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Schools & Education Methodology
We identify nearby schools using distance calculations from postcode centroids, paired with Department for Education registry data and Ofsted ratings.
Data Sources
- Department for Education (DfE) School Registry — National register of all schools with postcode, type, and capacity
- Ofsted Ratings — School inspections and overall judgments (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate)
- Postcode Directory (ONSPD) — Postcode centroids for distance calculations
- Update Frequency — Schools registry updated termly; Ofsted ratings updated as inspections are published
Calculation Method
- Locate postcode — We identify the latitude/longitude centroid of the postcode
- Find nearby schools — We calculate straight-line distance to all schools in the DfE registry
- Rank by distance — We sort schools by distance (nearest first)
- Retrieve Ofsted rating — We link each school to its most recent Ofsted judgement
- Display top results — We show the 10 closest schools per phase (primary, secondary, special)
School Types Included
- Primary Schools — Ages 4–11
- Secondary Schools — Ages 11–18
- All-Through Schools — Ages 4–18
- Special Schools — Specialist provision
- Independent Schools — Private schools (limited Ofsted data)
Distance Measurement
We calculate distance as straight-line (Haversine formula) from postcode centroid to school postcode centroid. This is an approximation; actual walking distance may vary by 10–20%.
Ofsted Ratings
| Rating | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Outstanding | Highest category; likely inspected 3+ years ago |
| Good | Meets expectations; typical re-inspection cycle 3–5 years |
| Requires Improvement | Below expectations; inspected annually |
| Inadequate | Serious concerns; likely to face intervention |
| Not Yet Rated | New school not yet inspected |
Limitations
- No Performance Data — We show Ofsted ratings only, not exam results, pupil progress, or league table rankings
- Stale Ofsted Data — Outstanding schools may not have been inspected for 10+ years; ratings can become outdated
- Catchment Areas Ignored — We show distance-based proximity, not actual catchment zones or admission likelihood
- Private Schools Limited — Independent schools have fewer Ofsted inspections; data coverage is lower
- No Specialisms Listed — We don't flag specialist provisions (STEM, language, arts colleges, etc.)
Data Attribution
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, sourced from the Department for Education.