The government have announced that Secondary school league tables will return after a two year absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Primary schools will not have their data published for another year however.
The Department for Education said that results for key stage 4 and post-16 qualifications in 2021-22 will be published in a similar format to before, making comparisons between schools possible for parents.
The DfE said that following a two year absence the reporting of school performance was important for parents when making choices about which secondary school to send their children to, and also lead to accountability from schools. The DfE did also recognise the “uneven impact on schools and colleges of the pandemic”, and will “ensure clear messages are placed on the performance tables to advise caution when drawing conclusions from the 2021-22 data”.
Whilst there has been some objection to this, mainly from the ASCL leadership union, the reintroduction of performance tables will most likely be welcomed by parents in Buckinghamshire, and Aylesbury in particular. Sending your child to a particular school should not be based on performance tables alone, however this information, combined with word-of-mouth, recommendations and tours of potential schools can help to paint an overall picture for parents.
Data will be used for ‘improvement purposes’
The DfE has said today that data from all key stages will be used by “schools, academy trusts, local authorities and others for improvement purposes and by Ofsted to inform inspections”. As always, inspection judgements “will not be based on any single piece of data alone and Ofsted will use this data with caution and take the Covid-19 context into account when forming a rounded judgment about a school or college”.
The DfE also said it planned to publish national, regional, and local authority level educational performance data for KS2, KS4 and 16-18 for the 2021-22 academic year, including “information by pupil characteristic and school or college type”.
Which schools in Aylesbury will be included?
Aylesbury Grammar School
Aylesbury High School
Aylesbury Vale Academy
John Colet School
Kingsbrook Secondary School (new school from 2022)
Mandeville School
Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School
St Michaels School
The Grange School
Waddesdon CofE School
What is the secondary transfer test (Eleven Plus)?
One way to assist your child in getting into the school of their choice is through 11+ tuition. In Aylesbury, and Buckinghamshire, all pupils will sit the Secondary Transfer test (11+) in September of Year 6. We offer a year long course when pupils are in Year 5. For more information about how we could help you child prepare for the 11+ please visit us at headstart11plus.co.uk or click here for more information about our course https://www.headstart11plus.co.uk/11plus-course.
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