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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

GCSE pass rate of 67% is good isn't it???

24 replies

minko · 13/01/2010 11:16

We have had an offer on a house accepted in a new area but have started panicking that the secondary school isn't completely fabulous. It's a grade 3 with a 67% GCSE pass rate. In its' favour it's relatively small (800 kids 11-18) and only a mile from the house. We have yet to visit it though. Am I being stupid just to write it off without seeing it...?

DH and I are in a right state about what to do. We are moving to try to improve our kids' education (ages 6 and 3), and the primaries in the area are great. This could be a deal breaker regarding buying the house...

OP posts:

MintyCan · 13/01/2010 11:28

A lot might change before your children get to secondary school anyway. I would ask around, do you know any kids that go there?. 67% is good 3s not so good. I have a dd at a secondary that gets a little less than 30% and she is happy and doing extremely well. You could go and have a look. I don't know how the school would feel about this with your child being only six.

OrmIrian · 13/01/2010 11:31

Lots of time to go yet as minty says. DS#1's school went from a failing school that you wouldn't send a dog to, to an outstanding school with hugely improving GCSE results that is now oversubscribed in just 4 yrs.

It might be worth looking at the last few Osted reports and trying to find some parents to talk to.

brimfull · 13/01/2010 11:33

is that 67% in gcses like math english ? they don't count in other courses like tourism or something ?

Original poster

minko · 13/01/2010 11:40

Hmm, more figures just in... (this was from a year ago, the 67% came from the OFSTED report) Anyway, the BBC say it's GCSE pass rate including maths and english is just 56%. It gets worse...

OP posts:

MintyCan · 13/01/2010 11:46

There is still no way of knowing what it will be like 5 years from now.

stillfeel18inside · 13/01/2010 11:56

Actually 56% including maths and english isn't bad - our local comp got less than that (although I think about 70% not including maths and english) and it's considered a bit of a hot ticket, definitely oversubscribed this year and "on the up". It all depends on whether it's got a good head at the helm and results are improving or not.

Original poster

minko · 13/01/2010 11:59

It had a new head just over 2 years ago. It is supposed to be 'improving', though how they can be sure I don't know! In 2005 it was a grade 2.

We need to see it really. I just don't want to have to move again in 5 years!

OP posts:

JustGettingByMum · 13/01/2010 17:01

If the good primaries are feeding into this secondary, then results should continue to improve. Parents who are actively involved as parent helpers, school governors and PTA members at primary, will continue to push, question, and raise expectations for all the students at the secondary. Plus it's easier for the secondary school staff if they have well taught and motivated students coming to them in Y7.
Can you see what the results are like over (say) the last 3 years to reassure yourself that they ae an improving school?

2010herewego · 13/01/2010 18:19

I'm in London and I would take 67% anytime!

wicked · 13/01/2010 18:21

One-third of the pupils don't make the basic standard. That doesn't sound very great for those pupils. I think you need more data.

JaneiteIsAWimpyTeacher · 13/01/2010 18:29

You need to look at the contextual value added scores, as 67% could be terrible or marvellous, depending on the levels of pupils when they come in.

chosenone · 13/01/2010 18:30

The school I teach at is 72% and many parents appeal to get their kids in, is lovely. However, I've taught at a school where the 5 GCSE pass rate was around 60% and it was considerably 'rougher'! Just to confuse you I have too taught at a school where the highest they ever achieved was 47% and that was lovely, and the kids generally nicer than the middle one. I favour smaller schools too, nicer sense of community and easier to keep an eye on the kids.

The pass rate including Maths and English is relatively new as many schools do BTEC's and course's eqivalent to up to 4 GCSE's which skewed the 5 GCSE C and above data. This school is above average but Ofsted obviously feel it can do better, getting graded with 3's will mean there are a lot of measures in place to encourage improvement rather than 'coasting' along too. Go and visit

Original poster

minko · 13/01/2010 19:05

The level 2 CVA is 996. Which means levels of achievement goes down I guess?? I have studied so much stuff today about it and following JGBMum's advice I found that the GCSE pass levels went up steadily from 52 - 67 over the last few years. So yes, it is on the up. That made me feel better!

Am hoping to visit the school on Monday or at least look at it. Am visiting the 2 primaries in the area for now!

OP posts:

magentadreamer · 14/01/2010 07:07

This years performance tables also give out things like the percentage of pupils reaching their expected outcomes in both Maths and English plus point scores at GCSE. My Dd's school actually does better in those two then the local "I must sell my Gran to get a place" school. A lot can change in five years Dd's school has, from being dire to having results that won't set the academic world a light but are pretty damn good when you consider the intake and this has been due to a new head. Go take a look at the school you might well be pleasantly suprised - I was when I looked around Dd's while still in "how much can I get for My Gran" mode

qumquat · 19/01/2010 18:22

67% with 56% maths and english sounds pretty good to me! What kind of level would you consider acceptable? Look at other equivalent schools in the area to see what they are achieving, bearing in mind their intake, don't compare to selective schools for obvious reasons!

RubysReturn · 19/01/2010 18:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

zanzibarmum · 19/01/2010 20:18

Sure a lot can change rhe school can go down durther as well as up. A grade 3 from Ofsted is satisfactory in their language. Ask the question: how was your dinner? Satisfactory to me wouldn't be good enough for a meal still less for an education.

Of course satisfactory might be excellent depending on the intake but satisfactory seems to me to mean scope for improvement

bruffin · 19/01/2010 21:14

Less than 10 years ago DCs school got 13% without maths and english now they get 85% and about 67% with maths and english. It's all down to the headmaster. It's not just about the league tables, the school has a lovely feel about it with children always seem so happy to be there.

princessparty · 20/01/2010 15:14

The % age getting 5 GCSEs including English and maths

Hulababy · 20/01/2010 15:24

It is above average for England LEA schools.

The published figures are %age of pupils gaining 5 or more A*-C grades including English and Maths.

Figures that don't insist on English/Maths being one of those 5 will generally be higher, especially in areas where English is not the first language.

You eed to visit a school to know what it is like.

mumblechum · 20/01/2010 18:01

Agree it's far too early to worry about secondary schools when one of your dc is only 3!

67% isn't terrible but isn't what I'd call good, either.

Having said that, the school may improve over the next 8 years, and if you give a lot of support at home children can thrive even in schools which appear on paper to be not too good.

princessparty · 20/01/2010 18:10

It's definitely not too early to be thinking about secondaries.
It will be only 4 years before you start applying.Are you planning on moving again before then ?

lydiane · 26/01/2010 18:22

67% is above the national average - isnt that about 50%?
My local comp is 25% - I would love 67%

bruffin · 26/01/2010 21:34

You really have to look at where the school is starting from. DCs school is as I said about 67%, their CVA is 1007. Also reassuringly 80% get A-C in english. Because DCs school is improving year on year they are now attracting brighter pupils and their results are going to improve because of that it's self perpetuating.
If a schhol is selective and takes top 5% they should be getting 100% A-C including maths and english

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