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SCHOOLS & OFSTED METRICS METHODOLOGY
Schools & Education Rating Rules
We identify nearby schools using straight-line Haversine distance calculations from postcode centroids, paired with Department for Education registry data and Ofsted inspection judgments.
Data Provenance & Specs
PublisherDept for Education
Update CadenceTermly / Inspection
Distance MetricHaversine (km)
LicenceOGL v3.0
Matching & Ranking Method
01
Postcode Centroid Geolocation
Latitude and longitude coordinates are resolved for the requested postcode centroid.
02
Spatial Distance Radius Search
Distance to all schools in the DfE Get Information About Schools database is calculated using spherical trigonometry.
03
Ofsted Judgment Join
Each school record is linked to its latest official Ofsted overall effectiveness judgment (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate).
Ofsted Judgment Categories
| Ofsted Grade | Official Meaning | Inspection Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| 1 – Outstanding | Highest category of educational provision. | Routine 4-year cycle |
| 2 – Good | Effective provision meeting national standards. | Typical 4-year cycle |
| 3 – Requires Improvement | School not yet delivering good standard. | Annual monitoring |
| 4 – Inadequate | Significant weaknesses requiring intervention. | Special measures / academy order |
Important Technical Limitations
- Proximity vs Catchment: We report straight-line proximity, not official local authority admissions catchment boundaries.
- Haversine Approximation: Straight-line distance may differ from actual walking or driving routes by 10–20%.
Data Attribution
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, sourced from the Department for Education.