Post-GCSE results: The Breakdown

I guess the 27th August 2009 was a very memorable day for many teenagers in the UK. It was a day for celebrating all the hard work that students put in. The UK government expects a minimum of 5 A*-C grades from 16 year-olds, although technically, any grades from A*-G is considered a pass.

There was (as I had predicted), an improvement on comparison to last year's results. It was reported that 21.6% of all exam papers were graded as an A*/A. This lead to media outlets speculating that the exams have gotten easier (once again). In my opinion, there is no such thing as an easy A*. What has happened is that both teachers and students have gotten to know the GCSE exams better and so much so that we are able to 'predict' exams just by looking at past questions. Also, as more emphasis is put on achieving ONLY the best, students and teachers feel pressurised to work and study harder.

Although there had been a rise on the national front, not many public schools are reporting improvements as had last year. Full results are yet to be released but schools such as King's School Canterbury are reporting less A*s than last year -"This year’s GCSE and IGCSE results were not quite last year’s bumper crop"- (Quoted here). However it is VERY important to remember that although results may have slipped, the actual results are still VERY impressive. For example, Tonbridge School may have slipped but it still has a very impressive 48% A*. The following is a list of well known schools that have either improved or achieved less A* grades:

PARTIAL ETON GROUP LIST
King's School Canterbury DOWN

Tonbridge School DOWN

Marlborough College DOWN

St. Pauls DOWN

Dulwich College UNKNOWN

Sherborne School UNKNOWN

University College School UP

Westminster School UNKNOWN

Eton College UNKNOWN

As many schools on the Eton Group refuse to submit their results on the non-compulsory league tables, I have made a league table of the schools listed above. However, it is very important that you understand that this could be inaccurate. It is only for your guidance only. As many schools have not yet released stats on their website, on some schools I have used past results and pre-existing expectations.

1. Westminster School

2. St. Pauls

3. Eton College

4. Tonbridge School

5. Dulwich College

6. King's School Canterbury

7. University College School

8. Sherbourne School

9. Marlborough College

not 100% accurate

However A-level results were on the rise (in general) this year in public schools. I predict that it will continue to rise in public schools next year as well however decline in 2011. We will have to wait and see!

Overall, this year has been a little disappointing for public schools. Although no-one can say that the public schools did badly at all. I guess public schools hit an all-time high last year at GCSE and will hit a peak next year for A-levels.

As for me, my grades only consisted of A*s and As, so I'm happy.

27th August is looming aka GCSE results day

Only a couple of days left now! For over 500000 students in the UK 27th August 2009 will be a very important day. It is the day that 8/9 years of compulsory education is summed up into some letters.

We can also expect the media to heavily criticise the hard work of the students as we get better grades. They just think that exams are getting easier and not that the teachers are teaching better or the students are working harder. nope not at all.

For example in the Daily Express today, there was an article that criticised the questions of some exams. The article quoted a question in a Chemistry exam paper:

Many people use recreational drugs.

Give one example of:
a) a legal recreation drug
b) an illegal recreational drug

Some recreational drugs are addictive
a) Give one example of a recreational drug that is very
addictive
b) Explain how the action of a drug makes a person become addicted to it.

Not all GCSE exams are like that. The article doesn't even state what of paper it was. It was probably the opening question in a foundation chemistry paper. The easiest possible question.

So, next time you read such an article don't believe all of it.

The Importance of GCSEs

So what is this exam that everyone is talking about?

You may be thinking that GCSEs do not matter as you need A-levels to go to university. If you thinking this, you are horribly wrong. In my opinion GCSEs matter just as much as A-levels. If you think about it, when you apply to universities, the admissions only have your A-level predictions, As-level results and your GCSEs. When you look at Oxford and Cambridge's website, they do not even mention the importance of GCSEs for candidates.

This is not written in stone but it is generally believed that if you come from a average/poor performing state-run school, you will be expected to have a majority of A grades. However if you attend a top public school, you WILL need to have a least 6 A*s. This is not a definite requirement but even schools will discourage you to apply if you do not have 6A*s. This is because universities KNOW that you have had an excellent education and yet if you cannot get good grades, this shows you cannot work to your full potential.

Other universities only require a candidate to have around 6 B grades. Many students make a mistake by not working hard enough for their GCSEs and then start to work very hard for A-levels. This would be too late to even consider top universities.

