Those threads that list several school names, and then ask people

[ZolaBudd]

I always wonder what the point of these are. Has anyone found them helpful? I wonder how much does personal experience makes them at all reliable

Also, the people that say, maybe “my child was hugely bullied there”, but other people might recognise quite a different story?

That's how reviews of anything work isn't it? Someone else's experience and opinions are a helpful guide, the more opinions the better. That's the basis of TripAdvisor or Amazon reviews.

If you don't find review helpful then that's fine, I think most people find them helpful to a point.