Moving house - please help me choose a school

[LizziePizzie]

I have no idea how to chose a good school. The reports are quite informative, but is there a website that lets you see in a nutshell all the data needed to make an informed choice? There is just TOO much data on the goverment websites. I will use them when we narrow down the area, but till then I need help!

You need to visit the schools if at all possible, as which school is perfect for you and your children might not be the same as the one that is perfect for me.

first off how old are your DC (s) - are you considering state or private or both
also bear in mind that in many areas of the country the schools are pretty full so you may have less choice than you think - eg you would need to find a house pratically next door to garrentee to get in - especially for primary
now not everyone holds this view - but I do think for primary - for most children - most primary schools are pretty good -espcially for the kind of commited parent you sound like you are
there are league tables - you might want to look at value added -which give an indication of how the school is doing compared to the intake

DD is currently 2. would prefer a state non-denomination school.

the other issue is that your DD will start in 2 years time -in which poor schools get better, good schools get worse - heads leave etc -also a school can have great SATs and ofsted and still not be a good school for all children -
what areas are you considering - people on here will know and may be able to offer overall advice