advise how easy it is to get into each.

Otherwise from the OFSTED website http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/ you can look at the recent OFSTED reports of schools in a given area. Just type in the postcode at the prompt and view. The you can make up your own mind. Schools are graded 1 (outstanding) to 4 (poor) in the new framework but most will have been inspected under the old framework with calls schools excellent, very good, good etc.

Answer 4

This question irritates me - in that many people will say to look at the league tables. League tables tend to do injustices to primary schools in deprived areas, plus there might be factors that are not best explained by statistical results.

How do you define a good primary school? One with good teaching, or one with good academic results? The two don't always go hand in hand. Also, OFSTED reports might not be as informative as they would like people to believe - especially since they are actually cutting down their own observations of lessons and becoming more paperwork-centered.

I would say - talk to the headteacher, some of the teachers, see the attitude of the children there, look at the resources and check the atmosphere of the school. Don't make a decision based on a website - sadly schools have to compete for children (thanks to league tables, etc.) and thus they have to convey information in a glossy way. Look for a school that puts children first and conventions second. Go and see for yourself and make a decision based upon your own impressions, not on some arbitrary results.

Answer 5

Check with the local council and ask local parents as well what they think of the schools in the area

Answer 6

It is easy to fine out good primary schools in your local area .The first step you shold take; is look at the type of area that the school is found weither it is situated in a good and not a noissy area.Then try to find out which type of quolified and expirence teachers are found in that that school .Continew seaching with the above precution ;you well find good primary schools in your local area.

Answer 7

Talk to parents in the area. Look at local house prices, the area with higher prices probably has the better school! Seriously read the reports and stats on the schools and talk to parents.

Answer 8

try www.upmystreet.com for a good idea of the schools based on league tables - but look at the value add score. This tells you how much the children have improved. But as other people have said - have a look around the school talk to the other parents and trust your instincts!

Answer 9

Contact your local town hall , they will advise of all the schools and should provide you with a list of their results/ performance so that you can make an informed decision

Answer 10

This may sound silly but when my boys were young, ie pre school, my wife trawled our area looking for schools who had smiling children leaving, ok not scientific, but they are both well into their careers, one a doctor and the other a newspaper person.
I guess if the environment is preclusive to learning and they enjoying going to school, without tears!!