The Observer’s headline and first sentence are not an auspicious start.  Despite their claims, independent schools will not secure three times as many A*s as state schools.  The origin of the claim is research published in ISC’s Bulletin back in June in the form of an article, A* at A-level: What should we expect?, based on ISC’s own research. There we looked at what would have happened last summer had the A* already existed (so no firm prediction of what would happen this year).  What we found was that around 16.5% of A-level entries from ISC pupils would have been awarded an A*.  We then calculated – very approximately – that around 5.0% of entries from non-ISC pupils would have been awarded an A*.  What this means is that an entry from an ISC pupil would have been roughly three times as likely to be awarded an A* than an entry from a non-ISC pupil.  But there are far fewer pupils at ISC schools than there are taking A-levels elsewhere, so although ISC pupils would have outperformed other pupils, they would probably have been awarded around 36.5% of all of last year’s notional A*s.  Sadly the Observer appears to have muddled its figures and mistaken being three times as likely to get an A* for getting three times as many A*s.  In fact, ISC pupils would have got around half as many A*s as their state school peers: top grades, and therefore access to top universities, are not a closed shop.

Unfortunately, the problems with the article go rather deeper.  Statistics are slippery things, and cited out of context they can be deceptive rather than revealing.  While the article is correct in stating that 7% of pupils in England & Wales are educated privately, in the context of an article on A-level results it’s a very misleading stat to use.  This oft-cited 7% figure is tricky enough at the best of times as I’ve blogged before, with around 14% of British adults having experienced an independent education at some point in their school career, but in an article on A-level performance to use it is plain daft: it would make much more sense to look at the proportion of A-level candidates who attend independent schools when they take their exams, which is around 14%.  By using the 7% figure, the article makes independent school successes look twice as startling, twice as disproportionate, making it that much more tempting to argue that something needs to be done to level up the playing field.

The article then implies that if independently educated pupils do as well as has been suggested when A*s are awarded this Thursday, this will have alarming consequences for the “social makeup” of universities.  In the context of university admissions the 7% figure is even more misleading.  The fact that more than 7% of university students went to independent schools is due to a range of factors that demonstrate the quality of education available at independent schools.  Pupils from ISC schools are more likely to choose to go to university, more likely to choose to apply to more prestigious universities, more likely to choose combinations of A-level subjects that give access to the most prestigious courses, and more likely to achieve top grades: despite representing about 14% of the candidates, roughly 36% of candidates securing three A grades did so at independent schools.  This explanation of the success of pupils from the independent sector as they enter university and progress through their careers is something that ISC has tackled before, with a consideration, Independent Schools and Social Mobility, in ISC’s Bulletin last autumn.

But perhaps the most frustrating thing about the Observer article, is that it tries to reduce the entire issue to the tired clichés of state vs. independent.  Independent schools are not the only schools where pupils achieve a disproportionately high number of top grades.  While about 50% of entries from the independent sector tend to get A grades, so do about 40% of entries from selective state schools, compared to about 22% of entries from other state schools.  Yet the article doesn’t bemoan the disproportionate success of selective state schools.  Moreover, the success of these top performing state schools is not necessarily a boon in the search for a varied social makeup at universities: they tend to have more socially exclusive intakes than other state schools.  Earlier this year, the Sutton Trust published findings that only 3% of pupils at the top-performing 200 secondary state schools were on free school meal, compared with 14% nationally.  These high-performing socially-exclusive state schools are not just the grammar schools: another report, also from the Sutton Trust, found that the best comprehensive schools are more exclusive than grammars. 

If pupils in the state sector are not all from the same background, so it is with pupils at independent schools.  Around a third of ISC pupils receive some form of help with their fees with schools giving over half a billion pounds in financial assistance each year.  Over 7% of pupils at ISC schools receive means-tested bursaries.  Given the Observer article’s concerns about the social makeup of universities, it is therefore a shame that they have used attendance at an independent school as a simple proxy for a privileged background.  There is always a risk that if school sector is used as an indicator of social background the impression of social mobility can be created by the substitution of one set of middle class pupils from independent schools with another from grammar schools in affluent areas.  What all of this should demonstrate is that talking in the blanket terms of school background is unhelpful if the underlying concern is social mobility. 

There is a real problem with children from deprived backgrounds failing to get through the education system to university in large enough numbers, but the solution will never come from lamenting the success of pupils from independent schools.  In the last year for which there are figures, just 45 pupils from England and Wales who received free school meals were accepted by Oxbridge.  This is less than 1% of Oxbridge entrants, despite over 14% of children being on free school means nationally.  The real concern about the “social makeup” of universities should not be the high representation of former independent school pupils, rather, it should be the low representation of pupils from the most deprived backgrounds.  Therefore, those pupils who achieve outstanding results when their A-level results are released on Thursday should be applauded, whatever type of school they attended, and anyone concerned with iniquity within the system should look not at those who do achieve, but at those who fail to and consider the reasons why.

