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Original poster

SundayTimes Top 100 League Table

107 replies

Judy1234 · 18/11/2007 12:04

I wonder why today's table for top 100 secondaries - state and private merged is not on line. Anyway it's interesting in general. 18 state schools in the top 100 and my older children's old schools at I think placed 2, 12 and 18. I think 5 year averages are fairer. No state school in the top 20.

Interesting article says that although some state schools do get good A level results although they're completely eclipsed by the private schools who only educate 7% of children, they aren't as good at getting into university and that perhaps the reason is the schools don't educate broadly and roundly beyond cramming for exams.

OP posts:
TheQueenOfQuotes · 21/11/2007 10:14

DS1's potential state secondary is on the list (which I'm not surprised about).....just as I'm not surprised to NOT find any of the 3 secondary school actually in our town on the list

Enid · 21/11/2007 10:04

why arent all schools in list?

Enid · 21/11/2007 10:03

although having said all that...very pleased to see that dd1s potential state secondary has blown the traditionally brilliant state secondary (which we are not in catchment for and were considering moving for) out of the water

EmsMum · 21/11/2007 10:01

I'm sure a lot of Pius kids do go to Stoneyhurst, it being RC - if you are a catholic then I can see why you might fall in love with it (its a beautiful place to stroll round!). But if you're not a catholic then its not an obvious choice;I guess with SMH and Pius nearby catholics are probably underrepresented at HP.

Theres quite a lot of destination schools - some opt for state (if in the catchment and v academic then Lancaster Royal and Girls grammars); other popular ones are Kirkham, Arnold, Westholme and Bolton. 2 boys went on to Stoneyhurst last year.

Anyhow - Fulwood is a nice bit of Preston and certainly good for access to motorways.

twinsetandpearls · 21/11/2007 01:13

I may have a look at Highfield Priory.

twinsetandpearls · 21/11/2007 01:01

Emsmum I will need a local knowledge later, we know the Penwortham end of Preston well as that is where my late in laws lived, we are choosing fulwood as the school bus for St Mary's Hall and Stonyurst picks up there, it is close to the M55 for mine and dp work and it is not Penwortham as dp has too many memories there because of his parents who recently passed away one of which was suicide.

The fees are high at both SMH and SH but not that much higher than previous places we had considered , we had looked at Kirkham Grammar as well, but i want her to go to a Catholic school as I think she gets a lot from being part of such a community and as a family it adds to our spiritual life. The fact that S and SMH are Jesuit schools is a bonus but not a necessity but for our family Catholic education is a must.

My statement out Highfield Priory was an assumption if I am being honest. We had looked at St Pius prep in Fulwood but were told that many of them go onto to Stonyhurst so thought we may as well send dd there from the beginning for continuity. DD has had a lot of upheaval in her life and I want her to change schools as little as possible.

What do you mean by low ranking for the area? I know its academic results are not outstanding but tbh dd is a clever little button and will do well whereever she goes, if we stayed in this town she would be going to the local state catholic secondary. We liked SMH and S because of the extra curricular oppurtunities and because dd hgas fallen in love with it. Although there are some problems with her current primary she is happy there but she wants to leave to go to SMH.

DD is 6 there is a place for her in her year group.

I was given the impression that there was competition for places onces they get to the college , and I know that numbers are rising.

Out of interest where do they go from Highfield Priory?

CharlesandEddie · 20/11/2007 23:01

'they also have choice to home educate'

tell that to a single mother of four in tower hamlets

Original poster
Judy1234 · 20/11/2007 22:04

I think there a really good tool to give parents the ability to compare schools and most parents appreciate them. You might well the best school in Devon say but if the results in all schools in Devon are rubbish then a parent has a right to know that.

Many parents don't have a choice, I agree because they can't afford to pay and don't have the talents or abilities or luck to earn enough to pay fees or because there is no choice locally - only one state secondary. So yes many might move from inner London to commuterland to get a better school but I'm not sure they do that all over the country. They also have a choice to home educate.

Surely there will always be some schools better than others unless you deliberately bus poor children into areas where rich middle classes use the state schools (and perhaps ban private schools and home education too) and then I suppose you would get a mix which isn't dependent on house prices.

