All Buckinghamshire Secondary schools Ofsted ratings

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: All Buckinghamshire Secondary schools Ofsted ratings

Post by Etienne »

Amber wrote:As recently as October last year an appellant was told:
    • Etienne wrote:I think it could be a valid point if KS1 results were depressed (ideally one would like to see level 3s) - but hopefully you would be in a position to argue that there has been rapid progress at KS2?
Just to be clear, this was in the context of an individual case, where the child was born with a heart problem and needed a heart operation.
It took her several years to recover. She slept and ate very little, and parents felt that she was about 6 months delayed.
It wasn't a question of the panel saying "What? No level 3s? Case dismissed!"
It was a question of what arguments parents might be able to deploy in their particular situation.

See the Q&As, B11, note 5, for another example of where - in specific cases - KS1 results would have been of interest:
    • Note 5:

      It’s not usually necessary to go further back than the year 5 report – unless there is a good reason. The issue for the panel is usually going to be high ability as shown by recent performance (not consistency, sustained hard work, etc., etc.).

      An obvious exception could be if extenuating circumstances caused a dip in performance in year 4 or 5, for example. It would then be very interesting to examine progress ‘before’ and ‘after’.
Apologies again if I misrepresented anything or took the subject off topic.
Thanks, Amber.
You are gracious as always! :)
Etienne
MrsChubbs
Posts: 363
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:36 pm
Location: High Wycombe

Re: All Buckinghamshire Secondary schools Ofsted ratings

Post by MrsChubbs »

I find it fascinating that schools can go so many years without being inspected (the dates of many of the grammars). I am aware that the results drive the Ofsted rating (your results are outstanding, therefore your teaching must be outstanding, therefore your senior leadership must be outstanding, therefore your governance must be outstanding), however New Heads are now in place in a couple and some of the results last year I understand, whilst still being way above the national, were considerably lower than previous years. They shouldn't be allowed to become complacent.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: All Buckinghamshire Secondary schools Ofsted ratings

Post by Guest55 »

New report:

Bourne End Academy: Requires Improvement (Nov 2016)

Wycombe High is the sponsor for this Academy which was previously called Wye Valley.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: All Buckinghamshire Secondary schools Ofsted ratings

Post by Guest55 »

Several Uppers have recently had Ofsted inspections:

Chalfonts: Good
Great Marlow: Good
Misbourne: Good

Also published today:

Princes Risborough: Inadequate - special measures

I will PM the text to a moderator to update the first post.
lea2124
Posts: 132
Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2017 7:05 pm

Re: All Buckinghamshire Secondary schools Ofsted ratings

Post by lea2124 »

The Grange and The Mandeville secondary schools in Aylesbury have both just had ofsted visits. Both still Requiring Improvement. Here are the links.

https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspectio ... ELS/110488" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspectio ... ELS/110488" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Last edited by lea2124 on Tue Mar 06, 2018 10:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: All Buckinghamshire Secondary schools Ofsted ratings

Post by Guest55 »

RI means the same as satisfactory - it is not special measures or inadequate. It is not officially an Ofsted category of concern.
TheHurdle
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:30 pm

Re: All Buckinghamshire Secondary schools Ofsted ratings

Post by TheHurdle »

Primary state schools are not allowed to teach in anyway the 11+ ??

Even when they have grammars on offer.

OK.

Pit that against any private prep school in the area whose purpose is to get those children through 11+ or other entrance exams. It seems to me its the state who is hobbling the children. Not the existence of Grammar schools. I think we need lots more diversity in schooling not less. We need all kinds of different types of school available.
anotherdad
Posts: 1763
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 5:33 pm

Re: All Buckinghamshire Secondary schools Ofsted ratings

Post by anotherdad »

TheHurdle wrote:Primary state schools are not allowed to teach in anyway the 11+ ??
It's always been that way and rightly so. Primary schools should be educating children and preparing them for secondary school, not coaching them for 11+ tests.
Pit that against any private prep school in the area whose purpose is to get those children through 11+ or other entrance exams.
The grammar schools themselves say that no tuition is necessary and in an ideal world, none would take place and the selection process would be fairer as a result. People with the desire and means to secure an advantage will do so, whether that involves home tuition, private tuition or private education. The fundamental flaw with academic selection is that whatever system you adopt, relative wealth will always have an influence. If you ban 11+ preparation in private schools, many of those parents would simply purchase more private tuition and you'll never police that effectively.
It seems to me its the state who is hobbling the children. Not the existence of Grammar schools.
Yes, the state (in my view) is not doing a good job funding and supporting education. Grammar schools don't hinder children directly, but their presence creates a system where relative wealth is overly-important and they end up limiting social mobility rather than assisting it. How else do you explain the fact that in Aylesbury, there are three grammar schools yet only 17% of children from Aylesbury qualify when the cohort qualification rate is 33%? How else do you explain the under-representation of FSM children in those schools, the percentage being much lower than that in the town overall?
I think we need lots more diversity in schooling not less. We need all kinds of different types of school available.
Or perhaps we don't. It's already a minefield of secondary moderns, grammars, comprehensives, faith-based schools, independents, academies, free schools and UTCs. Maybe the way forward is a single type of school - perhaps they could be called, er, comprehensives? - with academic diversity within them.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: All Buckinghamshire Secondary schools Ofsted ratings

Post by Guest55 »

TheHurdle wrote:Primary state schools are not allowed to teach in anyway the 11+ ??

Even when they have grammars on offer.

OK.

Pit that against any private prep school in the area whose purpose is to get those children through 11+ or other entrance exams. It seems to me its the state who is hobbling the children. Not the existence of Grammar schools. I think we need lots more diversity in schooling not less. We need all kinds of different types of school available.
If they are a Partner school then they have to abide by the rules too. The Head has to sign to say s/e has followed the rules. They risk not being allowed to have students sit the test in their own school.
TheHurdle
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:30 pm

Re: All Buckinghamshire Secondary schools Ofsted ratings

Post by TheHurdle »

I don't like huge massive large schools I am happy with lots of diversity. I am happy with Grammar schools and would welcome more schools with different focus for everyone eg stage schools :D

IN ye olden days - a child showing grammar potential could be put forward by their teacher - and told where they needed work. Past performance - showing signs, in class.

The wealthy people buy tuition/ houses near excellent comps or simply private school.

Their children will get what they need to access a grammar school.

The children on FSM, or with parents for whatever reason cannot help them, get NO help from their state primary school, so of course the stats are skewed, because children at state primaries get no help. I disagree that helping them would deter from normal lessons. For instance in our primary school, once I have been through this - I would be more than willing to pass this information on for free after school to interested pupils.
We could provide lots of information and practice papers and even run some sessions on NVR - and perhaps most important of all - simple exam technique. This type of level of support - just giving basic information could really help some more diverse pupils into GS.

I don't feel GS is the be and end all - I have been to a range of schools personally - not one size fits all. You only get one childhood and being happy at school is critical in my view but for some children a GS would be the best option for them. But they may not get in because they are deprived of basic information of how to do it.
Post Reply
11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now