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Should I take notice of a school league table that is produced by a reputable organisation such as the Times or the BBC?
Each year several organisations produce academic school league tables of A-Levels and GCSEs as well as giving schools ‘value-added’ scores. The thing to remember with these school league tables is that they all have their own criteria and methodology for calculating which school is the ‘best’. Another thing to remember is that every child is different and not all pupils will benefit from a school that is consistently at the top of the school league tables year on year. ISC represents all of its 1260+ member schools equally so does not rank independent schools based on a set criteria. On the ISC website you can find in our Publications section the latest A-Level and GCSE results. These are in alphabetical order and will give parents an idea of the type of grades that pupils at each school achieve. This will obviously help parents if they wish to discover the academic standing of a school. However, parents must use this to complement their other research activities.

Independent school year books are a great resource for reviews aren’t they?
There are many books that are published each year stuffed with reviews about many of ISC’s 1260+ independent schools. They are useful tools if used in the right way; parents must remember that these are subjective opinions based on one person’s experience and not to be taken as gospel. Your thoughts on the school could be drastically different. So, as long as you keep this in mind they are not to be disregarded altogether. If you are looking for a more succinct report based on strict criteria it might be worth reading the Independent Schools Inspectorate’s (ISI) report on the school by visiting their website. As with all resources looking at independent schools it is always a good idea to put them into context and consider who, and why, someone is writing the review. Are they looking to promote the school? Are they giving accurate advice? Once again, by all means use these guides but as a complementary resource along with other research.

What is the best method of comparing schools?
School inspection reports, websites, reviews and school league tables are all useful indicators of a schools success but there is no substitute for visiting and having a look around. If possible it is always a good idea to talk to pupils at the school to get a sense of the type of student your child will become in that environment. Are the children confident, friendly and happy? When visiting an independent school it is advisable to take a list of questions to ask the person showing you around. Some examples of things to ask are:

- Typically, how many students are in a class?
- What access do boarders have to the facilities after lessons have finished?
- How much direct contact will we, as parents, have with teachers?
- Do you cater for pupils with Special Educational Needs?
- What is the percentage of school leavers that go onto university?
- What support mechanisms are there for those who struggle with maths and English?
- Are you considering offering any other curricula in the future like the IB or Pre-U?
- What clubs and extra-curricular activities are on offer for students, even if they don’t board?
- How many hours of compulsory sport is there?
- Does the school offer the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award or any volunteer schemes for students?

For more questions to ask please visit the ISC website and navigate to the Parent Zone.

How do I make the final decision?
All of these resources are available easily but nobody can make your mind up for you. Our general advice line 0845 SCHOOLS (7246657) and website are able to help with your decision but ultimately it is up to you to decide which the best school is for your child. The independent school sector is successful because the flexibility its independence affords it. This means that you can choose a school that matches your child, effectively giving your child a bespoke education. Use the reviews, school league tables and websites but remember that none of these can even come close to experiencing the school for yourself. ISC’s advice: visit the school and ask lots of questions!

By Liam Butler, Senior Information Officer.

Interested in further information about school league tables?
Read our blog - ‘School League Tables’
Visit the following pages in our Parent Zone:
How do I decide which school is best for my child?
School league tables
School open days and questions to ask

Related posts:

1. School League Tables
2. A Bright Spark: ‘Gifted and Talented’ in the Independent Sector
3. An Independent Education: Promoting Flexibility and Choice

Choosing the right school for your child is an important decision that takes plenty of time and research. Thankfully help is at hand for parents in the form of the Independent Schools Council information advice service (ISCias). ISCias has a free helpline, 0845 SCHOOLS (7246657), that gives free impartial information and advice to parents.

Results
One of the reasons parents continue to choose an independent education for their child thanks to high teaching standards and this clearly reflects in the grades that our schools post year after year. In 2008 over half of A Level entries from pupils at ISC schools were awarded a grade A. Also, pupil/teacher ratios continue to fall in ISC schools reflecting many schools’ commitment to teaching a wide range of subjects even if class sizes are small. There is now one teacher to every ten pupils allowing children to receive a uniquely supported and bespoke education. Independent schools are excellent at providing breadth of education as well as flexibility.

There are now over 40 ISC schools that offer the International Baccalaureate allowing parents to pick the style of education that best suits their child. Thanks to the flexibility of not being tied to the national curriculum or Local Authorities ISC schools are also some of the first to adopt the new Pre-U exam which is a 16+ course designed to prepare students for university. Independent schools offer an array of choices for parents when it comes to curricula and qualifications and it’s up to parents to do the research and pick the one that will best suit their child. The one-size-fits-all approach to education is long gone in the independent sector and it’s now up to the parent to choose the right school for their child.