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LoveAngelGabriel · 20/11/2007 19:28

What the league tables have done is given parents information which 30 years ago only certain clued up parents could find out or know and others chose blind. Now there's more democracy in a sense because parents who can be bothered can look these things up....' - Xenia

What absolute rubbish, Xenia.

What most parents want is a system like there is in many other European countries - where all children go to their local school, which provides the same (or a similar) standard of (decent) education. NOT this ridiculously angst-inducing bunfight situation we find ourselves in in the UK. What choice do parents have? The choice to move to another area in order to give your child a good education - which only the middle and upper middle classes can do. The 'choice' to send your child to a selective 'grammar' - so only academically outstanding children are entitled to a good education now, are they?
Or perhaps you are talking about the choice to send your child to a private school (if you're rich) or a sink school (if you're poor).

I think these league tables are dreadful, and only serve as a huge pat on the back those who are rich enough or lucky enough to be able to send their children to 'the best schools in the country'. And I am not talking bitterly - we are lucky that we have some great schools on our doorstep...but what about those who aren't that lucky?

EmsMum · 20/11/2007 09:27

Twinset - we're in a village just up from Fulwood. If you need a fund of local knowledge...

Having worked out which other school you're planning on - I wouldn't say many HP pupils go on there, just a few who live out in that direction. Unless you actually want a Jesuit school (which presumably you do), its relatively low ranking and - for the area - anomalously high fees are not attractive. The general assumption is you're paying a huge premium for fabulous buildings and grounds!

If you sent your DD to HP now, its unlikely there would be a problem with the S. entrance exam and you'd save a lot of travel time and dosh meanwhile. How old's your DD now?

Original poster
Judy1234 · 20/11/2007 05:50

It is a rare parent who isn't wanting their children to do well. I don't think you can even say it's a class thing.

In many parts of the country there is no choice of school or at least of state school so it's not an issue.

Of course they want to go where their friensd go. One reason to send them to a private prep too. They follow the herd - same with teenagers. If 99% of the class go to good universities with high A level results even weak teenagers then follow the norm and their friends.

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scienceteacher · 20/11/2007 05:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

CharlesandEddie · 19/11/2007 23:10

thank gawd for science teacher

twinsetandpearls · 19/11/2007 22:57

I don't know where your neck of the woods is Emsmum! We will be moving to Fulwood hopefully over the summer.

twinsetandpearls · 19/11/2007 22:56

slightly uncalled for enid she says trying to remember the last dinner party she went to [hmmm]

twinsetandpearls · 19/11/2007 22:55

scienceteacher they take a fair few from
St John's Beaumont as it is another jesuit school. other Catholic prep kids come to us or our slighter posher cousin in Yorkshire. Of course it goes without saying that the bright catholics all stay down south

EmsMum · 19/11/2007 22:20

Twinset - From your earlier posts I deduce you are moving to my neck of the woods!

Enid · 19/11/2007 22:09

send them to the nearest school that their friends are going to

job done

mind you, what would you talk about at dinner parties then ?

Original poster
Judy1234 · 19/11/2007 22:03

I don't see what's wrong with parents being interested in their children's schooling as much as their food or their health. It's a natural concern.

What the league tables have done is given parents information which 30 years ago only certain clued up parents could find out or know and others chose blind. Now there's more democracy in a sense because parents who can be bothered can look these things up.

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Enid · 19/11/2007 21:50

god listen to you all

[remembers why she left mumsnet]

Hulababy · 19/11/2007 21:49

tsap - thanks. Found it before. Still can't find the school I was looking for though.

twinsetandpearls · 19/11/2007 21:47

you can search it hula, there is a search option at the top of the page.

Hulababy · 19/11/2007 21:41

Xenia - think it must be about not having the data in on time. I know that even when I worked there they always left it until the compulsary dte for state schools, and therefore never appeared in the very early versions on the league tables. I know that the results were good this year also, so that isn't the issue.

Original poster
Judy1234 · 19/11/2007 20:55

The IB ones I know of Sevenoaks and NLCS are on the list.
Why the very good state school might not be on I don't know. Sometimes a school forgets to send in data. Sometimes it's a very good school but has a very bad year - happens to all schools. Some schools have refused to give any data at all about results (in the private sector) - I can't remember which but one has refused this year.

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scienceteacher · 19/11/2007 20:48

As for IB schools, they are still relatively few that do exclusively IB in their sixth forms, and those that do will not give a jot about league tables.

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