Home « ISC Does Not Support School League Tables
The ISC (Independent Schools Council) and its constituent member associations do not support school league tables. School league tables can be misleading, particularly for parents who are looking to find the best school for their individual child. Education is about the whole child. School exam results tables do not measure pastoral care, soft skills and many other facets of education which are essential parts of schooling. As a result, ISC does not, and have never has, published school league tables.
Why does ISC collect exam results? The collection of exam results ensures that the results declared by DCSF are accurate. ISC collects exam results from member schools when they are released. Over 95% of ISC schools submit their results. The number of candidate results submitted by each school is matched back to pupil data submitted in the ISC Annual Census, completed in January each year and in the exam declaration form, completed by schools in May/June each year. This ensures that results declared are accurate.
Aggregate statistics for all ISC exam entries are then calculated. These statistics are important as they illustrate the consistently high achievement of independent school pupils at GCSE, A level and IB (International Baccalaureate).
ISC then produces a spreadsheet of exam results which lists schools in alphabetical order. This is published on the ISC website. It is not a league table. It allows prospective parents or other interested parties to look up a school and see how it has performed. Several key indicators of exam performance are listed, including for GCSE percentage of total candidates gaining 5 or more A* to C. First results are provisional and re-marks often come in after the official release dates. To allow for this, schools can resubmit their results as and when re-marks are received. The spreadsheet is therefore regularly updated and new versions are posted on the website. The ISC press office alerts the press when new versions are posted on the site.
New in 2008
In 2008 schools have the option to submit their exam results to ISC, but to have their individual exam results omitted from the spreadsheet which is made publicly available on the website. This allows schools to support the sector, by ensuring the aggregate figures are truly representative of the sector, whilst allowing them the freedom to choose whether or not their school's individual results are listed.
Dangers of school league tables
Often external parties take the spreadsheet of ISC schools' exam results and construct league tables from the raw data. ISC advises against the creation of any league tables and advises caution in any use or interpretation of them. In the past, mistakes have been made when bodies outside of ISC have attempted to construct league tables. For example, schools with similar names have been omitted and/or UCAS points have been incorrectly calculated.
Why does ISC collect exam results? The collection of exam results ensures that the results declared by DCSF are accurate. ISC collects exam results from member schools when they are released. Over 95% of ISC schools submit their results. The number of candidate results submitted by each school is matched back to pupil data submitted in the ISC Annual Census, completed in January each year and in the exam declaration form, completed by schools in May/June each year. This ensures that results declared are accurate.
Aggregate statistics for all ISC exam entries are then calculated. These statistics are important as they illustrate the consistently high achievement of independent school pupils at GCSE, A level and IB (International Baccalaureate).
ISC then produces a spreadsheet of exam results which lists schools in alphabetical order. This is published on the ISC website. It is not a league table. It allows prospective parents or other interested parties to look up a school and see how it has performed. Several key indicators of exam performance are listed, including for GCSE percentage of total candidates gaining 5 or more A* to C. First results are provisional and re-marks often come in after the official release dates. To allow for this, schools can resubmit their results as and when re-marks are received. The spreadsheet is therefore regularly updated and new versions are posted on the website. The ISC press office alerts the press when new versions are posted on the site.
New in 2008
In 2008 schools have the option to submit their exam results to ISC, but to have their individual exam results omitted from the spreadsheet which is made publicly available on the website. This allows schools to support the sector, by ensuring the aggregate figures are truly representative of the sector, whilst allowing them the freedom to choose whether or not their school's individual results are listed.
Dangers of school league tables
Often external parties take the spreadsheet of ISC schools' exam results and construct league tables from the raw data. ISC advises against the creation of any league tables and advises caution in any use or interpretation of them. In the past, mistakes have been made when bodies outside of ISC have attempted to construct league tables. For example, schools with similar names have been omitted and/or UCAS points have been incorrectly calculated.
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