How can you work out your at a low performing school in the UK?

I would like to know at what point does the school become part of this special list?

user 42005

I imagine if its average grades are below the national average then it's at least 'underperforming', so perhaps a school that is significantly below would be 'low' performing? My school was in the bottom 40% of grade averages for Maths, English and Science and that was classed as low performing, for reference.

Reply 2

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by JL124251

I would like to know at what point does the school become part of this special list?

"If you attended a school/college whose performance places it into the lowest two quintiles for average QCA points per A level student (or equivalent) (in England, Wales or Northern Ireland) as identified by the Department for Education dataset and provided to the University via UCAS."
http://www.southampton.ac.uk/assets/imported/transforms/content-block/UsefulDownloads_Download/603328F861BB4F8DAE265D098CC0FA0E/Eligible%20Schools.pdf is a list of those schools (identified by UCAS/DofE)

You can see the dataset here: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/schools-by-type?step=phase&geographic=all&region=0&phase=16to18&for=Performance+at+age+16+to+18&basedon=A+level+results&&&schoolTypeFilter=stateSchools&orderby=ks5.0.APSFTE_ALEVA&orderdir=asc&datatype=freetext&sortpolicy=numericpolicy&page=1

3206 schools so the lowest 2 quintiles would cover the lowest 1,282 schools

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 3

nulli tertius

Original post by JL124251

I would like to know at what point does the school become part of this special list?

Original post by PQ

Different universities use different lists.

This is Bristol's list.

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/study/undergraduate/documents/contextual-offer-schools-2016.pdf

You need to bear in mind that not everyone can go to a low performing school.

For example you have to pass the 11 plus to get in Borden Grammar School in Sittingbourne

Most people could not afford the £30,000 a year to go to the low performing Rossall School in Fleetwood.

Manchester's list is tougher than Bristol's. It lists all schools but it is harder to get a "yes" contextual flag

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=25306

Reply 4

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by nulli tertius

It's the same methodology - bottom 40%\lowest 2 quintiles

You may be eligible for a contextual offer if you are applying from, or in the 2015/16 academic year were in full-time education in, a school or college ranked in the bottom 40 per cent in any of the following categories: average score per A-level entryaverage score per A-level entrantpercentage of students applying to higher education.

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/apply/

Exeter use the same methodology too. UCAS provide the data on which schools meet those criteria to all universities - so most universities use the easy option for identifying schools for contextual admissions.

Reply 5

Someboady

Wait wait, so let me get this straight.

My secondary school sucked(Less than 50% got 5 GCSE's)
My Sixth Form College sucks (its on the list)
...
So Universities will look at my sixth form's standards as well and base their offer on that?
How low will my offer be exactly?

Reply 6

Someboady

Original post by PQ

It's the same methodology - bottom 40%\lowest 2 quintiles

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/apply/

Exeter use the same methodology too. UCAS provide the data on which schools meet those criteria to all universities - so most universities use the easy option for identifying schools for contextual admissions.

Do Cambridge/Oxford have one of these lists?

Reply 7

aieshacaitlin

Original post by JL124251

I would like to know at what point does the school become part of this special list?

Probably if you say "your" instead of 'you're', and low performing instead of underperforming!😜
School league tables and ofsted reports

Reply 8

nulli tertius

Original post by PQ

It's the same methodology - bottom 40%\lowest 2 quintiles

Which one are you suggesting cannot do arithmetic then?

2016 entry year

Abbey College Birmingham flagged for Bristol not flagged for Manchester

Abbey Grange Church of England Academy flagged for Bristol not flagged for Manchester

Abbots Bromley School for Girls flagged for Bristol not flagged for Manchester

Adams' Grammar School Telford flagged for Manchester, not flagged for Bristol

Akeley Wood School flagged for Bristol not flagged for Manchester

need I go on?

Reply 9

nulli tertius

Original post by Someboady

Do Cambridge/Oxford have one of these lists?

Yes, but I am not aware they publish them.

Reply 10

1secondsofvamps

My secondary school was really bad, in fact it still is now considering it's under special measures. Last year my year group got like 46% but the year group previously only got like 24% (5 GCSEs including Maths and english)

Reply 11

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by nulli tertius

I meant the Bristol/Soton/Exeter methodology is the same.

The Manchester list isn't used to identify contextual applicants - it's bonus points for people from certain neighbourhoods and from what I've read only takes performance below the current average for each school aggregated across 3 years data. If you go to a school on the Manchester list it doesn't affect your application unless you also meet the POLAR2/3 LPN postcode (or care leaver) requirements so it isn't really relevant. Contextual offers from Manchester aren't based on school alone. At the other 3 they are.

Reply 12

nulli tertius

Original post by PQ

I meant the Bristol/Soton/Exeter methodology is the same.

Noted

The Manchester list isn't used to identify contextual applicants - it's bonus points for people from certain neighbourhoods and from what I've read only takes performance below the current average for each school aggregated across 3 years data. If you go to a school on the Manchester list it doesn't affect your application unless you also meet the POLAR2/3 LPN postcode (or care leaver) requirements so it isn't really relevant. Contextual offers from Manchester aren't based on school alone. At the other 3 they are.

The Polar map is very coarse and includes plenty of "nice" areas.

Reply 13

Doones

Original post by Someboady

Do Cambridge/Oxford have one of these lists?

Yes.

And Cambridge (and I imagine Oxford and others) have a number of contextual "flags", not just related to your school.

http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying/decisions/contextual-data

Reply 14

DrAdrenaline

Do universities even care about contextual data?

Reply 15

nulli tertius

Original post by swopnil

Do universities even care about contextual data?

Very much so, but different universities do different things with it. Some reduce offers, some weight their candidate evaluations, some guarantee interviews and for others it is a simple flag, drawing special attention to the candidate.