Choosing a primary school

[Elllie]

Hi - I'm new to all of this! Not only are we relocating from abroad back to the UK, and struggling to find a suitable house - I'm trying to find a good state primary for my DS.
The area I'm looking in is Farnham - and a house has come up in Rowledge. There is a village primary with a good Ofsted rating, and it is linked to CofE.
I've registered and looked at the report with the GSGuide - but not sure how to measure a good primary. What should I be looking for exactly? What does the 'value added' mean and how important is this?
Also, do church-linked schools give more preference to families attending their church, even if we are Christians returning from aroad and looking for a VA school. What do you think? Thanks in advance.

If you live in the catchment area you will be first priority.

Go into the school on a normal working day and go for your gut reaction. Will your DC fit in, can you see them being happy. If the Head shows you around does he/she know everyones name? Are they keen to speak to her? If the DCs show you around ask questions. Ask what they like best/worst about the school. Are they enthusiastic? Is there a working buzz as you go around? Does the school look well card for, a place they are proud of? Are their displays of the DCs work? Do they look as if they have an exciting curriculum? What do they do at playtimes?
Ask the Head questions and see if they answer them simply without losing you in jargon. Ask about how they teach reading. Ask about bullying (be suspect if they tell you there isn't any-ask them how they would deal with it if there was)
If you are not C0f E ask how much involvement the vicar has, how many times a year does the whole school go to church.
Find out which school the majority go onto for secondary.