The Good Schools Guide

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The Good Schools Guide
Good Schools Guide logo.svg
AuthorVarious
LanguageEnglish
Genrenon-fiction
PublisherLucas Publications
Publication date
1986–present
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Media typePrint (Paperback) and Online
Website goodschoolsguide.co.uk OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The Good Schools Guide is a guide to British schools, both state and private.

Contents

Overview

The Good Schools Guide, according to the official website, "comprises some 50 editors, writers, researchers and contributors; mostly parents but some former headteachers." [1] The Guide is "written by parents for parents". Schools are not charged for their entry in the Guide, nor can they pay to be included, though featured schools may advertise on the website or in the print versions. Since the first edition in 1986, the full Guide has been republished 22 times. The chief editor is Ralph Lucas.

Other publications produced by The Guide include The Good Schools Guide – Special Education Needs, The Good Schools Guide International, [2] The Good Schools Guide London North, The Good Schools Guide London South and Uni in the USA . Good Schools Guide Education Consultants (formerly known as Advice Service) is its offshoot.

Style

The guide itself has a brisk, conversational and often irreverent style of review: the website states that because writers do not accept payment from the schools being reviewed, the guide is "in a position to be outspoken, to write and to advise [readers] impartially, without fear of being biased or having a conflict of loyalties." [3] The Times Educational Supplement stated that the guide is "...untroubled by the sensibilities of schools and ... cavalier in the face of squawks from those it has offended". [4]

Reviews

The Daily Telegraph reviewed the guide in the following terms: "Unique among the many guides available, it sets out to give frank answers to the questions every parent asks." [5] Similarly, the Financial Times called the guide "one of the best aids for parents...informative and witty." [6] The FT has also described the Guide as "one of Britain's leading guides to schools". [7] The Guardian repeatedly describes the Guide as "the bible for middle-class school choice" [8] [9]

International

The Good Schools Guide International (GSGI) is an online resource also edited by the guide with details of international schools in over 35 countries. The GSGI is aimed at English-speaking parents resident outside the UK who want an international education for their children.

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References

  1. Good Schools Guide
  2. "A Guide to the best international schools around the world". The Good Schools Guide. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  3. Good Schools Guide - Help and Advice
  4. "The Good Schools Guide - Shop". 2 January 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  5. "Moving to the UK – Choose a School". British German Association. Archived from the original on 26 July 2009. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  6. "TBP.Web". Tbpweb.tbpcontrol.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 October 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  7. Turner, David (6 September 2008). "Mixed outlook for boys-only learning". Financial Times. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  8. Weale, Sally (22 August 2016). "Third of Britain's Rio medallists went to private schools". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  9. Adams, Richard (5 February 2016). "'Massively' improved state schools threaten private sector". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 22 August 2016.