Looking for Information on independent schools.

[Bluebear]

Using an independent school hadn't even come into my head before, but we are moving house and there is a school with a great philosophy nearby, and I find myself very tempted....but it doesn't have an ofsted report, and although I am very happy with the school's aims and am going to have a visit, I would like to check that they have at least average exam results!
Can anyone recommend a book/guide to independent schools (and any other things that I might need to consider). Thanks

Thanks Sue - the school website had a link to an independent inspection, but I couldn't find anything on it about exam success (I'm used to the OFSTED format I guess) - I'll look it up on your link.
Ta

most independent schools are inspected, and the school should be happy to release all their exam results to you. If not why

Have looked Sue, and found a much fuller version of the report, with SATs stuff etc. Thanks!

Also most parents looking at private schools at primary levevl look at where the children go on to as a good idicator. Ask for a list of the schools the children go to. If it's Manchester Grammar or its local equivalent that's a very good indicator. If ti's the school everyone goes to if they can't get in anywhere else that also says something about the academic standards. Also look at how many children get scholarships to their next school too.

Thanks Xenia - this particular school goes all the way from nursery to sixth form (and local grammar is not one of those super-grammars with fantastic results - it's actually on a par with the local state secondary). Hmmm... it's the ethos of the school which is tempting me more than anything else. The state schools in the area all seem very good (but no nursery/pre-schools - very strange)