
What Makes A Top School Today?
By Annabel Dunstan
Summary
A top school. It’s what we’re all looking for as we search for the best place to send our children. But what does being ‘top’ actually look like, and how should we go about finding it? There’s no magic formula – a school’s quality can’t be collapsed into one standalone indicator. But in this article we unpack clearly some key metrics for what makes schools great today. With insight from Nicholas Pietrek (Headmaster, Stafford Grammar School) and Luke Harding (Assistant Head, Learning, Aldenham School), we equip you to weigh up the different elements and work out what makes a school top for you.
Exam Results - Are They A Good Indicator?
When it comes to assessing schools, exam results are often top of the list. Results really matter: for our children, exam results are the keys to future doorways. We need to have confidence that a school can equip our children to move on to the next stage, and in our education system getting the grades is essential. When we look at a school, then, results seem the obvious metric to go by. They’re clear, they’re concrete, and they’re easy to compare from school to school. If you’re after academic success for your child, checking a school’s exam rankings is the closest you can get to a magic formula – right? Well, partly.
All these things are true: exam results are tangible markers of attainment, and the stats are accessible in a consistent format across all institutions, making them clear and easy to understand. But results are not always the whole picture. A school’s impressively high proportion of top grades, whilst appearing to indicate teaching excellence, might also reflect the school’s intake. If a school is highly selective, its cohort is likely to include a higher proportion of the most able than in a school that is less selective. Comparing the data between such schools wouldn’t be fair: the academic background and capability of a cohort can vary hugely from school to school depending on their selection process, and this can skew the data. The diversity of a student body isn’t the only factor contributing to skewed stats: breadth of subjects makes a difference too. The standard number of GCSEs sat in most schools can be anywhere from 8 to 12, and the standard number of A-levels either 3 or 4. The exam results picture can differ in a school that prioritises breadth of study – and so can your child’s learning experience. Better results does not always mean better fit.
The Key Questions To Get A Fairer Comparison
How can we reconcile these differences? Firstly, you could request to see the exam results from only the top 25% of students. This would enable you to compare cohorts more fairly across different schools, and would remove any misleading selection bias. The top quartile of a non-selective school should be comparable to the whole cohort of a highly selective school. Secondly, it can be helpful in your search to reframe attainment as progress, rather than getting hung up on A*s or 7-9s.
Every child has different strengths and different reasonable targets; a school is ‘top’ if every child fulfils or exceeds their potential, no matter what level they’re working at. Some schools publish Value Added (VA) scores, a system which measures students’ actual results against their expected results based on prior achievements. A positive VA score means students have outdone expectation; negative means they have underperformed. This is a more accurate measure of quality teaching than grades themselves.
For Most Families It Shouldn't Be About The Academic Results
But what about everything else? School is not all about exams (though it may feel like it to a Year 11 in the throes of revision…), and you might have another focus when choosing the right school for your child. They might be less academic. They might have broad tastes across many subjects and an interest in co-curricular activities. They might be exceptional in one co-curricular area, such as sport or music. Many schools claim to have a specialism in one area, usually sports or performing arts. They might offer scholarships for the exceptionally talented, and they are likely to have strong support systems, facilities and resources geared towards progressing in this subject. These can be great to look out for: whether your child has competed nationally in swimming or is an aspiring professional flautist, you will need a school that can foster their passion and propel them in their field.
Nicholas Pietrek (Headmaster, Stafford Grammar School), points out that for all students:
Academics on its own doesn’t really cut it anymore. Pupils who can demonstrate to a University or employer that they have the academic attributes but also other qualities (music, drama, sport, public speaking, Model UN…) will stand out increasingly.’
It is worth remembering, though, that a school’s excellence in one co-curricular area does not necessarily make it ‘top’ overall. Although quality across all areas might not matter so much if you know what specific subject you’re looking for, it is nonetheless all too easy to be blinkered by a specific desire, and miss the bigger picture. Equally, however, the reverse is true: being weaker or having less provision in one area does not make a school poor. It is common to be outstanding at one thing and solid at many others, and such schools can still be ‘top’ if they meet your child’s needs. At My Top Schools, this is precisely our rationale: we aim to match up children with schools according to their individual passions and needs.
It's All About The Individual
We know every child is different, and each individual comes with their own background, strengths, and needs. A top school is one that doesn’t just routinely churn out lessons to cohort after faceless cohort, but one that cares personally about each and every child. When you’re looking at your school options, it’s important to ask yourself: what systems does this school have in place to support my son or daughter as an individual? You might already have in mind some particular needs that must be met. For example, if your child speaks English as an additional language (EAL), you’ll want to be certain their future school has the right resources and personnel to support their understanding of the language of the curriculum. Your child might have a particular diagnosed learning need, such as dyslexia, ADHD or autism that may affect their speed of processing. How do the schools you’re considering make space for these differences, so that your child can thrive alongside their peers? Search for the schools’ SEN (Special Educational Needs) provision on their websites, or ask them about it if you’re visiting.
But support isn’t just academic, and it isn’t only for those with named conditions. Every person has emotional and mental needs, and no child should be overlooked. Education is much more holistic than you might initially imagine: top schools care about pastoral support as well as academics, and they look after your child as a whole person, not a statistic. As parents, we want our children to be happy and successful. The two often go hand in hand, which is why it’s important to consider the big picture of individual support when you’re choosing a school. Most schools will give every child a tutor, who mentors them pastorally and acts as their port of call for any issues. Such systems are really important for ensuring consistent, attentive, personal nurture, but the existence of the set-up does not necessarily signify quality of care. Sometimes the best way of assessing a school’s pastoral quality is by visiting: are they welcoming? Do they remember your name? Is their attitude friendly? Answering these questions requires gut feeling: you can’t compare stats on ‘caring-ness’ in the same way you can weigh up scholarship amounts and VA scores. But your intuition counts for a lot: if a school feels top when you look around, it probably is.
Luke Harding (Assistant Head - Learning, Aldenham School) remarks:
‘Visitors will so often comment on the atmosphere of Aldenham. The porters and receptionists, the admissions team, the teachers and, most importantly, the students – it’s that sense that we’re a happy, welcoming school that connects with parents and prospective students. This isn’t something a school can fake.’
So what does make a top school? Excellent results, amazing sport provision, an inspiring music and drama department, strong support systems – all of these are indicators of greatness. These metrics will matter to each family differently, and the good news is that schools also value them differently. Every school has its own strengths, foci and values, and finding the best fitting school for your child means looking for where that ethos aligns with your own. What is your priority for your child? In your top school, that priority will also be theirs.
Key Takeaways
- Being a top school is multi-faceted and subjective. Different families will reach different conclusions about what’s top for them.
- Be careful to look at the whole picture. Whether it’s exam result stats, a specialism selling-point, or an apparent pastoral infrastructure, the headline doesn’t always tell the whole story. Consider how it all fits together to give your child the best experience possible.
- Ethos is essential. First decide your priorities for your child, and then find a school that shares those values.
Action
Feeling ready to assess some schools? Download our guide to choosing the right school for your child.