Progress 8

[TudorHouse]

If you had a choice between two schools, both offering the same-ish SEN support, one with a progress 8 of 0.18 and one with a P8 of 0.49 which one would you choose? Both the same size intake but second (0.49) is undersubscribed so the confidence interval is wider than the first.

How much should P8 scores (especially as both fall into the above average category) influence a decision?

It's one third of a grade higher across every subject on average.

All other things being equal I would think that was pretty good, but it isn't so wide a difference as to turn it into a no brainer for me. Therefore I would look at pastoral care, location, GCSE options, additional activities, ofsted etc as well.

Pastoral care both good I think.
Location both in other town so would need to drive either way. Only a few minutes differences tbh.
Where would I get GCSE information?
Further away school with higher P8 has free breakfast club which is useful and makes timings a bit easier for other siblings.

Basically we got turned down on nearest (lower P8) school under rule 2 ( we have spoken on another thread under a different name, but please don't link the two!) so now having to look seriously at our back up option.

We put it down as ds was torn between the two but paed recommended the first and it is always undersubscribed so we are pretty sure if we don't get our first choice in general admissions then we will get this one. But actually it does sound better doesn't it? I guess it was the distance putting me off.

With confidence intervals, it could be that there's really nothing in it between them.

Also as this measure was introduced after the year group had taken their options which affect the score, schools which didn't push ebacc subjects over ones like RE or music will look worse than a school that didn't do so well with its kids but had more take ebacc options.

I haven't told ds, although I suspect he won't take it well. He has said he wants to take it as far as he can to get into closer school I.e. Appeal. But I don't think we have a basis for appeal?

re GCSE options. If you look on the schools websites between now and 1st April (or whenever the allocations come out), if you are lucky then at some point 'options' information for current y9s (or possibly y8s) will be published somewhere. (For DD's school it is on the parents letters page).

There you might be able to see how they do options blocking, who gets to do triple science etc. Note that things can change in the next few years but it might give an idea as to the ethos of how it all works.

(But this may be too low on your list of criteria to worry about.)

I have just read an Ofsted Report which criticised a school for spending too much time and effort on pastoral care whilst ignoring how teachers assessed the needs of the SEN pupils in the classroom and did not ensure the SEN pupils made good progress. So make sure classroom practice is going to meet the needs of your child. That would be my priority I think.

I will scour the websites, thank you.

Both of stead good but Could I pmsomeone the school so they can take a look and tell me what they think? I have been so bogged down in getting the rule 2 evidence that I am having to rethink everything and losing perspective.