Sri Swaminarayan School, Neasden
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Re: Sri Swaminarayan School, Neasden
I find this really funny !
"Many of the most famous schools in the world including Eton, Marlborough and Harrow and Dulwich College have branded the new ranking system "half-baked" after they registered lower results than some of England's worst-performing comprehensives today, reports the Telegraph.
According to the tables, at 142 independent schools no pupils achieved five A* to C grades including English and maths, while a further 26 scored below 10 per cent.
The rock-bottom ratings come because most independent schools have dropped conventional GCSEs in some subjects and moved towards the tougher International GCSE – an alternative qualification based on the old O-level."
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Personally, it looks like a scared attempt by Indies to avoid direct comparision with state schools
"Many of the most famous schools in the world including Eton, Marlborough and Harrow and Dulwich College have branded the new ranking system "half-baked" after they registered lower results than some of England's worst-performing comprehensives today, reports the Telegraph.
According to the tables, at 142 independent schools no pupils achieved five A* to C grades including English and maths, while a further 26 scored below 10 per cent.
The rock-bottom ratings come because most independent schools have dropped conventional GCSEs in some subjects and moved towards the tougher International GCSE – an alternative qualification based on the old O-level."
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Personally, it looks like a scared attempt by Indies to avoid direct comparision with state schools
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hermanmunster
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Re: Sri Swaminarayan School, Neasden
yogkruti - this is nothing new - they have been doing it for years. Good Indies are a match for good state schools. There are also poor schools in both sectors.
It is only at GCSE that this happens.
Suggest you have a look at A level results and see how they compare there.
It is only at GCSE that this happens.
Suggest you have a look at A level results and see how they compare there.
Re: Sri Swaminarayan School, Neasden
Most top indies do harder exams, in maths particularly (I think often set by the Cambridge exam board + some IGCSEs) due to GCSE not being challenging enough, but these don't count in the governments league tables, thus many good schools show 0 in the maths/english achivements columns. In the good independen tschools this is a mark of quality.
IMHO Government leaguetables tend to be written in a way that makes it difficult to compare indie/state school. Thus at keystage2 sats, state schools used to be measured on how many achieved level 4 and indies on how many achieved level 5 (this may have changed.
IMHO Government leaguetables tend to be written in a way that makes it difficult to compare indie/state school. Thus at keystage2 sats, state schools used to be measured on how many achieved level 4 and indies on how many achieved level 5 (this may have changed.
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another mother
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Re: Sri Swaminarayan School, Neasden
Indeed. The IGCSE in maths covers over half of the AS Maths syllabus for instance. And the jump to AS in physics and chemistry and biology is also much smaller if you have done science IGCSE's.
I think it's harder to equate the English one as the syllabus covered is very different.
I think it's harder to equate the English one as the syllabus covered is very different.
Re: Sri Swaminarayan School, Neasden
I don't buy this fad of IGSCE/Cambridge setting "harder" exams than standard GCSE.
UCAS doesn't think so and many students who have given both also don't think so.
Did some googling and doesn't look like there is a lot of difference, at least in terms of making one look difficult than the other.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7924496.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
UCAS doesn't think so and many students who have given both also don't think so.
Did some googling and doesn't look like there is a lot of difference, at least in terms of making one look difficult than the other.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7924496.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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another mother
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Re: Sri Swaminarayan School, Neasden
I'm only going on the experience of my DD and her friends at various schools who sat last year and are now preparing for AS's - those who've moved after doing GCSE science or maths to schools where they sat IGSEs, are finding they have a lot of catching up to do and this year is harder as a result. It isn't happening in reverse.
It's true some English staff don't particularly like the IGCSE syllabus - not enough eng lit so stick with a GCSE board. But, as I said somewhere else recently, not all GCSEs are equal either!
Of course if you aren't continuing with a subject some would argue no need to do a harder course!
It's true some English staff don't particularly like the IGCSE syllabus - not enough eng lit so stick with a GCSE board. But, as I said somewhere else recently, not all GCSEs are equal either!
Of course if you aren't continuing with a subject some would argue no need to do a harder course!
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Kent99
Re: Sri Swaminarayan School, Neasden
I can't help feeling that if anyone is trying to avoid comparisons between state and private schools it is the government not the private schools. For what it's worth most academic independent schools give details of their exam results on their websites, with full breakdowns certainly available to prospective parents.
