Please come and tell me about Oxford primary schools - Are the ofsted reports rubbish?

[Lazycow]

I know you can't go by Ofsted reports really but I'm not sure how to make this decision without at least taking them into account.

I have been made redundant and because I no longer have the excuse of a very well paid local part time job we are considering moving to Oxford (again) as dh's job is there. I am really not keen to move but many factors contribute to make it likely that we will move.

Ds is due to start reception in Sept 2009. Our local schools all have good ofted reports (overall good or outstanding). I obviously have visits lined up and will be going based on my reaction rather than a report just in case we end up staying here.

If however we move to Oxford we need to decide on an area. We had Botley and Headington as two areas we were looking at becasue we know one or two people in those areas and they are convenient for dh's job
but but many of the primary schools in Botley and Headington have ofted reports that seem quite poor (some rated as unsatisfactory and on notice to improve).

I know this isn't necessarily a good refection of them but I really don't want to choose an area where our choices of school are very very limited and I haven't got much time to visit them all so would appreciate any comments on primary schools in Botley, Headington by anyone who might know any of these areas.

don't know about particular primary schools, but I do think OFSTED reports are worth reading. They take a while to download and are long, so I would only read the ones local to where you're thinking of moving. But they are written by people with a lot of experience & expertise and without vested interests. They are not just about SATs results. I used them when we moved to where we live now and found them to be a fair reflection.

I might add that estate agents gave me the benefit of their opinions which at the time I took with a pinch of salt, but turned out to be worth listening to as well!

OT but if your ds is to start reception in Sept 09, don't you have to apply very soon? from an address in the catchment area?

Ofsted reports are a good way of starting your search, a school visit is key, but at the end of the day, of you miss the application deadline, you'll have to take what you're given?

Yes I do have to apply very soon and we will be likely to miss the deadline. Where we live there is a later deadline for people who have moved into the area but I'm not sure about the Oxfordshire area.

If we move and I'm not happy with the school offered to me ds will be staying at home and will be home educated until a place comes up in a school I want. He won't be going somewhere I'm not happy with regardless of deadlines.