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Frequently asked questions

The short answers. Each links to the full detail, whether that is ours or the government’s.

Understanding the results

What is Progress 8?
How much better or worse pupils did across eight GCSEs than pupils nationally who had the same SATs results. Zero is average, so it measures improvement rather than raw results - a school with a modest intake can score highly here even if its raw results are unremarkable. Government guidance on Progress 8.
What is a good Progress 8 score?
The government treats +0.5 or above as 'well above average' and -0.5 or below as 'well below average', with scores in between read as broadly average. Zero is not a pass mark - it just means pupils did as well as similar pupils nationally, not that the school under- or over-performed. Compare it across real schools.
What is Attainment 8?
The average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs, as points out of about 90. Unlike Progress 8 this is a raw result rather than a comparison, so it reflects the intake as well as the teaching - a selective school will usually score higher here than on Progress 8. Government guidance on Attainment 8.
What does grade 5+ mean?
The share of pupils getting at least a grade 5 in both English and maths GCSE. Grade 5 is a 'strong pass' and sits within the old grade B to C boundary; grade 4 is the lower 'standard pass', and is the minimum most schools and employers ask for. Ofqual's guide to the 9-1 scale.
How are GCSE results graded?
On a scale from 9 down to 1, with U for unclassified, which replaced the old A*-G letters between 2017 and 2020. The two scales are not an exact match, but a 7 sits roughly where an A used to, and a 4 roughly where a C used to. Ofqual's guide to the 9-1 scale.
What are SATs results?
The key stage 2 tests taken in Year 6 - reading, and grammar, punctuation and spelling are tested; writing is assessed by the teacher rather than sat as an exam. They measure how a school's current Year 6 did, and five years later feed into that cohort's Progress 8 at GCSE. Official guidance for parents.
What does "expected standard" mean?
Two different things depending where you see it. At key stage 2 it means a pupil met the expected level in reading, writing and maths together - around three in five do nationally. Under Ofsted's report cards it is the middle grade of the five-point scale: a competent, acceptable standard, neither a concern nor exceptional. Ofsted's guidance on the new scale.
How are A level results graded?
A* down to E for each subject, with U for unclassified. We show the average grade achieved and the average points per entry, covering A levels only - not BTECs or other post-16 qualifications, which are not published on the same basis. See it for real schools.

Ofsted

What does Ofsted's new inspection system mean?
Since 10 November 2025, Ofsted no longer gives a single overall word like 'Good' or 'Outstanding'. Instead it publishes a report card grading several areas separately - achievement, attendance, curriculum, inclusion, leadership and more - each on a five-point scale from 'urgent improvement' to 'exceptional', plus a plain 'met' or 'not met' for safeguarding. Ofsted's own explanation.
Why does this school have no overall Ofsted grade?
Because it was inspected under the new system, which replaced the single overall word with several separate area grades. We show those areas as Ofsted published them and never average them into an overall grade ourselves, because that judgement was deliberately withdrawn rather than merely renamed. Read the school's own report.
Is this a league table?
No. We show a score for each school and where it sits among others of the same phase in its own area, but there is no national ranking. Comparing a primary in Cornwall with one in Newcastle mostly measures who lives in each place, not which is the better school. How the score works.

Admissions and catchment areas

How do school admissions work?
You apply to your local council, even for a school in a neighbouring authority, and can normally list several schools in order of preference. Each school or council sets its own oversubscription criteria - distance is common but far from the only one - and offers go out on the same national dates every year. GOV.UK: applying for a school place.
What is a school catchment area?
For most community schools, there isn't a fixed one. Admission is decided by applying that school's criteria - often distance - to whoever actually applies that year, so the effective boundary moves with how many people apply and how large the intake is. Check the distance for a real address.

About localschool

Where does the data come from?
Everything here is published by government and used under the Open Government Licence: the Department for Education's register of schools, Ofsted's inspection outcomes, and published exam results. The map is OpenStreetMap. We collect nothing from schools directly, and nothing here is submitted by them. Full sources and how current they are.
What can't localschool tell me?
Plenty. Distance is straight-line rather than a walk; catchment areas are not shown, because for most schools there is no fixed one; results are suppressed wherever a cohort is too small to publish safely; and none of it is live. Data sources and limits.
Is localschool free to use?
Yes. It needs no account, and nothing you shortlist or search for leaves your browser.
Do I need to create an account?
No. There is nothing to sign up for. Your shortlist and your last search are kept in your own browser rather than on a server, so there is no account to lose access to.
Is this an official government or Ofsted website?
No. localschool is run independently, using data the Department for Education and Ofsted publish under the Open Government Licence. For the official record, check the DfE's own performance tables or Ofsted's own reports directly. DfE performance tables. Ofsted's report search.

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