Oh joy. 31% of all pupils in our area got 5 GCSEs+

[tortoiseSHELL]

We are in a shockingly bad area for schools and in the latest batch of league tables, only 31% of children got 5+ GCSEs. The school which is our 'natural' secondary school got 23% (there is NO WAY my children are going there!). We are 3rd from bottom nationwide.

Every so often I get mild panics at the thought of secondary school (ds1 is fortunately only Y2 atm) - we couldn't afford private for more than 1 of them, and there is one possible good school. If we didn't get into that, then I just don't know what we would do.

Anyone else concerned?

Unfortunately choice is not always available. My daughters school only 21% got 5 or more GCSEs. It was 15% when she started.

Good sats at level 2 are not a guarantee either, she got level 5s and 6s.

While at the time I was very dissapointed, and early on we had to intervene as one of her teachers had even told the students he was not going to bother teaching them as they were not prepared to learn! Over all I have been very impressed with the school and as she is a special needs student I am convinced she would not have got on so well at the other local schools that are performing better.

She is predicted to get 5 or more GCSEs at A to A. Much better then many of her local peers going to much better schools. Her best friend, school has 59% achieving 5 or more at A - C is hoping to get at least D's on her exams, her sister managed one C.

The school we really wanted her to go to sounded ideal and in theory would have done really well. At the point she would have joined the school was still being built and only had two years in it. However from talking to parents they have a high exclusion rate for sn students.

League tables show only a small aspect of the school. For instance looking at the league table will not tell you the year she joined 40%+ had a reading age of 6 or below. Many of which had gone through one local primary school. Nor is it surprising that those at the top of the league tables tend to be selective schools.

What worries me much more is the threat that her school could be closed down for performing so badly. Not actually a real threat as it is becoming an academy next year. With Aspergers my daughter always had the potential to do well at school, what was more of a concern was her social well being and coping within a dynamic environment. The school's pastoral team are among the best in the LA and have worked miracles to keep her engaged. From talking to parents of similar children in better performing local schools I have serious doubts they would have coped as well with her.

Had the school been shut down while it was only achieving 15% of students achieving the magic top figures then the education system would most likely have failed my daughter.

That is not to say it is without serious problems. One boy stabbed in a gang fight, local businesses have serious problems with some of the students, at times large police presence at the end of the day. It is considered a sink hole for the worst of the local students.

Overall I'm happy with the school she is in.

TortoiseSHELL - I can really relate to what you are saying. I live in Bristol; great place to live, crap schools. My DD is only a toddler, so it's not something that I have to worry about for a few years yet, but I am concerned. We could not afford private education and are not likely to be able to move to an area with nicer schools.

Hi Tortoiseshell, not one of our local senior schools achieved the national average of 46% pass rate!!! the schools are terrible! I witness some of the local pupils going into senior school and am shocked at their language, appearance, behaviour etc etc.

One of the local schools was pleased that its results had risen from 17% last year to 20%, shocking!

DH and I have put our son, only recently into the local prep school (mainly moved him due to terrible bullying) we have decided that we will do without all lifes luxuries to ensure that he and his sister get a private education and will hopefully get themselves out of our sinking town

We live on the South Coast

I'd make plans on how you can move within the next few years.

Agree with hercules1 - moving is the cheapest option.

Whatever happened to the Government manta 'education, educaton, education'..........where i am it is still as piss poor as it was when Labour started

It went to the same place as 'tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime'. Actually, you could put the two together with all the knives there are in schools, and the announcement today of putting metal detectors in.

Jessicatmagnificat - snap. The schools here are just awful aren't they!

We will think about moving, but will also hope that we get into the ONE decent school.

Hmmm... can you find out whether any children managed to get all A grades?

The school I taught in previously (v challenging, Tottenham comp, 36% pass rate) had several children who achieved all As and/or an excellent spread of GCSE grades.This was evidence to me that children who could do well, were supported by teachers to achieve. The low pass rate was mainly down to intake (who would expect a child who is only just learning to write English two years before their GCSE exam to get a C?)

I would be concerned if no-one was achieving high grades at all as it would indicate perhaps a complacency (despondency?) on the teaching staff...

Based only on league table results you can say "there is NO WAY my children are going there!"

If all the "better" (I know I'm going to get into trouble for that word, but YKWIM) families have that attitude maybe 23% is downright brilliant with what they have to work with.

The more worrying results IMO are Grammar schools or schools in "good" areas who take in the brightest kids and only manage to get c. 90% from them.

I agree with Umlellala and you must at least go and talk to the head.

I do appreciate that perpetualworrier - it's not just the results that would worry me. I know someone who works there as a probation officer...there are huge social problems, and whilst I do understand the argument, I'm not about to jeopardise my kids' education in the interests of the greater good - I think sometimes being a parent you have to think about what is best for YOUR child, not everybody elses. And ds1 would be absolutely eaten alive there.

So it's not just based on 'league table results' - I am the queen of defying the league tables - ds1 initially didn't get into his first choice school (comes about half way down the tables, with mixed intake), but did get into his second choice(came top NATIONALLY in the primary league tables a few years back, always very high up in the local ones) - we held out for the other school and he eventually got a place (this was based on distance, we are slightly closer to the 'better' school, but we preferred the ethos of the other, and it is a church school).