You have been warned!

Westminster School: Admissions explained

Is this school The Best (academically) in the UK? Many say that yes, this school is the best school in the UK. In academic terms, Westminster School which is situated in central London, just 5 minutes walk from the Big Ben, a London landmark.

Like Eton College, I have had an experience with their admissions system. For the same reasons, I won’t tell you if I was successful as this would give away which school I went to. In comparison to Eton College, this school is far open to underprivileged and ‘new family’ students as Eton gives advantage to students with family history relating to Eton College.

First things first, entry to this school, in my opinion, is almost as competitive as Oxbridge universities. I say this because around 50% of their leavers go onto either Cambridge or Oxford. The rest go to Harvard, Yale and other top UK universities (LSE, KCL, Imperial etc.). Their exam results are one of the best in the country. Westminster has continuously come top 5 on the national school leagues tables. In 2008 they came third with only Magdalen College School and Wycombe Abby School in front. This made Westminster the best school that a boy could go to (Westminster becomes a co-educational school in the Sixth form but it is only male for lower years). Boarding is also possible.

The entry process is one of the most competitive and demanding system for entry into a school. There are 2 entry points into the school 13+ and 16+. The 13+ entry is only available to boys but 16+ is available to both boys and girls.

13+ Entry
The 13+ entry system is quite similar to the Eton College entry system. This involves testing whilst the boy is in year 6 or aged 10. They will be tested in mathematics, English and Reasoning. A school report/reference is requested and they are also interviewed. Successful candidates are given conditional places (conditional upon passing the common entrance exam or the scholarship exam).

Waiting lists are also made in case a candidate with a conditional offer pulls out. Westminster also recognises that some students may be disadvantaged because candidates must register 2/3 years before entry. Therefore Westminster reserves some places for any gifted students who did not register before the deadline.

The 13+ interview tests the student’s extra-curricular involvement and tests their logical ability.
16+ Entry
This entry point is perhaps the most competitive out of the two. Both girls and boys can apply and this is the only entry point for girls. Registrations open in June and close in the second Wednesday in October. Registrations are completed on the internet. You will create an account which you will access to check results and to submit details. You will need to submit a recent report, details, personal statement and exam results. You will also need to pay the registration fee through Paypal on their website. Entry exams are held in November and this is taken by both UK students and International students. Those applying abroad may take their exams at a British Council or their school having met certain criteria set by Westminster to assess if their school is suitable as a exam centre.

As you take 4 subjects at A-level, 4 subjects must be chosen for the exams. The only exception is if a candidate chooses Further Mathematics (a more challenging course of Maths), they will only need to take 3 subjects as Further Maths is worth 2 A-level grades. They will also take the same maths exam as those doing single (normal) maths. However Further Maths candidates will be expected to gain much higher marks than single maths candidates. Another exception is Art, Art candidates will be required to submit their portfolio.

The 2008 entry exams (for entry in 2009) for UK candidates were held in Central Hall which is not owned by Westminster School but it is just across the road from Westminster School. This provision was made because of the sheer volume of applicants and Westminster was physically not able to provide enough space for the entry exams. The applicant is given a timetable of exams prior to the exams. The 2008 entry ratio of applicants to places were 3 or 4 applicants to 1 place.

After the exams, successful candidates are invited to come for interviews. There are 5 interviews, 4 subject interviews and 1 general interview. Sometimes, eg. Maths, the interviewer may go through the incorrect answers with the candidate. The interview is a vital process as the exams separated exceptionally gifted candidates from the applicants and the interview is used to separate candidates who can think for themselves. This is not a skill that can be learnt, Westminster does not look for ‘spoon-fed’ students. Even at the interview stage is quite competitive, 2 applicants to 1 place.

By December applicants will be notified if they have been given a conditional place (Conditional upon achieving at least 5 A grades and 1 B grade but overseas candidates who attends a school not doing the GCSEs, will not be required to fulfill this requirement). Others will be put onto a waiting list.
So, as you can see the entry process for the top academic school is not easy. In my opinion, Westminster produces the best exam results because of the entry process. They only allow entry to the top students and Westminster simply nurtures and challenge them. Westminster School does not turn an average student into a top performing student.

