Should we make a decision based purely on OFSTEDs?

[NemosKnickers]

My DS wants to go to the nearest comp (School A) which has been rated as 'requires Improvement' in 2016. This is because about 80% of his peers from school will also go there.

We applied for School B a bit further away which has an Outstanding Ofsted from 2009, but we didn't get in and so we'd accepted this and were going to make the most of School A.

However, I have now just heard that he has got a place from the waiting list for School B and I'm dreading telling him. He will be really devastated. He never wanted to go to School B.

I don't know anyone with kids at either school, I can't find any meaningful reviews online for either school and so I only have the Ofsteds and results to go off. School B gets better results across the different measurements.

I've looked at both school's websites and nothing is standing out to me as being obviously better than the other.

So, we have to just go with the school that's better on paper don't we?

Have I missed any other way of making this decision?

On a side note. It is perfectly possible to keep up with friends at a different school if you want to. Many children split from old friendship groups in y7 anyway so, in general, I think 'move up with friends' is a bit overrated. Yes it's lovely to have familiar faces for the first few weeks, but you are choosing a school for 5 years, not 1 term.