Put the evidence side by side
| Compare | Record for each school |
|---|---|
| Admissions | Test stages, qualification, your priority category and the relevant tie-break. |
| Travel | Door-to-door morning time, return after clubs, costs and a disruption plan. |
| Academic offer | Subjects taught, option rules, setting and sixth-form entry requirements. |
| Results | The same published measure and cohort year, with any missing data labelled. |
| Support | How pupils get help, who parents contact and what happens when a child falls behind. |
Use Compare to assemble the school facts, then fill the gaps from current school policies and visits. Mark an unanswered question as unknown instead of guessing.
Separate admission likelihood from preference
A school can be harder to secure and still be your preferred choice. The admissions policy determines the child’s priority; the CAF tells the council which available school you want most.
Work out how realistic each application is, but do not reverse your genuine order just to put the safer option first. The CAF preference example shows what happens if both can offer.
Compare like with like
Do not place one school’s A-level headline beside another school’s GCSE measure and call it a direct comparison. Check publication year, qualifications and whether the figures cover the same pupil group.
For inspections, read the latest report rather than the oldest badge. New Ofsted report-card grades are not directly comparable with the previous one-word system. For performance, remember that Progress 8 is unavailable for the 2025 and 2026 GCSE cohorts.
Resolve the differences that could change your choice
If one school requires a longer journey, try it at the actual start time and after a club. If one appears stronger for a subject, ask about access to that subject and any later entry requirements. If support is the deciding factor, ask how it works for a pupil with your child’s needs.
After both visits, write a short reason for your preferred order: “We prefer A because the journey is manageable, it offers the subject our child wants, and we understand its support arrangements.” The reasons should be specific enough that another family could reasonably choose differently.
Keep acceptable alternatives on the application even when both grammar schools look attractive. A preference decision does not guarantee either school can offer.
A FEW MORE ANSWERS
Still wondering?
Should the easier school to get into go first?
Only if it is the one you prefer. In the normal equal-preference process, putting a school lower does not itself reduce your priority there.
What if results are almost identical?
Look for differences that affect the child’s actual week: journey, subject options, homework support, clubs and pastoral contact. Avoid treating tiny score differences as a complete decision.
How much weight should my child’s preference have?
Ask what they liked or disliked and why. A specific view about lessons, support or the journey is useful evidence; explore it alongside practical and admissions constraints.
Official sources
Checked 28 Sept 2026