EDUCAT ION
suggested it can encourage a culture where pupils are pushed towards subjects that might enhance the school’s results. Right now, the pros and cons of these metrics are somewhat moot, since league tables haven’t been published for two years due “When they return, they need to be understood in context,” stresses Kathy Crewe-Read, head of Bishop’s Stortford College. “They allow a comparison of overall school results, without reference to pupil ability. Asking a prospective school about their value-added performance, in addition to overall results, will help you understand more about the academic achievements of individual pupils.” So, a pinch of salt doesn’t hurt – but don’t go disregarding all the statistics, to the challenges around formal assessments during the pandemic. because some can still be very instructive. The turnover of staff, for example, and
suggests Dr Gareth Lloyd, principal at Stoke College. “Ask yourself what is important to know, as a parent, that really matters to you and your child,” he advises. “Academic achievement is often the backbone of many parents’ wishes for their children – but happiness and the potential to thrive academically and socially builds solid foundations for any child’s future after school.” Something that’s bound to come up in the initial research phase is league tables, which provide school performance data. These stats are often a first port of call for parents looking for a snapshot of how a school is doing at any given moment, but exactly how much stock you should put into them is very much up for debate. Some argue that tables give more of an insight into how selective schools are with their intake, rather than the teaching and learning on offer. Critics have also
74 OCTOBER 2021 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
Powered by FlippingBook