How to Choose a School
What parents typically prioritise — and what the evidence says actually matters.
There’s often a gap between what parents instinctively focus on and what academic research says actually predicts good outcomes.
Survey Data
What parents actually prioritise
Based on the Youth Sport Trust / Bupa Foundation survey of parents choosing secondary schools in England.
Pupil wellbeing
65% of parents
The top priority for secondary school parents. 68% want more information about wellbeing support.
Location & proximity
63% of parents
Number one factor for primary parents. Only 39% of families choose their closest school.
Facilities
60% of parents
Sports facilities, IT labs, and learning spaces.
Culture & ethos
57% of parents
The school’s values, atmosphere, and community feel. A school visit matters most.
Ofsted rating
54% of parents
Typically ranked third behind location and wellbeing.
Exam results & attainment
52% of parents
Just over half of parents cite this as important.
Academic Research
What the evidence says actually matters
Findings from peer-reviewed research and major education think tanks.
Progress scores, not raw results
EPI / DfE
Progress 8 and KS2 progress scores measure how much value a school adds.
Teacher quality
Sutton Trust
The Sutton Trust identifies effective teaching as the single biggest in-school factor.
Socioeconomic composition
Bristol / Sutton Trust
A school’s socioeconomic mix is one of the three strongest predictors of outcomes.
Attendance & engagement
DfE
Pupils with no absence are 1.3 times more likely to achieve expected standards at KS2.
Ofsted is a limited signal
EPI / TES
Ofsted ratings account for only about 4% of outcome variation at 16 (EPI).
The proximity trap
Cambridge / Sutton Trust
Over 80% of secondary schools use proximity as their oversubscription criterion.
The Gap
Comparing priorities with evidence
Where parents focus, what research says, and our practical takeaway.
The Bottom Line
What this means for you
Three practical takeaways from the research.
Look at progress, not headlines
The biggest blind spot
Most parents never check progress scores. A school with modest raw results but strong progress is often doing a better job of teaching than one with headline-grabbing grades.
Your instincts matter too
Don’t ignore them
Parents are right to care about wellbeing, ethos, and location. The research adds to your instincts, it doesn’t replace them.
Use data as a starting point
Then visit and ask questions
Use What School to compare progress scores, attendance, and pupil demographics alongside the factors you already care about.
Sources
- Youth Sport Trust & Bupa Foundation — Well Schools parental survey (2020)
- Sutton Trust — Selective Comprehensives 2024 and School Choice and Social Mobility
- Education Policy Institute — Annual Report on Education in England
- University of Bristol — School Choice and Parental Preferences (CMPO working papers)
- University of Cambridge — Does school choice help or hinder social mobility?
- Department for Education — KS2 and KS4 accountability methodology; Absence statistics