League tables

[GeBree]

Seeking some advice please.

How important are school league tables? Should I choose a school performing better that’s a few minutes drive away or one that is a 10 minute walk away performing less well but not badly? They are all “good” schools according to Ofsted. New to this and v confused.

League tables mostly tell you about the intake of the school. You can probably work that out yourself from the area the school is in :)

Historically there was a school near us that got stellar results, but the children all came from naice middle class, involved, educated families with very little SEN, lots of whom were tutored. By and large the children could have probably played in the mud all day and still got great results (ok, slight exaggeration, but hopefully you get my point)

All other things being equal, I'd go for a local school over one that was a drive away any day.

Thanks redsky. I do wonder though, if the catchment school has a mixed intake, will the school struggle to challenge the more able children or indeed, offer the relevant support to children who need it.

Unfortunately, if you are new to an area you are going to have to talk to local parents to find out about schools e.g. using the playground in the local parks near the schools.

If you are like the parents RedskyAtnight then it won't matter what primary school your child goes to.

I do wonder though, if the catchment school has a mixed intake, will the school struggle to challenge the more able children or indeed, offer the relevant support to children who need it.

It really depends on the school. Schools with less mixed intakes can equally be very bad at dealing with children who don't fit in their "standard mould". Your best bet as RedRum says is to canvas local opinion.

It's so hard to know. Often the failing schools get money pumped in, an exec head to sort out SLT and put measures in place to enhance results.

'Outstanding' schools can drop under the radar for a good few years and then they end up 'failing'.

Do not underestimate the benefit of being able to walk to school.

Thanks all. Any views on undersubscribed schools that are ‘good’?

There could be any number of reasons for a 'good' school to be undersubscribed.

Several other schools in the area might also be unsubscribed. It might not be many people's closest school. All the other local schools might be outstanding. It might have worse results. It might have weaker facilities. It might be too small. It might be too large. It might not have such a 'naice' intake. There might be an outdated perception in the area that another school nearby is the 'go-to' school. It might not have been inspected for several years, and actually be awful. It might be due an inspection and be fantastic. It might not be a feeder school for the best secondaries in the area. It might be trickily situated for pick-ups and drop-offs. It might be a church school in an area where church schools are undesirable. It might not be a church school in an area where church schools are sought-after. Etc.

Ofsted results and league tables are useful, but only tell part of the story.

@RedskyAtnight
League tables mostly tell you about the intake of the school. You can probably work that out yourself from the area the school is in

Sorry, that's not strictly true. It depends on which league table is being used. An attainment-based league table may be linked to the background of the pupils in some cases. However, in a progress-based league table, it is far easier to get a higher position if you children come from weaker starts. It's a common misconception that the more 'advantaged' your area is, the higher the league table position.

@GeBree
The important measures to look at are the data on percentage attainment at the expected standard and at the higher standard and the data on progress made by subject.

There are loads of brilliant schools that don't boss league tables due to intake and demographic etc
Massive insight is CV-19 provision