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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Richard Adams Education editor

Trying to choose a school in England? Don’t rely on Ofsted reports

Schoolchildren queueing for food
Parents considering sending their kids to a school should speak to pupils already attending and their parents, and ask questions, for example, about the kind of food served at lunch. Photograph: Adrian Sherratt/Alamy

If Ofsted inspection reports do not paint an “accurate picture” of schools in England, how are parents able to choose one that suits their child? Headteachers and existing research suggests Ofsted judgments may not play as large a role as its defenders think.

Chris Ashley-Jones, the executive head of Hitherfield primary school in Streatham, south London, said he had shown 100 parents around the school during recent open days. “Not a single one of them mentioned Ofsted,” he said.

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