Due to its location, Westminster faces major problems as a school. If sport and recreation comes high on your list of important things a school must have, Westminster School is not for you. Due to expensive land prices Westminster uses a single large field for football, cricket and hockey. Swimming is in a nearby publicly shared pool. Therefore their sports are mainly low area sports such as fencing, shooting and rock climbing. Also due to this land problem, many classrooms are located in high rise buildings and for example, in order to reach the Biology department, one must walk 3 or 4 flight of stairs and this can be quite tiring. Many classrooms are located in a large area of publicly used area therefore students need to cross many busy roads and pass offices, public buildings etc. in order to go from A to B.

I hope you can think carefully about the pros and cons of Westminster School before registering as although it may be a top performing school but there are also negative aspects of the school.

Private School Admissions: General Guide

Dulwich College

There are two main points of entry for British private schools. Most students enter their school at the age of 13. This is through the Common Entrance Examinations, the school’s scholarship exam or the school’s own entrance exam. This point of entry is by far the easiest and the most popular. The other is at the age of 16. Entry at 16 is limited and only a limited number of places are available. It is definitely harder to gain admissions at this point. I will try to explain the pros and the cons of entering at the two ages. Every school’s admissions system is different. However I will explain the common patterns of every school.

Entry at 13
Registrations should be made at least 36 months or 3 years before the point of entry. Therefore planning should be done as soon as possible. The candidate is allowed to apply to as many schools as they wish. When the candidate is aged 10, the school will request a confidential report from the candidate’s current school. For more selective schools, the candidate will be invited to come to their school for a day of cognitive tests and an interview. No candidate will be able to prepare for these tests as it tests how the candidate thinks not what they know. The candidate will be told if they have been given a conditional place after around 3 months. Some unsuccessful candidates will be placed on a waiting list instead just in case someone declines the conditional place. This conditional place is conditional upon passing the Common Entrance Examinations to the required level. At around 18 months before the point of entry, parents will have to either accept or decline the conditional place. If they decide to accept, they must pay a fee which will not be refunded until the student’s last term at the school or if they fail to pass the CE exams. After their place has been accepted, gifted students may apply for scholarships such as sport, academic, music, technology or drama. The student may be guaranteed a place if they perform well in the academic scholarship exam, even if they did not receive a scholarship. If an application is received late, each application will be reviewed individually.

Entry at 16
It is very difficult to find similarities for entry at 16 at various schools but this is the main outline. Application deadlines are usually in September/October/November in the year before the entry. So application should be made in 2010 if entry is in 2011. At top private schools, selection is very competitive and places are very sought after as a consequence, it is a fierce competition to be awarded with a place. If the candidate is attending a school overseas which does not offer GCSE/IGCSEs then the GCSE requirement does not apply here. However there will be requirement for everyone else the any places awarded will be conditional upon their GCSE results. Schools will invite candidates for a day of academic tests and interviews. The candidate will be examined in the 3 or 4 subjects that they have selected for A-levels in October/November. As many students learn different curriculums in their current schools, the school will set an exam that tests their potential and background knowledge of the subject. Again, no candidate can prepare for these exams. There will be interviewed in their 4 different subjects and also a general interview. In December, the candidate will be told if they have been given a conditional place.

As you can see, there are lots of differences between entry at 13 and entry at 16. Entry at 16 is possibly the most difficult route and it is also difficult for me to generalise the admissions process for entry at 16. Therefore it is so so important that you do research on the schools you are interested in. However, hopefully this has enabled you to gain a small insight into the admissions process at different ages. I will be posting on popular and famous schools’ admissions systems as they tend to be very unique and even more demanding and competitive than what I have explained above. I am looking to do Eton, Westminster, Harrow and possibly others. If you have any other schools in mind please leave a comment. I actually have personal experiences of applying to a couple of these schools (most of them successfully!) so I will be able to tell you all about my experiences. Till then.

League Tables

By looking at school league tables, everyone can make their decision on which school is the best/worst. Sure, if you type in 'School league tables' in Google, you'll be inundated with links to school league tables. However how reliable are they?

Many media outlets (BBC, The Times, The Guardian...) produce league tables after GCSEs and A-Levels results every year. Every School in England must submit their results to the Government and they produce a leagues table as well. Many of us just rely on the media outlet. However as media tables are entirely voluntary, more and more (especially Independent schools) are refusing to submit their results. The list can be found here. Many schools withheld their results because they felt it put too much pressure on their students and teachers to perform well. It may also allow prospective parents and the general public to misjudge the school prematurely.

