New reports currently compare metrics like capacity of special schools to other schools in their phase, not other specialist settings New reports currently compare metrics like capacity of special schools to other schools in their phase, not other specialist settings More from this theme Recent articles Ofsted is considering removing national data comparators for special schools from its report cards, following concerns that labelling them “well below average” for pupil numbers could confuse and mislead parents. The report cards provide contextual data about schools to parents, but for metrics like school capacity and pupil demographics Ofsted compares special schools to mainstream schools within the same age phase. For instance, the report for Rotherham-based The Willows School shows 100 per cent of pupils have EHCPs. But it is unusual for pupils to attend a special school without a plan. Yet the report card claimed this is “well above” a national average of 3.1 per cent. Warren Carratt Special schools tend to be considerably smaller than mainstream schools, especially at secondary phase. Analysis of government data shows …