A quick look at the websites of the schools mentioned in one of the posts above, for example, shows that at St Paul's 85.2% of GCSEs were at grade A*, with 98% at A*/A. At Wycombe Abbey the figures were over 84% A* and over 99% A*/A. The corresponding figures for the Swaminarayan school appear to be about 18% A* and 56% A*/A. Good but not in the same ball-park really.
A quick look at the websites of the schools mentioned in one of the posts above, for example, shows that at St Paul's 85.2% of GCSEs were at grade A*, with 98% at A*/A. At Wycombe Abbey the figures were over 84% A* and over 99% A*/A. The corresponding figures for the Swaminarayan school appear to be about 18% A* and 56% A*/A. Good but not in the same ball-park really.
Re: Sri Swaminarayan School, Neasden
Are we looking at the same tables Yogkruti, while the school is good its nothing exceptional. Dont forget most of the league tables are based on aggregate scores and schools that do a HUGE amount of subjects tends to be high up there.
My experience is that almost all the top indies have their results breakdown on their websites. A few of the top schools like Westminister, Radley, Eton and St Pauls dont put their results immediately because they dont like being put in the league tables which are misleading but they still put them up a few months later. I cant even think of one top indie without its results. Its a selling point too so its not in their interest to hide them. Its the so so indies which tend to hide their results.
I am sure a lot of grammars schools dont like league tables either. A top grammar school here had 98% pass rate and this has screwed their legue table position big time but the fact is they have very good A/A* percentages. Our local grammar here which probaly came 4th in the whole country on the league table is simply because the students take 14 GCSE and 5/6 Alevels so there aggregate score per student will be much higher.
My experience is that almost all the top indies have their results breakdown on their websites. A few of the top schools like Westminister, Radley, Eton and St Pauls dont put their results immediately because they dont like being put in the league tables which are misleading but they still put them up a few months later. I cant even think of one top indie without its results. Its a selling point too so its not in their interest to hide them. Its the so so indies which tend to hide their results.
I am sure a lot of grammars schools dont like league tables either. A top grammar school here had 98% pass rate and this has screwed their legue table position big time but the fact is they have very good A/A* percentages. Our local grammar here which probaly came 4th in the whole country on the league table is simply because the students take 14 GCSE and 5/6 Alevels so there aggregate score per student will be much higher.
Impossible is Nothing.
Re: Sri Swaminarayan School, Neasden
Let's face it guys, your views are very biased, yes, you should check out the results of Swami School on their website - this is a game of how selective schools are; swami School is not as selective as the old public schools and still manages to do so well! At A level they place all students to universities, make sure that children do a maximum of four A Levels; did you know that their best students achieve straight A*-A grades at A Level and gain admission to the best universities; one pupil got 4A*, another 3A*A, 1A*3A for two more and all reached the best universities. They are so supportive and give extra lessons during holidays and the teachers are always on hand - so don't knock a Indie school before judging the records.
Re: Sri Swaminarayan School, Neasden
Swami5, I have read all the posts on this thread with interest. From what you say this school sounds like a good one that serves its pupils well. You sound upset about what has been written on this thread, and say that there is "bias". What do you think this bias is - for or against what, and which posts evidence this bias?
The majority of members of this forum are intelligent and open-minded and willing to have a well-informed debate, so let them know what you are thinking more clearly, and they will explain themselves more fully to you too if it has been misunderstood.
It is an interesting thread. Yogkruti expressed the view that the GCSE results at this school were better than most schools in the country, both state and independent. Some well informed members of the forum helpfully pointed out that you can't compare results at 16 accurately using Government league tables because there are many schools that do exams at 16 that are not allowed to be displayed in the league tables (and I would add, some exams taken early do not show up properly in league tables either).
The majority of members of this forum are intelligent and open-minded and willing to have a well-informed debate, so let them know what you are thinking more clearly, and they will explain themselves more fully to you too if it has been misunderstood.
It is an interesting thread. Yogkruti expressed the view that the GCSE results at this school were better than most schools in the country, both state and independent. Some well informed members of the forum helpfully pointed out that you can't compare results at 16 accurately using Government league tables because there are many schools that do exams at 16 that are not allowed to be displayed in the league tables (and I would add, some exams taken early do not show up properly in league tables either).
