Is google maps distances from school to home accurate or is the department for education website distances more accurate

[Fizzypop001]

My dd is starting school next year and was calculating the distance from home to school in google maps and gave me a complete different distance to that given on the department for education website when looking up primary schools within a mile which ones more accurate

I would imagine the DoE software is far ore accurate, and additionally I think most councils use additional software at the local level.

They work from their own one, regardless of what google says. Then it's standardised for everyone - chaos otherwise.
Are you looking at road/paved & lit walking routes or 'as the crow flies,' because a lot of LAs use the latter these days.

Local authorities use software packages that measure from either your front door, end of drive, or similar. It varies a little depending on what they're using but as long as they use the same software to assess all applicants to the same rules then it is OK.

All of these, and DofE, is more accurate as the Google Maps one measures from the edge or the middle of your postcode. Eg it will measure from the edge of AA11 2BB, and that might be quite a bit away from where your house actually is within that postcode.

Clam I'm looking for shortest distance by road anything regarded by the high way agency

Thanks all for your feedback

The LA do use what is an ordnance survey based measuring system, that can be very accurate in a straight line measurement - literally down to 0.001 miles. However as soon as you start to talk about shortest distance by road then there is obviously more in-built inaccuracies as you go around corners. Assuming that the right route is taken the measurement will still be more accurate than anything from google.

I suspect that if google uses the roads that you believe are the shortest route then they will probably be as accurate as you are going to need. You presumably want an idea of how near you might need to be to expect to get into a school. The other reason for using google is as a check. If the distance is way different from that quoted by the LA, it is a fair chance a mistake has been made somewhere. If they are similar then you know that the LA measurement is something that you need to accept.

Haven't asked the LA but think your right admission but was confused as the department for education should not give distance from post code to school if incorrect

I'm not disappointed in any way and have a good chance of getting into a few primary schools using google maps but wanted to know what was more accurate

This is a good site as gives distance as the crow flies and driving. LA would use as the crow flies normally.

Remember to measure from the centre of your property to the front gate of the school - can make quite a few metres difference!

Thanks all fOr that information found it really useful 5inabed found that map really useful thanks for that like your user name by the way:)

Sorry 5inthe bed lol

Again I'm wrong never mind :)

Thanks Pyrrah and everyone else :) good to see you can advice on here