EDUCAT ION
INTERPRETING SCHOOL RESULTS CAN BE A CONFUSING BUSINESS. CHARLOTTE PHILLIPS FINDS OUT HOW TO DECIPHER THE DATA
you and – more to the point – what it can’t. Many families start off with the results. In theory at least, they leave nowhere to hide. Either a school is successful or it’s not. With national league tables published online within days of the results coming out, parents are able to see not just how well the school is doing, but how it compares with others. But whether the most recent results dazzle or disappoint, they are a snapshot
hen it comes to choosing a school, that iceberg metaphor isn’t half apt. Visiting in person or online may give you a feel for the buildings, the grounds and the equipment, but what parents actually see when they’re choosing a school is about 10% of what life there is all about. The bottom line is that it’s all about context. To be able to make an informed decision, it helps to know what the information you’re presented with can tell
“Not all schools are in the newspaper league tables, believing them to be highly misleading”
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