Another major fallback is because many Independent Schools use the IGCSEs. Although IGCSEs are much harder than normal GCSEs, it is not accepted on the league tables and many 'top' schools would now be ranked along with the nation's worst performing schools.

From The Independent:

Leading private schools are critical of today's GCSE league tables as they plummet below some of England's worst-performing comprehensives. Some of the most famous schools in the world including Eton, Harrow, Winchester and St Paul's are rooted at the foot of official rankings because of a technicality.According to the tables, no pupils at almost 100 schools achieved five GCSEs at grade C or above, including maths and English.
.....
But IGCSE is not recognised by the Government, which has effectively blocked state schools from offering the more challenging exam.
.....
Schools that register "zero" on the league tables include Dulwich College, Manchester Grammar School, King's School Canterbury, Marlborough College and Oundle School. Most score 100 per cent if IGCSEs are included.

In my opinion, school league tables are a good indicator but one must never solely use the tables to make judgements. For example if a school performed excellently in one year but poorly in the next, this is unreliable and a school may have poor facilities. Therefore it is essential to take this into account beforehand. For schools that have decided to withhold their results; their results can be usually found on their website and if not, normally schools would be happy to disclose their results to you.
Overall, league tables remain a topic to be much discussed in the UK and it is a sensitive issue to schools.

Links to league tables:

DCSF: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/performancetables/schools_08.shtml

The Times: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/parentpower2008/league_tables.php

BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/league_tables/default.stm

One site that I found that includes IGCSE results, however no state schools included:
http://www.best-schools.co.uk/best-schools.aspx

Private Schools or State Schools; What's the difference?

King's School Canterbury

Those of you new to education in the UK, will be wanting to know how the general education system works. I will be explaining this in two separate bits. Sate education system and the Private education system. The two have very different systems but they do interlink with each other. For example everyone does GCSEs and A-levels/IB.

Please bear in mind that I am more of an expert in the Private education system so some of the State education knowledge may not be as accurate!!

The State education system

Education here is free; it is provided by the government and the majority of UK students have their education here. It is divided up into three parts. Primary education, secondary education and higher education. It is a legal requirement for children to stay at school from 5 years to 16 or the GCSE age.

Primary Education - this is from the ages 5 to 11. This includes key stages 1 and 2. At 11, children do the 11plus which is an examination determining which secondary school they will go. This examination is used less now but each region has their own set of examinations.

Secondary education - this is from the ages of 11 to 16. This covers Key Stages 3 and 4. Students work towards the GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education). Within the secondary education system there are grammar schools. These schools are highly competitive in selecting their students. This includes the 11plus, the distance living from school, siblings already at the school or faith.

Higher education - This is from the ages of 16 to 18. This education is not compulsory however it is essential if you wish to go to University. This is also sometimes called a Sixth Form college. Here you will be able to do your A-levels. Some secondary schools have their own sixth form as well. You will need at least 6 Cs at GCSE in order to enter the Sixth Form.

In order to use the state education, the parent must be in the UK and the child registered as a dependent. Therefore you must be working, studying ect. This does not apply to EU and EEC nationals.

The Private Education System

This is the fee-paying education system. It is also called Independent Schools.

Prep(atory) School - This would be the equivalent of primary schools up to the age of 13. Nurseries are also joined to the prep schools. These schools are called Prep(atory) schools because it 'prepares' you for the secondary schools. There are no formal exams until the child is 13. At 13, all children do the Common Entrance Examinations (CEE). This is taken at nationally and it is formal exam. This exam is to get into UK independent schools. Competition can be very fierce and it is an important exam for the student.

Independent (Private) school - After the child successfully passes the CEE they go on to secondary education. These schools include some of the world's famous British Schools. Entrance to these schools can be very competitive and I will be doing a separate post on the subject. There will always will be a Sixth Form in the school. So, students are expected to continue school after 16. These schools produce some of the best GCSE results and A-level result. Many send a lot of student to prestigious universities.

This is just a glimpse of the UK education system and it is very brief summary. Hopefully you understand a bit more about how education works and I will be explaining more in detail on the private education system.