How Trafford Schools works

Editorial Policy

How we research, write, review and update everything on Trafford Schools.

Last updated September 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Parents rely on Trafford Schools to make important decisions, so accuracy is our first priority. Every factual claim on this site is grounded in an identifiable source – an official register, an inspection report, or a school's own published admissions policy – rather than opinion or hearsay.

How Information Is Sourced

Factual information on school profiles is drawn from official public sources, including:

  • The official schools register (establishment details, pupil numbers, facilities).
  • Ofsted inspection reports and published judgements.
  • Local authority and individual schools' published admissions policies.
  • Official performance and admissions outcomes data.

Our own editorial content – summaries, explanations and "what to know" guidance – is written and reviewed editorially, informed by the official data above and, where relevant, publicly available school communications.

How Often We Review Information

We update information as new source material is published and incorporated into Trafford Schools. Different datasets are released on different schedules, so the date or academic year shown alongside a figure is an important part of the information. Editorial guidance is reviewed when a significant change – such as a new Ofsted inspection or admissions policy – affects a school's profile.

How Updates Are Made

When official data changes, we update the relevant fields directly. When our own editorial guidance changes, an editor revises the content before it is published. Material factual corrections are handled under our Corrections Policy.

Facts vs. Editorial Guidance

Plain English

Information sourced from an official register, inspection report or published admissions document is presented as factual information. Explanations and interpretation written by Trafford Schools are presented as editorial guidance, not an official rating.

We keep these visually and structurally distinct throughout the site, so it's always clear whether you're reading verified data or our own analysis.

Our Commitment to Fairness

We aim to explain the evidence around every school fairly and in context. Where we publish performance tables, schools are ordered by the selected published measure; we do not present that as an overall judgement of which school is best. Our comparison tools are designed to help parents weigh the factors that matter to their own family.