Private schools achieve greater A-level success

Discussion and advice on Sixth Form matters

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Catseye
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Location: Cheshire

Private schools achieve greater A-level success

Post by Catseye »

"A new analysis based on figures released by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) also shows that nearly half (48.2 per cent) of private school pupils achieve an A* or A grade, while just 22.5 per cent of A-level entries made from other exam centres – usually schools – achieve an A* or A grade.


Tracy Cook, of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which carried out the study, said: “The surprise is how big the gap is between independent and state sector pupils’ results
“It is indicative of the significant added value provided by independent schools, due to factors such as intensive, focused teaching and smaller class sizes.”........
well maybe she would say that wouldn't she?



" Supporters of state education said the gap in performance was a reflection of the superior resources fee paying schools are able to draw on, rather than the abilities of their pupils. Christine Blower, the general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: “The OECD recognises that once socio-economic factors have been accounted for, private schools do not perform any better than state schools.....

Prof Sir Michael Sterling, a former chairman of the Russell Group of leading universities, said: “Independent schools offer a rigorous and thorough academic education, based on an expectation of high standards, exceptional levels of teaching and support and an encouragement of pupils’ hard work and dedication......”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/ed ... ccess.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


I wonder how many young people are moving from State to Private for sixth form?
I known some parents moving their charges from State Grammars(and well respected ones at that) to Indie Schools for 6th form ! whats going on?
KB
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Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: Private schools achieve greater A-level success

Post by KB »

There has been a change in funding for 6th forms in the state sector which amounts to a reduction.
Many top GS are having to increase lower school numbers and halt expansion of top class 6th forms to balance the books.
Our local GS tops some league tables and has always provided more teaching hours per subject than average as well as more subjects.
Funding is now per pupil rather than per subject so it is much harder to fund a high level of teaching hours per pupil.
It might be argued that very bright students will get the top grades unaided, which is generally true but what fee paying schools can do ( & our GS at least to date) is provide top class teaching for those who are very able but not brilliant.

I can see how parents might be looking at the provision now available in good GS 6th forms and thinking that the fee paying option is the safer bet. With the changes going through at present the ability of staff to give that bit extra time to individual students must be attractive. The state schools have some outstanding teachers but if their workload becomes too great they simply can't do their best for every student.
Guest55
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Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Private schools achieve greater A-level success

Post by Guest55 »

Oh dear! More comment from biased sources ...

When they analyse progress by starting point then I may be impressed.

You can't even compare GS because some ask for grade B at GCSE and some grade A - of course outcomes are different!

I also think scrutiny of entry policies might reveal some interesting comparisons.
moved
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Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: Private schools achieve greater A-level success

Post by moved »

Selection and retention will be an issue in these figures. DS' private school, not highly selective, cull those who don't get 3Cs. Local GSs don't do this yet and the comps certainly don't.

However, as a parent with children in both sectors, I am impressed with the pastoral and academic support that is given in the independent school after the GS. But that was one particular GS and I'm talking about one particular independent. DD's GS seems very different with far more teaching hours; however, due to severe post-16 funding cuts this will cease next year.

Looking at the bigger picture: selection at 11 is commonplace in the independent sector but not in the state sector. Many non-selective independents only provide an 11-16 education. A level entry requires a grade C in a lot of the state sector and grade B or higher in the independent sector.

Independents have an early and rigorous entry to sixth form complete with selection tests in A level subjects rather than merely relying on gcse results.
Catseye
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Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2014 6:03 pm
Location: Cheshire

Re: Private schools achieve greater A-level success

Post by Catseye »

As you may be aware, we are in the process of assessing 6th forms.
My sons' school claims it add 1/2 a grade to the expected A-level results, I am not sure what 1/2 a grade means, does it mean on average it turns BBBB to AABB?

is that good or not?
SteveDH
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Location: Harrow

Re: Private schools achieve greater A-level success

Post by SteveDH »

Personally I think that one large problem the public sector faces that the private doesn't is that it has a lot of parents who don't care about education.
In the private sector I assume that if a parent is going to pay all that money then they must care about their childs education.
moved
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Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: Private schools achieve greater A-level success

Post by moved »

The main difference that I have found is that DS cannot coast.

In his GS he hideously underachieved and frankly it didn't matter to the school. Now I'm paying a huge amount of money I have found that I am contacted every time DS dips below their expectations for him, which are extremely high. He has the potential to be good for their figures which will also help.
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: Private schools achieve greater A-level success

Post by KB »

Catseye wrote:As you may be aware, we are in the process of assessing 6th forms.
My sons' school claims it add 1/2 a grade to the expected A-level results, I am not sure what 1/2 a grade means, does it mean on average it turns BBBB to AABB?

is that good or not?

I'd ask them to explain!
For a start how do they work out the expected grade & then how do they measure half a grade?

And more importantly how do they do it....
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Private schools achieve greater A-level success

Post by Guest55 »

Yes indeed - if they use ALIS then I wouldn't trust their predictions with a barge pole!
moved
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Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: Private schools achieve greater A-level success

Post by moved »

On another thread G55 made a highly pertinent point: in many independent schools parents pay for exam entries, which allows the school to discount those that don't make the grade as 'private entries'.
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