Facilities and Extra-Curricular
In 2007/08 ISC schools spent nearly 300 million pounds on new buildings demonstrating their commitment to constant improvement of facilities for pupils. Total spending on facilities and equipment stood at nearly 700 million pounds, roughly equating to roughly £1,400 per pupil. However, it’s not just academic facilities such as ICT centres, Science laboratories and state of the art classrooms that schools are committed to improving. With great sporting facilities too, schools can offer everything from athletics, rugby and football to squash, tennis and lacrosse. Independent schools are committed to providing children with a rounded education filled with both sporting and academic successes. Indeed many ISC schools have produced some of the best sports men and women in recent memory. The 2008 Beijing Olympics was dominated by Independent school educated stars such as Chris Hoy and Ben Ainslie. The England rugby team also boasts a hoard of Independent School alumni, Jonny Wilkinson, Matthew Tait and Lewis Moody to name but a few.

Many children also take advantage of various Cadet Force initiatives, such as Combined Cadet Force, which teach leadership and team work. Many schools even offer a BTEC in leadership as a result of pupils’ participation in CCF. The school day doesn’t have to begin at 9 and end at 5 and many parents choose a weekly or flexible boarding option, allowing their children to take full advantage of the after school activities that are on offer. Students are not confined to the school premises either as schools are very keen to organise trips abroad for history, geography and modern foreign language purposes. Pick up any school’s newsletter and you’ll find details of groups of students trekking off to some far flung destination.

IPSOS Mori
A recent survey by Ipsos MORI found Independent education to be more popular than ever. Nearly three in five of all parents would send their child to Independent school if they could afford it. This is the highest level since the survey began in 1997, up 20% on the last survey in 2004. While ‘better standards of education’ continues to be the prime factor for parents wanting to send their children to Independent schools, ‘better discipline’ more than doubled in popularity rising to second place above ‘smaller class sizes’.

Is there help with school fees
More than one in three pupils at ISC schools receives assistance with fee costs with four out of five of these awards coming directly from the school itself. Indeed, most ISC schools offer bursaries, scholarships or both.

Scholarships tend to be linked to the ability of the child whether it is academic, sporting, music or drama. The best way to ascertain availability and eligibility is to contact the school directly. They are more than happy to discuss with you the options available.

Bursaries, on the other hand, tend to be means-assessed on a financial basis and will require the parent or guardian to fill out a financial declaration to establish whether the student meets the necessary criteria.

The Parent Zone – is a great resource for information on independent schools around the UK, and can be used to find schools local to you that match your criteria. By clicking ‘School Search’ you can also find out if the school offers bursaries and / or scholarships.

So why choose an Independent School?
Education isn’t a one-size-fits-all affair and thankfully independent schools come in all shapes and sizes. The independent sector gives parents the opportunity to choose a school that is right for their child. Whether it is the breadth and flexibility of the curriculum that appeals or perhaps the extra curricular activities, you can be assured that your child will receive a well rounded education helping them to achieve their full potential.

By Liam Butler – Information Officer

Liam Butler works for ISCias (Independent Schools Council information & advice service) giving information to parents about Independent schools.

More information
Advantages of independent schools

Related posts:

1. A Bright Spark: ‘Gifted and Talented’ in the Independent Sector
2. ISCias Information Officer – Helping parents find independent day and boarding schools
3. School league tables, websites and independent schools guides: How do I decide which school is best for my child?

A small rural day school with ten pupils in Year 13 may achieve fewer A graded A levels than a large boarding school with state-of-the-art facilities. However, the close-knit community feel, warmth and individual attention that its staff are able to provide to pupils may be the qualities that put the smaller school head and shoulders over its competitors and make it an extremely popular secondary school overall. This is one of the reasons for which ISC and its constituent member associations do not support or publish school league tables: they place a disproportionate emphasis on grade attainment in the ranking of schools.

The other difficult area regarding league tables concerns the different ways in which they are assembled, depending on who is constructing them. A school that does well in one school league table can find itself ranked lower in another because of the way points have been calculated or subjects excluded (for example General Studies). How is a parent supposed to know which schools did in fact get the ‘best’ A level results if three school league tables show one school ranked in a different position in each?

It is therefore particularly important that the alphabetical spreadsheet of results produced by ISC is available for public view. Not only does it show the raw results data from ISC schools that have chosen to be included in the spreadsheet, but it is guaranteed that every single results submission has been manually, rigorously checked by a member of the ISC Research and Intelligence team.

If you are interested in the exam performance of a particular ISC school, please look it up on the ISC website under ‘Publications’. By all means take an interest in schools’ rankings in August’s league tables, but remember that caution is advisable in any use or interpretation of them.

Now that school league table season draws to a close, ISC would like to let schools know how appreciative the research team is of the time dedicated by schools to submitting results at a very hectic time of year. The team hopes that its work on data collection reflects the consistently high standard of performance of ISC pupils, and shares schools’ frustration with the ranking of schools in league tables.

Interested in further information about school league tables?
Read our blog - School league tables, websites and independent schools guides: How do I decide which school is best for my child?
Visit our School Leage Table page in the ISC Parent Zone.

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2. A big thank you from the Research & Intelligence team
3. London Borough School Search (Independent schools)