Are comprehensives really 'failing' their ablest pupils?

[magwich2]

Well, we can talk about Glamorgan if you want...........

[Amber]

The most competitive Oxford university course is actually at Oxford Brookes University. For engineering they are unsurpassed I believe and one course in particular is extremely prestigious.

My daughter wants to do Medicine. If she 'ends up' at Cardiff medical school, I think we will be delighted that she has a place to do the subject she is passionate about.

[scary mum]

Well said, Amber. My DD is likely to "end up" at a less than top tier university. In fact, one of the most highly sought after courses is at an ex-polytechnic, which those not in the know might turn their noses up at, but employers & other scientists in the same area would not. Sorry about my dreadful sentence construction, but I'm tired!

[moved]

Sad that the whole Ofsted report on failing schools was only based on 41 schools. I think that was the number I read last week.

Too many pupils get A/A* as the exams are so easy, but too few get them according to Michael Wilshaw.

Which way is up?

[Amber]

I would go for 'up' being whatever Michael Wilshaw says it isn't, as a general rule of thumb.

I notice in the press yesterday he is playing the 'misunderstood prophet' card and wondering if he can carry on in the face of such unreasonable hostility to his personal crusade to 'raise standards'. The world waits with bated breath...

[mystery]

In response to the op, there are schools in all categories which are failing their ablest, and many that are not.

I do not subscribe to the theory that a bright child will achieve their best irrespective of the school.

[ginx]

I think comprehensives "fail" their least able pupils. Dd1 is in set 3 out of 5, and has many lessons disrupted by less able dc who are less interested in learning. She thinks the weaker teachers teach the lower groups. One of her teachers is young and pleasant, but cannot control the class.

Ds1 is in top groups at the same school and has fantastic teachers for the same subjects as Dd1. Other dp agree that at this comp, weaker teachers teach more challenging sets.

The "ablest" pupils do very well.

[mike1880]

A range of evidence, such as statistics for entry to sciences, engineering, law, medicine and other professions, and statistics for social mobility, suggest that the comprehensive system is failing pupils on an overwhelming but largely unrecognised scale.

Mike

[Tree]

A range of evidence, such as statistics for entry to sciences, engineering, law, medicine and other professions, and statistics for social mobility, suggest that the comprehensive system is failing pupils on an overwhelming but largely unrecognised scale.

but the comps must be doing something right if when they get to uni they get better outcomes than their privatly educated equivalent peers

[Amber]

A range of evidence, such as statistics for entry to sciences, engineering, law, medicine and other professions, and statistics for social mobility, suggest that the comprehensive system is failing pupils on an overwhelming but largely unrecognised scale.

Mike

Perhaps you could expand on this Mike, particularly with respect to demonstrating that it is comprehensives which are failing, rather than independent schools giving unfair advantages.