Compare grammar schools.Keep the differences useful.

Shrink the list before you compare anything deeply

Check Year 7 eligibility, admission priority and the journey first. Comparing ten schools in detail is not useful if most cannot work for your child.

Choose a few schools you would actually consider accepting, including suitable non-selective options. Keep “unknown” where information is missing. A guessed entry requirement or travel time can make a polished comparison misleading.

The four buckets that usually matter most

What to compare first, and what can wait

Start with differences that affect eligibility or everyday use. Then read performance information with its measure, cohort and year attached.

GCSE results and progress

Attainment measures describe results achieved; progress measures compare outcomes with earlier attainment. Neither should be treated as a complete description of teaching or an individual child’s likely results. Check cohort size and uncertainty where published.

Progress 8 cannot be calculated for the 2024–25 and 2025–26 GCSE cohorts, because the relevant Key Stage 2 assessments were cancelled. A displayed older Progress 8 value must keep its year. Missing current data is not zero and is not evidence that a school performed poorly.

Ofsted reports

Newer Ofsted report cards grade separate areas, including inclusion and achievement, instead of giving one overall judgement. The grades use a different framework from older “good” or “outstanding” labels. Read the report date and narrative; do not convert old and new grades into a single invented ranking.

Curriculum and sixth form

Check when GCSE choices are made and whether preferred subjects are available. Sixth-form entry can have its own criteria, even for existing pupils. Do not assume a Year 7 place guarantees every later course.

A shortlisting method that stays manageable

1. Use the same headings

   Eligibility, priority, curriculum, support, journey and outcomes are enough to begin.

2. Separate facts from impressions

   Label an official policy rule differently from your child’s reaction to a visit. Both can matter, but they are different kinds of evidence.

3. Record source and date

   Keep the policy year, report date and result year beside the relevant fact.

4. Give unknowns a specific question

   Ask the school or authority about the missing detail. Do not give it a made-up score.

5. Discuss the trade-offs

   A longer journey may buy a preferred subject or activity, but check whether that trade-off is worthwhile for your child.

The signs that a comparison is no longer helpful

You may have enough information when further rows are unlikely to change the order: for example, when travel and a preferred curriculum clearly distinguish two otherwise suitable schools.

Avoid adding arbitrary weights until an overall score appears to settle a personal decision. A school cannot compensate for ineligibility with strong exam results, and a marginal result difference cannot measure your child’s comfort or support needs.

Where to go next

Open school compare for a side-by-side view, then confirm the policy details on official pages. Use open-day questions for the issues that still need a conversation.

When completing the CAF, rank schools in genuine preference order. Keep the admission likelihood question separate: your list needs acceptable realistic options, but a “safer” school does not need to sit above one you prefer.