School league table

E

Erith

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Hi there, Does anyone happen to know where to find the Times' secondary schools league table online?
Thanks, E
 
If you want to read a serious assessment of a school (as opposed to an over-simplistic measurement that does little to measure the performance of the school), check out the Dept Education school inspection reports.
 
Just be aware that the assesments (by the department of education) of which I am aware look at the overall issues in a school and not at the specifics.

In short, a school can get get an excellent report but .......... would you send your own child there? (That is a rhetorical question)


Personally, I would be happier to see league tables showing the number of students gettting say >500 points in a particular school.

Marion
 
number of students gettting say >500 points
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Why? It's an almost meaningless measure of a schools value...

These so-called 'league tables' aren't worth the paper they are printed on...
 
Kildrought said:
Why? It's an almost meaningless measure of a schools value...

These so-called 'league tables' aren't worth the paper they are printed on...
Click to expand...


Why? Becaue maybe this exercise might expose the league tables for what they actually represent.


League tables were heralded by parents and the media who saw them as a means of looking at the performance in schools and as a means of comparing schools. They were strongly opposed by teachers and the teaching unions.

In reality, they have provided nothing more than a point-scoring exercise for the “main feeder schools” to Third Level colleges.

If these tables are perceived as a means of looking at the performance in our schools enabling comparisons to be made then why not set the bar high?

Why not publish the list of those schools whose students are getting say >500 points. After a time we could seek publication only of those schools who students achieve 600 points - the perfect score.

Let's raise the performance of our schools!

Marion
 
Marion said:
If these tables are perceived as a means of looking at the performance in our schools enabling comparisons to be made then why not set the bar high?

Why not publish the list of those schools whose students are getting say >500 points. After a time we could seek publication only of those schools who students achieve 600 points - the perfect score.


Marion
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Such an approach would only serve to reinforce the notion that high points are the be-all and end-all.
Has the school who educates a 500 point achieving student performed better than a school who succesfully helps a student to get an apprenticeship they want or a place on PLC course?

What about the student with severe learning difficulties or behavioural problems where it might be an achievement in itself to stay in school or take the LC Applied? How should these acheivements be measured in terms of league tables? Looking at the number of students who achieve 500 points is far too narrow a measurement.
 
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To be honest, I think that while lots of us have a mild interest in league tables (myself included), its a small percentage of people who would solely base a decision regarding a child's education on them. Lots of other factors come into play.
 
Marion said:
Just be aware that the assesments (by the department of education) of which I am aware look at the overall issues in a school and not at the specifics.
Click to expand...

There are both whole-school and subject-specific inspection reports on the website. What specifics are missing?

Marion said:
Why? Becaue maybe this exercise might expose the league tables for what they actually represent.
Click to expand...
I'd have thought that there is a substantial risk that this would NOT expose league tables, and would actually encourage further use of league tables for selection decisions, regardless of their true (lack of) value.
 
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