Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Original poster

New primary school tables published today

55 replies

LunarSeasonsGreetings · 02/12/2004 12:23

Whether you agree with them or not - for info the latest primary school tables/results were published today - details are here .

Quite relieved to see that our local school, which changes in the way the admissions process is handled around here means we may be forced to go for, has increased from an overall score of 216 (very worrying) a couple of years ago to 266 (ok). I know it's not everything, but it's some reassurance at least.

OP posts:
Gobbledigoose · 02/12/2004 15:57

You see, they must be misleading - in the table for our borough there is a school that has a higher average point score than the one ds will go to, yet ds's school was in the top 200 in The Times while this other school didn't come in the top 500 at all.

I think I'm ignoring these in future as every table or whatever I look it is always different.

Uwila · 02/12/2004 16:08

But, you see, it give you an idea. It of course doesn't mean that just because your kid goes to school at school y, it will be the perfect school for him/her. But it does mean you can look at the tables and say, oh good they have high math scores, and I think math is really important because my child is gifted inmath but crap at reading. So then you know they are a pretty good fit on academics. But, you still have to look at things like, are the kids their happy. Some schools push the importance of test scores very hard, and some people think that is too much pressure for young children. You obviously have to visit the school, talk to some parents, and see what they think. But,I still say looking at the league tables does help me weed out some that are not up to snuff on academics.

It was all over the news this morning that Richmond was the number 1 LEA for the second year running.

SilentBite · 02/12/2004 16:12

That is Richmond upon thames, not Richmond in Yorks I take it....

Gobbledigoose · 02/12/2004 16:24

but where is the table comparing the boroughs?

though i suspect the affluent ones will be near the top!

LIZS · 02/12/2004 16:31

that site brings up Sunderland instead of Surrey !

ssd · 02/12/2004 16:34

Sorry if this has been answered, but I haven't read all of this thread...

Is the tables for England only, or does it include Scotland?

StuffTheMagicTurkey · 02/12/2004 16:48

The bbc website is good if you really want to "chew over" the figures.

Here it is

LIZS · 02/12/2004 16:53

Isn't the info on BBC site relating to last year (2003) though ?

Gobbledigoose · 02/12/2004 16:56

Hmmm - if you look at Aggregate scores there might be quite a difference but if you look at average scores there's hardly any difference - in my borough anyway.

For example, on aggregate scores in my borough school x is 3rd and school y is 22nd but if you look at average score, school x is 30.4 and school y is 30.1. Hardly any difference at all.

MoHoHo2 · 02/12/2004 16:57

OK - perhaps a stupid question, but are there any tables which compare Infant School i.e. those that only go from age 4-7 ?

I can't find anything about DS1's school anywhere...

StuffTheMagicTurkey · 02/12/2004 16:58

it says "England Primary Schools 2004", so I think its the most recent data.

StuffTheMagicTurkey · 02/12/2004 16:59

MoHoHo, its end of KS2 results, so no it won't show you info about infant schools.

StuffTheMagicTurkey · 02/12/2004 17:02

Interesting that Scotland is considering abolishing the tables.

happymerryberries · 02/12/2004 17:06

Wales has already ditched tests at KS1 and 2

Gobbledigoose · 02/12/2004 17:22

hmb - what do you think of league tables? Are they a pile of pants?!

happymerryberries · 02/12/2004 17:34

I'm not in primary. But I have yet to meet a primary teacher who doesn't know how her kids are doing far better than any test.

I don't like them that much in secondary, I think there is far too much 'coaching'' for the test. That said some form of formalised test is helpful for me, as I teach over 200 kids each week and I like 'hard figures' to help me to see their strengths and weaknesses. I don't think that they tell how good a school is.

Gobbledigoose · 02/12/2004 17:51

Right, that's interesting to hear. The primary ds1 will go to has dropped down quite a bit in the borough but still seems to be doing OK. The thing is though - I liked the feel of it, it's our local school and the facilities and extracurricular opportunities are way better than a couple of the schools right at the top of the table so I'm thinking this is OK and I'm still doing the right thing for ds1 - I want him to be well rounded and have the opportunity to do lots of different things rather than just getting A* in everything.

StuffTheMagicTurkey · 02/12/2004 18:07

That's exactly our sentiments about the school we're sending ds1 to gobbledigoose. The figures have no life in them so to speak, there is so very much more to a school than these numbers.

TheHollyAndTheTwiglett · 02/12/2004 18:11

I hate the tests ..in some schools, hot-housing for a term so that all the children do is practice taking tests .. Primary school should be about learning the fun of learning IYKWIM

I think we should focus on teacher assessment and scrap the tests

That said .. I checked them out and danced with glee as DS's school, the one that is about 30 ft from the back door, did really well and is improving significantly .. has done far better than the school that everyone pays an extra £90K for their houses to live near and where they are so snotty you want to 'punch them in the snook' ..

So in summation .. tests are pants scrap them, but DS's school did very well

Gobbledigoose · 02/12/2004 18:14

LOL Twiglett!!

There's actually very little between all our local ones in terms of actual scores - does anyone know what the 'average point score is'? Because the top in the borough got 30.5 and ds's school got 30.1 so not much difference at all.

Oh, why am I getting into it if it's all crap!

Gobbledigoose · 02/12/2004 18:21

OK, just looked it up on the site so know now what it is!

TinselTamum · 02/12/2004 18:57

I'm not sure about Scotland "considering abolishing" tables, Puff- they don't exist here do they? There is no testing in the same way as England, just for individual children as they're ready, so I can't see how they could compare schools really. I've certainly never seen any tables for primary schools. They do them for secondary by comparing Standards and Highers, but that's all I think. Can't say I'm sorry not to have to worry about it

SantaFio2 · 02/12/2004 19:03

I dont get it our table for 2miles radius, lowest percentage 25.8 highest 29.1%

what does it all actually mean?

with dd's school i knew all A's in ofsted meant good, but i am flumuxed with this!

SantaFio2 · 02/12/2004 19:06

at L4 and above the percentage is for, still have no idea

StuffTheMagicTurkey · 02/12/2004 19:13

Tamum, I was looking at the "School Tables to be Scrapped" story on the bbc league tables page.