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Original poster

School comparison data

31 replies

SpicyTomatos · 12/12/2024 12:13

I've downloaded all the comparison data for all schools, so I've now got hundreds of metrics that I could use to compare schools. I think I need to trim this down to a handful.

Which metrics do people think are important and why?

I feel like "% of pupils achieving the English Baccalaureate with 9-5 passes" sounds like a decent one, but then there is the percentage of kids who actually enter the English Baccalaureate, and if this is low, then clearly the overall percentage will be low. Plus this can be measured based on whether the children are disadvantaged or not, so I'm wondered whether I should pick the one that applies to mine.

I appreciate I'm overthinking this, but I was hoping for some thoughts from other overthinkers.

OP posts:
clary · 12/12/2024 12:56

Great post from @handmademitlove

Yes there will not be an ebacc figure without the MFL element as it wouldn't be the ebacc! I do think even without considering MFL it is flawed as a measure. If you are particularly keen that your DC takes MFL and there is a decent take-up, you could ask that separately.

handmademitlove · 12/12/2024 12:34

It depends what your focus is. Different schools suit different children - data can not help you with that.

Ebacc is a good example - Some schools will constrain GCSE options to ensure all students take Ebacc choices, thus ensuring a high level of students entered. But that is not necessarily in the best interests of the student. Ebacc includes more traditionally academic choices such as humanities or languages. But for students who are less academic, or prefer the arts, Ebacc doesn't work.

Progress 8 is considered to be a good measure of how successful a school is. But the data is skewed in favour of high achieving students and so schools with higher academic intake, statistically, get higher progress 8 scores.

I would say look at what your child is like - do they need additional support? are they academic or do they prefer arts / practical subjects? what curriculum does the school offer?

What is the profile of the school - in terms of free school meals / english as an additional language / ethnicity / send? Will your child stand out or fit in? Does this matter to you?

If you are a data oriented person, you need to delve deeper that the surface. If your child in a high achiever, how do the high achieving children at the school do? what are the attendance levels like for high achieving children? What are the grades like for the subjects they are interested in? (With a disclaimer that subject specific info is only as good as the current staff and this can change a lot between yr7 and yr11!)

The only way to understand a school really is to go and see and talk with the staff.

Original poster
SpicyTomatos · 12/12/2024 12:32

clary · 12/12/2024 12:21

I don’t personally think the ebacc is a particularly valid measure; if a school forced it on students then IME lots will do badly at (usually) MFL. If it’s not mandatory (my preference) then yes, the figure may be low. But that doesn’t mean it’s a poor school.

P8, figures for Eng and maths is where I would prefer to look. But all the data in the world will not tell you where might suit your dc, assuming you do have a realistic choice.

Yes, I think I agree with the point on languages. They provide the data for the constituent parts, but I don't think there is an ebac without languages result.

I'm not convinced that English and maths is wide enough though so perhaps I need to look at the results across several key subjects e.g. English, maths, humanities and sciences.

I need to look into the Progress 8 score. I think I read they were stopping it though.

And yes, there are other factors involved in school selection.

OP posts:
Original poster
SpicyTomatos · 12/12/2024 12:22

handmademitlove · 12/12/2024 12:18

What question are you trying to answer?

Which is the best school for my kids and whether there is much difference between the schools. I appreciate there are many factors and people have different opinions. I'm keen to hear them.

OP posts:
clary · 12/12/2024 12:21

I don’t personally think the ebacc is a particularly valid measure; if a school forced it on students then IME lots will do badly at (usually) MFL. If it’s not mandatory (my preference) then yes, the figure may be low. But that doesn’t mean it’s a poor school.

P8, figures for Eng and maths is where I would prefer to look. But all the data in the world will not tell you where might suit your dc, assuming you do have a realistic choice.

handmademitlove · 12/12/2024 12:18

What question are you trying to answer?