The Times School Rankings

[Ivybound]

Does anybody think that The Times' ranking of the schools maybe does not treat the IB in a truly comparable way to A-levels? Just looking at how G&L and NLCS see such a precipitous drop in going from their GCSE ranks to A-level ranks. 1 to 19 for NLCS and 5 to 25 for G&L. Yes, I know some top students might leave the school for sixth form, but still it seems like a very large drop which you do not see at other schools like City Girls, Guildford High, or JAGS for example

I’m always slightly dubious about a level rankings in that a school that only allows 3 a levels could get 100% A+ where a school that allows 4 could get everyone those 3A+ and another A but only come out as 75% even though every student got more than 3A+

edited to use + not * can’t make formatting work!!

Wilson's is incredibly selective, it's on a par with QE in Barnet re achieving a place. Many ds who get into other highly ranked private schools like KCS turn down a private place to go to Wilson's.

but it's something more than that - their GCSE results in that table were top notch too, but it was the A levels that were really spectacular (eg compared to the private schools). or at least that's my recollection of the full table that I had in the print edition but have now put out with the recycling.

Does this include indies or just state?

"mainly produce students who suffer from several disorders?"

Oh come on. That's cheap. Ds1 was very happy and I thought they had the right balance for supporting Oxbridge students (not ds1) and all others, and good pastoral care, like I said in my previous post.

I always find it interesting that some of the mega bucks public boarding schools don’t do that well in these sorts of lists. Eton at 34, charterhouse at 88 doesn’t really feel like a massive endorsement. Guildford high school at number 2 is probably very good value for the results compared to the rest of the top 10 and many of the top 100.

So, it is a self selecting list and not useful for most parents. There are no schools in our LA in that list. So, a pretty pointless list then.

I’m sorry your DD has been struggling with an eating disorder.

Just wanted to point out that the link between autism and eating disorders is becoming more widely understood. So much so, that the Christine McGuinness documentary on female autism this year featured an eating disorder specialist who proposed that all kids presenting at ED clinics be screened for autism.

It tracks that selective schools, who will have a higher than average percentage of gifted + neurodivergent girls (many undiagnosed) will therefore have girls struggling with EDs and other MH issues.

The selective schools don’t produce the disorders. They simply admit the kids who are more likely to develop those disorders by virtue of being neurodivergent.

Edit: sorry, I quoted the wrong post. I was supposed to quote @WhompingWillows

Just ignore the hype and the MN frenzy, go and look at your local schools and work out for yourself where you think DC will be happiest.

Wilson's entry requirements into sixth form for current pupils are lower than the other boys' grammars. Most do 4 A levels. And they don't kick out after year 12, but they do strongly suggest resits for results under CCC.

League tables are nonsense, the differences are usually tiny and completely dependent on the selection process - nearly all comprehensives on these lists are religious so attract pushier parents prepared for church attendance for years to win places or they’re in posh areas where only the rich can buy into catchment. Ignore, ignore, ignore

Girls in selective schools had a lower rate of SEN than girls in non-selective schools. This does not imply that there are fewer neurodivergent students in selective schools, as some of them may not have been diagnosed or may not need a SEN statement. However, there is little evidence to suggest that neurodivergence is more common among selective school students by nature (although some may consider it a gift, depending on how they define it). Eating disorders can have many causes, both internal and external, and environmental pressure is certainly one of them.

So, it is a self selecting list and not useful for most parents. There are no schools in our LA in that list. So, a pretty pointless list then.

Surely schools that are happy with their results opt in?

@Jellycats4life thank you and yes, I don’t disagree and I did make that point in my post about my DD1’s eating disorder. The irony is that I can’t get my DD in front of our CAMHS eating disorder specialists because she has the wrong sort of eating disorder (not anorexia so not funded by the NHS) and I couldn’t get her in front of CAMHS for an autism diagnosis either. So, while it would be brilliant for all young people presenting at ED clinics to be tested for autism, I will have to accept that there is more chance of Santa getting stuck down my chimney this Christmas than my (non-famous) teen being seen by either an ED or autism specialist anytime soon for help. (She has a private autism diagnosis and a GP ED diagnosis.)

Yes, clearly they do, but as there are no schools in our LA shown at all it isn't useful to anyone in my area.

It is all academic now @WhompingWillows. DD left school 5 years ago.

I hear you, CAMHS isn’t fit for purpose. I’ve heard of autistic kids having their referrals rejected because they “don’t do autism”. Like ND kids are alien creatures who don’t deserve MH input.

The amount of buck passing that goes on in the NHS is absolutely obscene.

I'm SURE you aren't, but is Cardiff state? You're not hoping for contextual offers, are you? Because NLCS won't help!

@RampantIvy well, I sincerely hope that she (and you) are beyond all of this league table BS and that she is living her best and happiest life, whatever she is doing.

Yes, she is thank you. It gets a bit bonkers doesn't it.

And it gets worse when looking at higher education - RG vs non RG, ranking by university, ranking by subject, ranking by employment prospects etc etc.

My kids' school is very happy with its results - it has the best progress 8 score for miles around. It wouldn't rank highly on the Times list though, because it has a very homogeneous intake. In any case, it's already massively oversubscribed, so doesn't need the publicity.

Cardiff 6th college is an independent sixth-form with a lot of international students.

My kids' school is very happy with its results - it has the best progress 8 score for miles around. It wouldn't rank highly on the Times list though, because it has a very homogeneous intake. In any case, it's already massively oversubscribed, so doesn't need the publicity.

What do the Times base their rankings on? Loads of schools that are massively oversubscribed do feature though.

Actually I don't find that odd at all. The big boarding schools are in some cases still very academic, but they also place a huge emphasis on breadth of education (sport, arts etc), and that will also play a part in their selection process. Whereas some (not all) of those schools right at the very top of the list will be laser-focused on exam results - whether through initial selection, or obsessive teaching to the test and constant assessment, or controlling exam performance by managing out after GCSE or only letting pupils choose their strongest subjects. Some parents will pay mega bucks for results above all else - others will pay mega bucks for grounds and facilities and wider opportunities (as well as exam results within the top 40 schools, which let's face it is still pretty strong - if your child is clever and focused on exams, then a school getting 90% 9-7 is probably just as able to support them to get their straight 9s as a school getting 97%.)

@RampantIvy what borough are you?

Barnsley. Not exactly known for its academic excellence, but when you look at the average demographic of its pupils compared to that of pupils at top performing schools you can see why.