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Best state schools the UK

27 replies

Imbusytodaysorry · 26/01/2024 10:15

Hi wondering what everyone’s opinions are on the above .
Thinking of a whole relocate .
What are the best state schools in the UK are these in Scotland or England would you say ?
Is this personal choice or based on statistics .

I found an article on a particular area and was impressed by the amount of achievement .

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 26/01/2024 10:44

Depends on your personal opinion of "best".
Good exam results doesn't mean best to me.

BIWI · 26/01/2024 10:46

I can't see the table/results, as The Times has a paywall, so I have no idea what the criteria are that have been used - presumably exam results, as I'm not sure how other elements could be measured?

But I agree with @Needmorelego, there's a lot more to a school than its exam results.

twistsnterns · 26/01/2024 10:59

BIWI · 26/01/2024 10:46

I can't see the table/results, as The Times has a paywall, so I have no idea what the criteria are that have been used - presumably exam results, as I'm not sure how other elements could be measured?

But I agree with @Needmorelego, there's a lot more to a school than its exam results.

There was a whole thread on it a few weeks ago, with gifted links (no paywall). It's a results-based ranking, but based on schools that opt in and publish their unverified results early. It isn't a full league table of government-verified data. Many people have said their schools aren't listed yet do just as well or better.

Government data can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/school-performance-tables. If you're good with Excel you can download the underlying data set and make your own league tables using whatever parameters are important to you.

Compare the performance of schools and colleges in England

Check school performance tables (‘league tables’), Ofsted reports and financial information.

https://www.gov.uk/school-performance-tables

Riverlee · 26/01/2024 11:03

What’s your house budget, or job requirements, because this will affect where you end up?

Kent is a strong grammar area so these are considered good schools.

Areas in Hertfordshire, Cheshire and Surrey, for example, are expensive to live and have schools that are highly rated.

However, other schools are better at developing their kids, and show a better improvement from start to finish.

Do you want a school that produces results, gives a good school life, is nurturing etc. There’s lots of factors that could define ‘good’.

Riverlee · 26/01/2024 11:04

Also, the better s hooks may have tiny catchment areas and/or be over subscribed, so that’s another factor to consider

madderthanahatter · 26/01/2024 11:05

I'd be interested in the thread, if anyone can link please?

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 26/01/2024 11:22

Silverdale in Sheffield is brilliant. Located on the edge of the Peak District. High house prices though.

twistsnterns · 26/01/2024 12:32

madderthanahatter · 26/01/2024 11:05

I'd be interested in the thread, if anyone can link please?

This was one of them. There may have been others: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4954734-the-times-school-rankings

Imbusytodaysorry · 26/01/2024 15:29

Riverlee · 26/01/2024 11:04

Also, the better s hooks may have tiny catchment areas and/or be over subscribed, so that’s another factor to consider

This is what I was thinking myself.

OP posts:
Imbusytodaysorry · 26/01/2024 15:33

Needmorelego · 26/01/2024 10:44

Depends on your personal opinion of "best".
Good exam results doesn't mean best to me.

A happy child is the end game , but I wondered everyone’s views on “what the best was”

I had read that Kent has the best schools . 93% had all got passes in levels a-c Thais was about 7 years ago now but I was impressed .

Are there schools in Scotland that are classed as “good” as those schools in Kent.?

OP posts:
Imbusytodaysorry · 26/01/2024 15:38

Riverlee · 26/01/2024 11:03

What’s your house budget, or job requirements, because this will affect where you end up?

Kent is a strong grammar area so these are considered good schools.

Areas in Hertfordshire, Cheshire and Surrey, for example, are expensive to live and have schools that are highly rated.

However, other schools are better at developing their kids, and show a better improvement from start to finish.

Do you want a school that produces results, gives a good school life, is nurturing etc. There’s lots of factors that could define ‘good’.

Kent is the area and schools that got me thinking.

What’s everyone’s views on the English /Scottish difference in education

OP posts:
aintnospringchicken · 26/01/2024 15:40

East Renfrewshire in Scotland has some of the best schools in Scotland if you want to go by league tables.
I don't think you can compare them with schools in Kent as Scotland has a different education system.

shepherdsangeldelight · 26/01/2024 15:46

Are your children pre-school age, or already school age?
If the latter, then you knowing what the best schools are won't help you. You need to identify the "best schools that have places".

shepherdsangeldelight · 26/01/2024 15:51

Imbusytodaysorry · 26/01/2024 15:33

A happy child is the end game , but I wondered everyone’s views on “what the best was”

I had read that Kent has the best schools . 93% had all got passes in levels a-c Thais was about 7 years ago now but I was impressed .

Are there schools in Scotland that are classed as “good” as those schools in Kent.?

It seems highly unlikely that any county was getting 93% in Levels A to C.
Are you sure you weren't just looking at grammar schools?

Riverlee · 26/01/2024 20:03

Was that Judd school? it’s not indicative for the county as such.

I think the best thing you can do is to choose a few areas you like, and then look at the school.

Also, how old are your children now? A change of head can make a real difference to a school (good and bad), so an outstanding school now couid be Good in five years time (or vice versa).

mybrainisfull · 27/01/2024 12:53

Schools can change drastically in a matter of 5 years or so. So it depends how old your DC are.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 27/01/2024 14:18

They haven’t changed in 25 years round me.

Needmorelego · 27/01/2024 14:27

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow blimey where do you live that your local schools haven't been taken over by an academy trust?
That's like the standard these days (and what the government wants).
(Assuming you are in England - apologies if you're not).

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 27/01/2024 14:37

They’ve been taken over by academies. But the Ofsted ratings and general demands for the schools haven’t changed. They are always massively oversubscribed.

Needmorelego · 27/01/2024 15:05

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow they won't be exactly the same school though as 25 years ago.
Different staff, changes to the curriculum and exam systems all mean schools change all the time.
Being in demand and over subscribed could just be down to the population levels where you live.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 27/01/2024 15:42

But l worked in one for 25 years. It didn’t change that much. It was oversubscribed because it was consistently a really good school.

So was the one up the road.

Some schools can change. But lots stay the same. They’re are 3 secondaries round me. They are all oversubscribed and have been for all the time I’ve lived here. Always highly oversubscribed. They are the most popular schools in the city. It’s not changed in a long time. Actually l think it must be 30 years. My nephew went to one, but his friend didn’t get a place.

Needmorelego · 27/01/2024 15:46

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow but the curriculums and exam system was different 25 years ago (GCSEs had more coursework etc).
You can't completely compare like for like.
The government is currently faffing around with T-Levels and trying to get rid of btec.
Education is constantly changing.
I wouldn't pick a place to live purely on what schools are in the area.

Dinoland · 27/01/2024 15:47

QEHS in Hexham is excellent

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 27/01/2024 15:49

Needmorelego · 27/01/2024 15:46

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow but the curriculums and exam system was different 25 years ago (GCSEs had more coursework etc).
You can't completely compare like for like.
The government is currently faffing around with T-Levels and trying to get rid of btec.
Education is constantly changing.
I wouldn't pick a place to live purely on what schools are in the area.

But l would.

Yes the curriculum has changed but not drastically. I mean the same subjects are still delivered.But l was responding to the poster who said schools can change, assuming she meant that a good school can become bad or vice versa.

l was just pointing out that this isn’t always the case. An oversubscribed school in a high house price area with good exam results is likely to stay that way.

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