can some one explain the school league tables?

[notanidea]

DH has been offered a job in birmingham (not dudley as I have said in one of my other threads as the job is in dudley road)
It is has been suggested that the schools there are exeptional so I thought I will look up FT league table.Our DD is going to start a small coed private school in sept -music oriented( she is musical and plays two instruments) and is bright academically.The school she is going to go to in sept has 38 pupils at ALEVEL and send 6-7 to oxford and very good number to the top universities(looked at their website)tbh when we decided this school we liked the atmosphere and the acct they place a lot of emphasis on music.Our friends rave about schools in Birmingham.A part of me says to conitnue the school she is in but am I being naive in rejecting to go to Birmingham.He also has an interview where we live this week so hopefully he gets the job here.I am not sure what I am doing is the right thing. I was not edducated in this country so it is all new to me.

The private Prep schools, the private (independent) senior schools and state grammar senior schools are exceptional in Birmingam.

Howevever, your DD is in a good school that suits her and I would not fret.

We deliberately sent DSs to less academic Prep school than they were capable of getting into so they could develop all their skills and have a decent school life. The senior school they will go to sounds very simlar to where your DD is. Very musical but a good number into Oxford. My only concern with your choice is whether the 6th form is just unsustainable with 38 pupils.

We looked at several Preps in Birmingam and found the intense competition to get in quite off putting. The Prep schools in Birmingam are so intense because people are desperate to send their kids there so they can then pass the 11+ exams and get into the free but exceptional state grammar schools or the even more exceptional private (independent) senior schools. The intensity of competition to get into the senior schools in Birmingam is very intense and hence they can be very choosey about who they take. As a result, the league table positions of all the top Birmingham senior schools reflects the highly academic highly motivated intake they can choose from.

Would that atmosphere be right for your DD?

I don't think the regular 'league tables' will help you much. I'd look at the Times newspaper and the Good Schools Guide

Then go and visit

I am not sure even if she is capable off doing the 11 plus I dont want her to spend the next 2-3 years just preparing for this exam on the otherhand I would like her to develop her music potential and get an all round edducation in the end.