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Bucks Free Press publish 11+ results

Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 7:47 am
by Dad40
I thought I'd start a new thread on this because of what has now been published.....

The BFP today publishes the 11+ results for the cohort who entered secondary school in Sept 2006.

The published table is familiar to some of us: for each state primary school it shows the number of eligible pupils, the number of pupils actually registered for the test, the number opting out, the number of outright passes and the number of appeals.

The BFP makes clear this is the first time they've ever been able to do this, and they describe the results as "dynamite". There is a particular focus on the huge variation in results and why this might be the case. They set in motion a debate about the whole process and quote Debbie Munday. The BFP then touches upon the familiarisation policy. In an editorial, the BFP says it is "surprising to find that the 11-plus is not actively taught in the classroom apart from basic standardised preparation lessons".

In summary, it may stir things up a bit.

Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 11:25 am
by Sally-Anne
The two articles Dad40 is referring to can be viewed here, but unfortunately not the table itself - you have to buy the paper for that. That is unless someone knows what to look for on the Bucks CC website?

http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/display ... namite.php

http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/display ... r_here.php

Sally-Anne

Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 5:23 pm
by Dad40
Thanks Sally-Anne!

The "<5" entry which sometimes appears in the "Number opted out" column seems to be worthless in disguising the real number...

For example:

Frieth CE Combined School
Number registered to take 11 plus = 14
Number who opted out = <5
Number on roll for application process = 15

Even I can cope with that sort of Maths.

Also Debbie Munday apparently (she is not quoted directly) threatened that:
...measures could be taken against schools that gave additional 11-plus tuition.
This still begs the question (as mentioned before on this forum) why Bucks are so touchy about their familiarisation policy because, as they also keep explaining, additional tutoring doesn't add any value !

It's now not beyond the realms of possibility that the familiarisation policy will rapidly unravel as opponents (and even proponents like me) of the selective system will pick up on the incoherence of it. Because, if BucksCC's claim about additional tutoring is revealed to be nonsense, it would then follow that the real beneficiaries of the minimal familiarisation policy have been well-off families (and the losers have been the poorer families).

I wonder if Messrs Cameron and Willetts are watching.

Maybe "dynamite" is not such a bad description by the BFP.

Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:06 pm
by Guest
I've just looked at this report in the BFP. Do we know why they've published last year's results, and not this year's?

Y

Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:44 pm
by Guest55
There could be re-appeals going on after Ombudsman intervention - also suspect there is a delay because someone has to request the release of this data.

Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:27 pm
by Catherine
Last year in january 2006, I asked Bucks CC for the 11+ results taken in 2005 and 2004 and 2003 under the FOI.

I got the requested information but only for the exams taken in 2003 and 2004.

The 2004 results where called 'Analysis of Year 6 pupils in academic year 2004/2005 taking the 11+ test' 'Data extracted from Admissions Database as at 23rd August 2005.' the 2003 results were marked 'Data extracted from Admissions Database as at 27th August 2004.'

Hence, I am guessing that Bucks CC only gets their statistics ready in august every year.

Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 9:05 pm
by Dad40
Catherine,

You are correct. Bucks CC have told me they release the 2007 figures in August.

Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 8:48 pm
by Dad40
More 11+ comment in this week's Bucks Free Press here

An editorial in the paper [I can't find this on the BFP website] complains that:

- private school pupils are given more tutoring/practice than state school pupils.
- privately-tutored state school pupils have a greater chance than state school pupils who aren't tutored.

There are also three letters in the paper [again, I can't find them on the website].