A-Level success list for 400 schools

[moved]

Fewer yr10 children pass the exams, so the overall pass rate is lower. If a child takes two exams and passes one of them but fails the other, it is still a 50% pass rate despite the child having the qualification.

[mystery]

I must be being obtuse but I still do not follow. The article seemed to be saying that some schools enter c/ d pupils a year early, and that if they didn't get a c they would resist the following year, and that they were doing this to play the league table game. If the stats can't ignore the year early fail, and just count the following year pass, why do they do this to improve their stats? And why would it lower the pass rate in the right year?

[moved]

Two different sets of stats. The school and the child both have the gcse. Job done. The national figures for pass rates are lower.

The problem is that children often get a lower grade if they take an exam early. English is a particular worry as writing takes maturity and many children take it early and get a lower grade than they would have done otherwise.

[Looking for help]

Nice to see you back LFH.

Thanks, Amber, nice to know I have been missed.

I still hang around in the back ground, but have less to say nowadays. Although now my son is getting to the serious stages I am now beginning to think again about exams and results and univeristies..

The only other thing I would say about these league tables regarding sixth form results is that the one thing ignored here is the pastoral care. We will have a choice this year about whether to stay at the school for 6th form or move to a very high performing 6th form college, which with my son's expected results will be an option despite huge over subscription . We will go to visit it, but I have heard that the pastoral care is nil. Those who don't meet expectations are kicked out after year 12. Having been through this process already three times and noted the large number of (in particular) boys who come a cropper at the AS levels having sailed through GCSEs with fistfuls of A*s, I think it is important to choose a school where there is evidence that these kids who mess up are helped to make proper informed choices, whether that be resitting, or redoing year 12/13 etc to get the grades they need for the future courses, and not just kicked out to make sure that the school/college gets 90% A and A* to secure it's place in the league tables.

I think he will opt for the school with lower grades.