What % SATS results is good in a state primary?

[booflebean]

Currently looking at the league tables of our local state primaries and wondering what you would class as a "good" / "strong" % for a school to be reaching in Eng/Maths/Science?

There is no magic % figure, it all depends on what they have to work with at the beginning and what the make up of the area is. Contextual value added is a much better indicator of a schools effectiveness anything over 100 means that the school is adding value.

As PP says it entirely depends on the school intake.

In the leafy middle class area full of pushy parents close to us, they generally get 100% at Level 4 SATS. In DS's very mixed school with high numbers of children with SEN and FSM children, they struggle to get the national average (which I think, and someone will probably correct me, is around 65% Level 4 in maths and English).

Bear in mind that in a small school, one child can be a huge 'percentage' -- in ds's year, each child was 8.3% of the total SATS score.

The three I am looking at are:

School 1) Maths 90%, English 90%, Intake 30, Value added 100.4

School 2) Maths 100%, Engligh 92%, Intake 20, Value added 100.6

School 3) Maths 93%, English 91%, Intake 60, Value added 101

They all look pretty good don't they?

Value added is a good indicator but its about more than that - diversity, inclusion, % of mobility of pupils, staff turnover and staff experience (look at average teacher pay), OFSTED report, parent perceptions etc etc.
Visit them and get a 'feel' for the school... meet the head, pastoral care person and take note of things as you are shown around - interesting displays of work - tick, good behaviour - tick, knowledge of staff of pupils - tick, varied curriculum - tick etc
Then, speak to other parents in the area (lots of them) what do they think? What do the children think?
Primary school isn't all about academic results - any school can 'teach to the test', its about preparing them for later life and making them resilient, independent learners.

Boofle,

read the Ofsted reports and find out % free school meals, proportion of SEN, and whether they say that the school is in an area of (e.g.) 'comparative social advantage'.

Those results are good .... but if it's a 'leafy suburb' type school, it OUGHT to be that good. And some such schools 'manage out' children who are not going to 'help their figures'.

Speak to as many parents as you possibly can, including (or in fact esepcially) parents of children who are struggling or have SEN. If a school is good for children with SEN AND has good final results, it's definitely one to look at!

I would definitely take the SATS results with a pinch of salt. ds left y6 in July, the school got 95%+ in Maths & Eng at L4 & 66% at level 5 in both Maths & English but I wouldn't recommend the school at all. Next years results won't be of as high a standard as there is a different yeargroup & ds2's year group (currently year 5) won't be anything like as good either.

Ds1 never had more than 24 in his class, lots of children were tutored for the 11+ and he was very fortunate with his teachers, most of whom have now left the school and have been replaced with much less experienced teachers.

I would be trying to find out about staff turnover & go to the Christmas Fairs & strike up conversations with parents to find out what the school is really like. I would remove my ds2 in a flash if I had a better option. Good luck with your search!

Thanks all - very helpful advice!

They all look fine on paper. Now it's time to visit the school.