GCSE leagues tables 2010
GCSE league tables 2010 show you schools’ academic results, but there’s far more to selecting and getting into a secondary school of your choice. Our guide, ‘Choosing a secondary school and getting in,’ tells you what to look for and where to find it.
GCSE league tables 2010 (called school performance tables by the government) are certainly a good place to start but not only do you have to find and understand them but you have to remember to see them in the broader context.
The best places to find them are the Departments own website where you can compare schools and look at results over time. You can also see what progress students make and which are the strongest subjects in a school.
But you could also use the BBC website or the sites of well know newspapers. And don’t forget to use a good search engine, “GCSE league tables 2010,” will bring up a host of good links.
You can get information directly from schools sometimes. But remember that the league tables schools publish themselves may emphasise some information to suit the school.
Wherever you get your information from beware of claims of improvement percentages. Some schools for example, pass themselves off as the best schools in London (or elsewhere) because they have improved their results massively. While improvement is good, you have to question the staring point for each school. A school could make a 100% improvement and still come bottom of the GCSE league tables 2010.
As for the broader context, school league tables are only part of the story. There is no good schools guide for the state sector so you have to collect your own information and make your own decisions about it.
Be clear about which schools you are eligible to apply for. In some areas of the country nearly half of the schools in your local area will be faith schools many with particular admissions policies. Just because you live near a school doesn’t mean you will be admitted there.
Avoid common mistakes on your application form. Our guide tells you what they are and how to avoid them.
Collect information from websites and brochures as well as inspection and OFSTED reports.
Make sure you ask focused questions when you visit the schools. Our student questionaire is a useful list of questionsto ask students you meet and this way you can compare each school you visit in a manageable way.
And remember the information you have gleaned from your search of GCSE league tables 2010. Take it with you on the visits. It’s interesting to see how close the school league tables are to the reality of your experience when you visit.
Ultimately we know you are looking for the best school for your child and while GCSE league tables 2010 can contribute to your decision, take time to consider all the other information from and about the schools you can collect.
While your primary school and Local Authority will tell you about the process and timescales, they will not and cannot advise you on the best school for your child.
N.B please don’t forget that although we are in 2011 you will need to search for “GCSE league tables 2010”. Students are sitting this years exams in the summer 2011. A search of GCSE results 2011 wont bring any fruitful results until September and there will be nothing on the governments site until later in the autumn. “GCSE league tables 2010” will give you the most up to date information on a school’s results.
