Look at the figures

Sir – David Cameron, highlighting strong GCSE performance in two London academies, encourages Oxfordshire schools to ‘up their game’. Some local heads have spoken in defence of local standards. An objective perspective might be useful. On provisional GCSE results (percentage with 5 A*–C including Eng and maths), no OCC state school bettered the score of Burlington Danes Academy in Hammersmith and Fulham; our highest just tops the average in that authority (BDA 75 per cent, Matthew Arnold 73 per cent, H&F average 72 per cent). We don't have English Baccalaureate figures for BDA, but we do know the H&F average (33 per cent), and that only two OCC schools meet or better that average (Wood Green and Burford, respectively). Some suggest OCC schools don't match other authorities’ scores because we are funded less favourably. And, although we can't get per-pupil funding for BDA, similar schools in that authority receive £7,570 per pupil, per annum; our local schools receive on average £4,692. But recall OCC schools are better funded than most of our similar authorities (rural and affluent counties). On another measure, research published by The Sutton Trust this Summer shows OCC's Secondaries with sixth forms outperform our statistical neighbours (SNs) in admissions to selective universities (Oxford and Cambridge, amongst 30 with tough entry requirements); 14 of 24 OCC schools included better our SNs’ average. What our young people achieve; how well funded are their schools; what are they equipped to go on and do after school? Three interesting, very different indicators of school performance. Plucking one measure, one year, does not give an objective perspective on school performance. We might hope that schools and councillors would be able to bring us such a view, and demonstrate effective commitment to remedying any relative weakness. Perhaps those schools exiting the LA to academy already have the local, clear and objective perspective?