Independent primary schools KS1/KS2 results

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Independent primary schools KS1/KS2 results

Post by Guest »

My children are currently at an independent primary school. They are doing very well but recently I realised that there were no "official KS1/KS2 results" in any of the government tables. I understand that independent schools do not have to participate in KS1/KS2 but why don't they publish results? I want to see what the difference is between independent and state scools in terms of results. Is it worth forking out all this money if they can get an equivalent education at top primary schools around the country? It may mean moving house to get into these schools but we all have to make sacrifices.
Guest55

Post by Guest55 »

Most independent schools don't do the KS2 NC tests as they don't have to - so you have no external measure of how well children are doing.
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Post by hermanmunster »

Re independent primary schools

I found that the advantage of such schools was not the KS2 results etc but the fact that they didn't have to do such assessments and that the school was much freer to follow its own path rather than having to slavishly do every KS assessment.
The classes were small, the kids very relaxed - they enjoyed the headmistresses chocolate cake immensely (made to celebrate any event!) - confident without being precocious, and gloriously unaware of the optional SATS when they were presented to them - all went on to schools suitable for them - in DS case a state grammar where he settled in fine.

Main point is that there is more to primary education than KS2 results
Nou
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2005 12:55 pm

Post by Nou »

Believe me, SATS results do not represent how good a school is. I suspect a lot of schools teach kids just to pass SATS and don't give them a broad education. If you look at the SATS maths papers they are extremely easy and nothing like the 11 plus or independent school entrance level. If you want to check how good the school is, see what schools the kids in year 6 get in to or ask to see examples of their work when you visit.
claire

Post by claire »

Nou wrote:Believe me, SATS results do not represent how good a school is. I suspect a lot of schools teach kids just to pass SATS and don't give them a broad education. If you look at the SATS maths papers they are extremely easy and nothing like the 11 plus or independent school entrance level. If you want to check how good the school is, see what schools the kids in year 6 get in to or ask to see examples of their work when you visit.
My children attend fantastic State infant and junior schools. My son has just passed his 11+, as have the vast majority of his friends. I thoroughly agree that SATS results do not represent how good a school is. However, if you want to see how good a school is, you need to look much further than what schools the Year 6 kids get into and the work that is produced. Extra-curricular activity, a broad curriculum, good leadership, and happy, focussed children with a good attitude and manners are far better indicators. Things a great many State schools have in abundance. My nephew's private school, on the other hand ......
Nou
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2005 12:55 pm

Post by Nou »

True. Unfortunately in my experience certain independent schools misrepresent themselves - I have certainly been taken in. I removed my daughter from a highly ranked state school (because of bullying), to what I thought was a good independent school. The school sold itself on the broad curriculum (gardening, logic and reasoning, music, languages) and appeared to have great extra curicula activities and a strong leadership. Unfortunately I believed what the school told me - what an idiot I was! The broad curriculum is taught by incompetent unqualified staff, and the school is chaotic, During Year 5 I found she was 2-3 years behind in maths due to poor teaching (a professional opinion from an ed psych by the way).

There are good things about the school like small class sizes and my daughter has become much more confident - she was virtually school phobic when she started going there.

I realised too late that none of the kids from the school had got through a challenging selection procedure. Therefore I suggested looking at the destination schools as a test of how good/bad the teaching is you cannot believed what the school tell you.
katel
Posts: 960
Joined: Thu Jan 11, 2007 11:30 pm

Post by katel »

I am constantly amazed that people (that I know in real life - I have no idea about the thoughts and motives of people on here) think that because they are paying up front rather than through taxation for an education it must be better than the education available in state schools. Sometime that is true - generally speaking private schools have smaller classes and don't have to deal with the wide social and intellectual mix that can make the learning environment of some state schools a bit problematic. But often it isn't the case. Why on earth don't people question what they are paying for? I have annual SATS assesments to judge my children's progress by. If I was forking out huge sums of money, I would want at least as objective a measure of achievement as I get for free at my local state primary. Particularly if I had to pay out for them to wear funny hats and corduroy shorts.......!
tammy

Post by tammy »

my children attend a popular independent school in Ilford, which doesn't KS test, however we are given regular objective measures on how they are progressing throughout their schooling. The children have exam week prior to every half term. This type of continuous assessment helps tremendously in the monitoring of our childrens progress. So we are not just paying for the fancy uniform , the school and it's staff are actively continously keeping a check on our childrens education!!!!!! :lol:
Guest55

Post by Guest55 »

If the exams are set and marked by the school it doesn't really tell you much!

There are some fantastic schools of all types - but I agree that just because you pay the school is not necessarily good. You don't need a teaching qualification to teach at a Private school and you don't need to be a member of the GTC [General Teaching Council]. Some of the worst teaching I have seen has been at a Private school -
claire

Post by claire »

tammy wrote:my children attend a popular independent school in Ilford, which doesn't KS test, however we are given regular objective measures on how they are progressing throughout their schooling. The children have exam week prior to every half term. This type of continuous assessment helps tremendously in the monitoring of our childrens progress. So we are not just paying for the fancy uniform , the school and it's staff are actively continously keeping a check on our childrens education!!!!!! :lol:
I would hate the thought of my children having an "exam week" every half term! They are children, for goodness' sake! My children are continually assessed and monitored at their State schools (I am a Governor at the Infant school and I have seen the amount of work this involves) and this results in very effective target-setting for individuals.

In response to an earlier posting, I cannot agree that destination schools of Year 6 children are an indicator of good/bad teaching. People need to understand the concept of "value-added" to see what a school is really capable of.
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