I AM pleased that Middlewich headteachers have raised the subject of misleading school performance tables as reported in the last issue of the Winsford and Middlewich Guardian.

A few years ago, before Year Six results were published, a school that I know of decided to accept a class for a number of children with special needs to help with their education.

Most of the children who passed through this class have come from outside this particular establishment's catchment area. The staff do a marvellous job and the pupils are integrated into and sometimes become members of the mainstream life of the school, quite often achieving a great deal.

However, as the report recently stated, when the yearly test results are published, they include such youngsters and unfortunately the schools concerned will probably be lower in the so-called league tables, which can produce a situation as reported whereby the sending school is artificially boosted and so attracting children from elsewhere.

Many parents just look at these tables and then send their young ones out of the area and even out of town without gleaning the true story and so undermining their own community. I wonder if these same parents then complain about the amount of traffic on the roads at school opening time which they contribute to by driving their children to and fro.

The question also arises if any school nowadays would be prepared to accept such a class knowing that the overall performance of it could be affected and reported in the Press.

Of course the children need and are entitled to all the help possible, but may I be correct in thinking that the educational establishment should be looking at other ways of assessing and reporting the Year Six results of the pupils concerned to produce a fairer and more accurate picture?

Interested of Over

Name and address supplied

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