What would you think if this was your local state option

Much better than our local schools, students still went on to study vet med, med, dentistry and some got in to Oxbridge.

Have a good dig into the results for your county/borough. E.g. if you live somewhere like Shropshire, this would be one the best performing schools. https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/schools-by-type?step=default&table=schools&region=893&geographic=la&for=secondary
But if you live in Kingston, one of the worst. https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/schools-by-type?step=default&table=schools&region=314&geographic=la&for=secondary

I think it’s very similar to latest set of results for my local comp- broadly 21% 9-7 for eng language and 26% 9/7 for maths. Overall 9-7 is 31% largely due to science propping everything else up. The school is pretty pleased with the results but I don’t love it but it is above national average. The better comp that we won’t get into is 40% 9-7 and better for English and maths.

You just can’t compare to the selective private schools. It’s just a completely different beast and completely different cohort.
Private school 1 (v selective): 72% grade 9
Private school 2: (selective) 84% 9/7
Private school 3: (least selective) maths 90% 9/7 or English 71% 9-7

PS @Rosienose the 2024 national data has been delayed but should be available in the next few weeks so you will have more up-to-date figures to help inform your choice.

If we are going to compare obtusity, we might wonder about the motivations of someone who seemingly has no intention of using a state school blundering onto a thread to declare that a set of data in excess of national outcomes across all measures is 'appalling', and in so doing betraying their ignorance of a) comprehensive schools and b) the general purpose of the state education system.

Given that you have now twice refused to engage with the substance of my posts I can only conclude that you're here for a little provocation and wish you a pleasant day.

Echoing @clary's apologies for my part in the derail, @Rosienose. The data you have posted is decent for a comprehensive school.

I’m sorry @Rosienose that this has swished into a private vs state debate a bit.

My post was intended to respond to the PP who wanted private school outcomes (and tbh good outcomes even for a private school) from all or most or some state schools. That's surely impossible. 70% of students gaining grade 7+ in English and maths is not gonna happen in a state comp.

I was not intending to start the VAT hare or indeed any other debate. I still maintain that I would expect better outcomes (= roughly but not only higher exam grades) for DC if they were privately educated (otherwise why pay?) but I am not in any way saying that state education is not good enough. All my DC were state educated and I am happy with that.

You have been sold a pup.

I can only presume you are being deliberately obtuse.

You said 'point of need' which I'd argue has a slightly different implication but OK, if you like. It's highly, highly relevant that the country has a population who have been educated to a universal basic standard and if you don't understand that this is the purpose of a state education system then I can't help you.

I am super excited to hear how you would intend to recompense child-free adults for the state education that they do not directly use 'at point of use / need'. Obviously HMRC would have to claim it back if they went on to have a state-educated child. It would be very tricky to calculate the appropriate relief if business owners were to make profits due to the labour of state-educated staff. Gosh. What a pickle.

I'm not a Labour voter, but I do agree with this policy.

You are living in a bubble.

But I get that you're upset at having to pay more, and therefore spitting feathers.

You appear to have ignored “point of use” which makes your comment irrelevant.

That is a ridiculous take on matters and is absolutely not what VAT is designed for.

Any progressive government would incentivise private education. Many countries give parents the equivalent state school spend to put towards fees or offer huge income tax relief to encourage more people to use such schools.

Unfortunately we are left with one of the worst ideologically driven governments in the western world. We have become a global laughing stock.

Many Labour voters don’t realise they are supporting matters getting worse for themselves in a misguided attempt to attack others who are in a better position than they are. I know who the winners in all this will be and it won’t be the tax payer or users of state schools.

No, they are paying the same as everyone else for state education because they are just as entitled to use it as anyone else.

The VAT helps to compensate for the damage they do to it.

Out of interest, are there any countries who give non-parents tax relief for the state schooling that they do not use?

This is such a silly argument and I can't believe people still trot it out. The purpose of state education is to produce a populace with a decent universal standard of compulsory education, which is of benefit to everyone, regardless of whether or not they or their children directly use the service.

They are already penalised for this by still paying for state education they don’t use at point of need.

Many countries give parents income tax relief if they use private schools. Nowhere else taxes them.

I’d bite their hands off to get my kids a place! My two local secondaries have 11% pass rate and the better school 18% pass rate. I think it depends on your other options, is this the best of a bad bunch or this there a better option?

Do you understand the concept of comprehensive schools?

"But having a class of 15 rather than 32, having poor behaviour managed out, having fewer students with SEN, because they can be refused as "not suitable for this school", all students having engaged parents and support at home, from help with homework to ability to buy books and provide a safe space for study, must lead to better outcomes for the DC in those classes."

Of course. In an ideal world you would want every school to have an identical intake profile. That is why the 20% VAT on private schools is justified - when parents buy exclusivity for their own children, they are negatively impacting their local state schools, by depriving them of the positive influence those children would have on their school population and results.

Yes I agree that the bright DC at the private school could have achieved good grades at a state school. I never said otherwise. And I also understand how the exam system works.

But having a class of 15 rather than 32, having poor behaviour managed out, having fewer students with SEN, because they can be refused as "not suitable for this school", all students having engaged parents and support at home, from help with homework to ability to buy books and provide a safe space for study, must lead to better outcomes for the DC in those classes.

Yes of course state school parents can be supportive and have a positive view of education (I do!) and provide resources as needed. And I would hope that my individual DC did as well or just about as well in their state school as they would have done in a private school. But overall the outcomes are bound to be better.

@clary , you are being disingenuous.

The national profile of grades is set by the exam boards. The "pass mark" for any individual subject is determined after the papers are marked, so that a proportion pass and the rest fail. It is literally impossible for everyone to pass. Failure is baked into the system.

The outcome for individual schools is dependent on the profile of their students as much as the quality of their teaching and is (imperfectly) measured by Progress 8. Private schools don't have Progress 8 scores so it is impossible to measure how good they are compared to state schools.

Spending £££ on selective private schooling guarantees some immunity from having to rub shoulders with children who are destined to get low grades, but there is no proof that it buys better grades than could be achieved by the same children at a good state school.

I’d always assumed the gap between the non-selective private school and best state schools was less than it appears to be.

Then I am afraid you are a bit naive @Treetops719. If it was possible to gain the toppest of top results in a state school for free, why would anyone shell out £15-£25k a year for private education? Of course you get a better outcome. For the reasons I and others have detailed above. I find it hard to believe that anyone is surprised at this.

Nationally, fewer than 20% gain 7+ in maths alone, so for one school to post a figure of 70% shows they have some very bright pupils or excellent progress, or both.

Dw tho @Rosienose the state school you are quoting has very good results, above average in all areas.

I’ve gone down a rabbit hole. Look at this poor school. Even high previous attainers aren’t passing maths/English GCSEs!
www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/136401/the-hastings-academy/secondary/results-by-pupil-characteristics?accordionstate=1

National attainment is decided each year. It's pretty fixed.

I would think they were good results and would be happy if my kids went there.