Pass Rates by Bucks LA Schools

[Dollydripmat]

That was my post I think Lille, the 1 out of 30 I'm not sure what the previous years for that school were. Some schools fare better than others, which is probably more to do with tutoring v not tutoring, particularly at our school many of the non-tutored top set good level 4/5's predicted 5's didn't fare well and didn't come close to the pass mark. I do know quite a few friends that started tutoring in Y4, some advised by their tutors. Bucks wanted a tutor proof test but it's seems it's got worse as I don't remember any of my other friends taking the old test tutoring in Y4. Dollyx

[southbucks3]

They do need to get those figures out, SA knows the history better, but prior to the first release of the school by school information they were taken to court by a parent who wanted the information, the council won I believe as they could prove they simply did not collate such information into a readable format, however they did eventually concede and have produced the results per school for the last four years. The bucks free press published the first set with a big centre spread and headline, they subsequently got a big telling off, so much for the "free", and they have not published the data to my knowledge since, the spread sheets only being available on bcc web pages and sites like this.

When the data is produced the state primary schools are individually listed, you can also compare the 11+ results with their year six sat results. However most of the private schools even if they are partner schools decline, presumably because they use manipulated data for marketing purposes, so understandably don't want raw data available to potential customers.

The huge difference in quantity of successful results between aylesbury vale and chiltern district/south bucks district s alarming tbh. The Aylesbury grammars should be able to fill their seats without the admissions stretching so wide and far, particularly as the area has grown so much in recent years. I refuse to believe the children of Aylesbury vale are naturally that far academically below the children from the chiltern district, wycombe area is also lower, but not as much. Clearly something needs to be done, maybe along the lines of the Birmingham kegs gs, with free tutoring to certain areas, or at least several information evenings and workshops for parents, rather than the half hour slideshow bcc offer at the moment via teachers.

[Lillie]

Yes, it was your post Dolly which got me thinking. Also another school I know of locally from last year had very poor results in comparison to previous years. As I say, it's all rumour mill and school gate gossip at the moment until clear data listing the schools is published.

Totally agree with you, SB3: the differences in pass rates within geographic areas of Bucks is shocking and should be confronted head on with some of the suggestions you make such as more open evenings / information to parents well in advance of the 11 plus (i.e. start of Year 5 and not the end of Year 5) rather than just the feeble BCC presentation given currently. The report on the Local, Equal, Excellent website also states that pass rates were much lower within the 13 schools within High Wycombe town itself as opposed to the wider Wycombe District.

I don't think tutoring alone is the cause, though it is a major factor. I do suspect there are obviously quite a few schools where there is a reluctance to discuss the 11 plus and some HTs and class teachers ideologically opposed to it and therefore almost ignoring it. However, in our totally selective secondary education system ignoring the test is doing children a disservice, and until the whole system is scrapped (highly unlikely), then there should be much stronger support and guidance given to all state primary schools on how to deal with this hurdle the children have to go through. There should be equal support at all the primaries. It is an injustice that such huge variations in the pass rates by geographic area exist.

[scary mum]

I think you should be wary of comparing pass rates by year too much - in small classes the difference of one or two pupils passing or not can make an enormous difference in percentage passes from one year to the next. My DCs' primary school used to have quite a variation by year under the old system - from 15% (usually more on appeal) to 50% - some years simply do better than other years, and out of a class of 30, 3 pupils falling into one or the other category will make a 10% difference in the figures. (That doesn't mean I'm not interested in the answer, of course).

[Lillie]

Hi scary mum. Yes our school also has fluctuating rates and cohorts do perform differently. However, it doesn't explain the huge geographical discrepancies which are allowed to exist in this system and the new test was supposed to help iron out some of these problems and make access fairer. We haven't yet got the data to see if any improvement has been made but I'm not optimistic the situation has got better for schools in less affluent areas.

[scary mum]

I'm sure you are right, Lillie

[guest666]

I used to look at the figures for all the feeder schools for one GS. There always tended to be substantial variation but then most of the primaries are small so such variances are not unexpected

[pippi]

Many thanks for your email. Bucks County Council administer the 11+ testing in Buckinghamshire and as such they will have all the relevant information you seek.

I have done some digging around on your behalf following your most recent email and the upshot is that despite what you may have been led to believe from Bucks CC any time you require Bucks Grammar school information across all the 13 schools you need to contact the Bucks Grammar School Association as the main body. The current chairman is Philip Wayne, Headmaster at Chesham Grammar School (email address below).

I love the "despite what what you may have been led to believe from Bucks CC"! Offensive comment removed by Moderator. Suggest everyone goes back and reads the quotes in this article http://www.theguardian.com/education/20 ... xam-tutors.

[southbucks3]

I used to look at the figures for all the feeder schools for one GS. There always tended to be substantial variation but then most of the primaries are small so such variances are not unexpected

It's not the variations we should be worried about, but the constants. Which schools constantly have less than 20% pass, which constantly have over 30%/40%/50% or in some prep schools 80% pass. Particularly poignant where two primary schools a few miles apart, both in affluent areas, constantly have one with low pass rate and one with high pass rate.

[gowest]

The result is out. http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/2651981 ... l-area.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;