[Metrobeans]

B456 - Secondary School League Tables Bill 2012, TSR Government

Secondary School League Tables Act 2012

A Bill to reform the way league tables are created, to encourage schools to progress.

BE IT ENACTED by The Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, in accordance with the provisions of the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

1. School League table componants
(1) The secondary school league tables shall be composed as following:
(a) % A*-Cs achieved per pupil in the 'English Bacc' subjects at G.C.S.E.
(b) note that for when one of these subjects is not being studied, it counts as 0% for the purpose of the results average, and not 'not included'.
(2) A comparison column for schools within a 20 mile radious. Taking into account results from (a) and also statistics of:
(a) % Expulsions per year.
(b) % of first choice university places over the last 2 years.

2. Short title and extent
(1) This Bill may be cited as the Secondary School League Tables Bill 2012
(2) This bill shall extend to England

[Keckers]

If university admissions are begin taken into account would it not also be wise to include A level results?

Why the focus on university places? It will likely lead to school pushing even more students into higher education who are simply not suited to it.

[toronto353]

(Original post by Keckers)
If university admissions are begin taken into account would it not also be wise to include A level results?

Why the focus on university places? It will likely lead to school pushing even more students into higher education who are simply not suited to it.

It actually wouldn't. That column in the league tables would allow people to see how many of those people who applied to university got into their first place choice. It doesn't push people into applying for higher education so that the statistics can be bumped up because it's only taking into account those that actually apply.

[Keckers]

(Original post by toronto353)
It actually wouldn't. That column in the league tables would allow people to see how many of those people who applied to university got into their first place choice. It doesn't push people into applying for higher education so that the statistics can be bumped up because it's only taking into account those that actually apply.

How about schools encouraging students to aim lower in order to top up their % of first choice offers?

[jesusandtequila]

(Original post by Keckers)
How about schools encouraging students to aim lower in order to top up their % of first choice offers?

Quite.

I'm not convinced league tables are at all a good thing either. Skewed incentives lalala...

[toronto353]

(Original post by Keckers)
How about schools encouraging students to aim lower in order to top up their % of first choice offers?

Well I agree that is a concern, but then that school would be failing in their duty of care by encouraging such a move for more able pupils. I also feel that many applying to university don't just use one source to find out more, but many others thanks to the internet etc and so this is less likely to occur.

[Keckers]

What exactly is the aim of these tables in the first place?

To aid parents in selecting schools for their children, to allow problem schools to be identified or something else?

[toronto353]

(Original post by Keckers)
What exactly is the aim of these tables in the first place?

To aid parents in selecting schools for their children, to allow problem schools to be identified or something else?

In my personal opinion, I think that league tables help parents to get an idea of the prospects that the school can offer. It's a very basic filter almost for parents before they go to open days etc.

[Keckers]

This only includes secondary schools, how about sixth form colleges?

[obi_adorno_kenobi]

Radious? What kind of word is that! League tables are bad for teachers and bad for parents, Don't treat education as a commodity.

[Cardozo]

Yawn. This is absolute pish compared to the great Domestic Transport Bill of yester-year!

[SciFiRory]

I want them abolished, anything else is an instant no.

[JPKC]

It's not a good idea to pit schools in very different circumstances against each other for the sheer benefit of a few parents. They turn schools into exam factories when the focus should be on teaching; likewise, because the incentive is to churn out qualifications by the dozen, the interests of the child can be ignored - it's quite common for pupils to be shunted into 'easy' subjects that they may not want to do purely because risking failure in a harder subject is bad for the school's league table place. An 'aye' vote on this would be a decision to further stratify the education system by social class. A school's exam performance depends drastically on its intake, so a class of children from the leafy 'burbs will do better than a class of estate kids, because each group is prepared for the system to a different extent, not at all due to talent. Wealthier parents are able to pick and choose where their offspring learn, a luxury not afforded to those without resources. The parents choose a school that's higher up the league tables, concentrating middle-class students in the same place, and leaving those that can't choose in worse schools. Resources are then poorly handled. The class of poor kids requires much more money because there're likely to be more demand for things like pastoral care and additional teaching. Resources are spread thinner in schools at the bottom because of league tables.

[stanlas]

Would this include IGCSE?
And as Keckers said, why no A-levels?

[Rakas21]

I fully support this and Bun is best placed to answer many of these questions..

(Original post by Bun)
QFA

[barnetlad]

A league with a league table should have a sponsor and divisions. Surely some national chain of estate agents could be approached. Then of course, promotions and relegations, with play-offs perhaps based on a spelling bee or maybe Blockbusters.

[Stiff Little Fingers]

Noe.

As has already been suggested by Keckers - this could easily end up with schools skewing the statistics to make themselves look good, rather than making sure the children reach their maximum potential.

It also favours getting children to just pass exams rather than actually teaching - something I doubt is beneficial to the students in the long run.

[bun]

I don't understand this place any more. Ages ago I suggested scrapping league tables, and got shot down. Admittedly most of those who said it are no longe active on here, but anyway...
I would like to see league tables scrapped. I presumed that the house wouldn't so I thought I'd try and make the current league table system a bit more useful, so that schools wouldn't push the easy GCSEs on people in an attempt to boost grades. I can see the point of skewing it with the Universities thing.

To be honest, it seems as though now people are actually seeing sense (don't mean that you didn't, I just mean that the others previously didn't) and I will scrap this bill, and just go for scrapping league tables alltogether.

[The Epicurean]

(Original post by SciFiBoy)
I want them abolished, anything else is an instant no.

I concur.

The Finnish education model works very efficiently without these intricate school league tables. In fact, the Finnish ecuation system triumphs ours. I'd instead propose the abolition of school league tables.

(Original post by bun)
I don't understand this place any more. Ages ago I suggested scrapping league tables, and got shot down. Admittedly most of those who said it are no longe active on here, but anyway...
I would like to see league tables scrapped. I presumed that the house wouldn't so I thought I'd try and make the current league table system a bit more useful, so that schools wouldn't push the easy GCSEs on people in an attempt to boost grades. I can see the point of skewing it with the Universities thing.

To be honest, it seems as though now people are actually seeing sense (don't mean that you didn't, I just mean that the others previously didn't) and I will scrap this bill, and just go for scrapping league tables alltogether.

If I was around at the time, I would fully have supported the abolition of school league tables.

[Mr Dangermouse]

I don't believe the government should fund league tables.


League tables commissioned by local councils, private organisations, the media or parent groups can use any criteria the funders want.


It's a no from me.