Published Date:
02 April 2009
By John Roberts
A HEADTEACHER has welcomed the league table success of his village primary but warned that the results are only "a narrow measure" of how well a school is doing.
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Crayke CE Primary, near York, saw 100 per cent of 11-year-old pupils reach the expected grades in English, maths and science in last summer's standard assessment tests (Sats), it was revealed yesterday.
Headteacher Andrew Graham said: "These children have done really tremendously and of course we are delighted for them. We have a strong record of good achievement. This is down to the pupils, staff, a strong governing body and support from parents, which really does make a difference.
"The important thing to say is that while we are celebrating our children's achievement, league tables and Sats are only a narrow measure and a snapshot of what is happening at a school.
"We ensure that children receive a well-rounded curriculum and we ensure that the key subjects are taught in a way which brings them to life."
Mr Graham said league tables did not measure what impact
a school was having on children's moral, cultural and spiritual development and he also claimed the system was unfair.
He added: "There will be a lot of schools out there who are doing brilliant jobs but because they do not get 100 per cent of pupils reaching level four they do not get the recognition in the tables."
He said league tables did not provide a level playing field because although they recognised academic achievement within schools they did not show whether a school had successfully enabled a child to reach its full potential.
He also put Crayke School's success down to its small size. The school has 94 pupils on its roll and 16 children who completed Key Stage Two tests last year.
Mr Graham said: "A small school has the capacity to have a certain ethos and atmosphere. We are a Church of England school and that is an important part of our ethos.
"We have a sense of community and as headteacher I know all of my pupils and I know how they are all doing."
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Last Updated:
02 April 2009 9:37 AM
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Source:
n/a
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Location:
Yorkshire
