Five London schools make up the top 10 in England according to the ‘Fairer Schools’ index which gives a detailed insight into the places where teachers are truly making a difference in class.
Researchers have measured every school in the country against a series of additional performance metrics to improve on official DfE league tables, and remove some of the built-in bias against secondary schools teaching children from deprived areas.
The results – revealed exclusively by the Mirror – show the schools where teachers are beating the odds to make the greatest positive impact on pupils up to the age of 16.
The study highlights the dozens of schools which have climbed hundreds of places up the rankings when additional factors such as pupil demographics are taken into account.
For many years the Government’s method of evaluating secondary school performance, known as the Progress 8 measure, has failed to take into account factors including the number of children from poorer backgrounds at each school.
Doing so, critics say, risks hiding systemic inequalities and providing potentially misleading conclusions about school performance, with regions like the North East seeing its schools unfairly marked down because the areas they serve are not taken into account.
Use the interactive map below to see how schools in your area have performed.
There are growing calls for the new Labour government to provide that crucial context and Ofsted is reported to be considering a new range of measurements for schools that will better inform parents.
The Fairer Schools Index goes some way to redress the ‘false narrative’ of a North / South divide in Government league tables. Developed by the University of Bristol, the index adjusts for variables including pupil demographics, ethnicity, and deprivation.
The results show the real difference that the best schools make rather than pretending every school has an identical intake with the same socio-economic status and background.
Below are the top 10 schools in London and the 10 that have climbed the most.
Top 10 London Schools
Michaela Community School, Brent (2) Yesodey Hatorah Senior Girls School, Hackney (6) Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy, Hackney (8) Mossbourne Community Academy, Hackney (9) The St Thomas the Apostle College, Southwark (10) Twyford Church of England High School, Ealing (12) Ealing Fields High School, Ealing (14) Menorah High School for Girls, Brent (16) Ark Greenwich Free School, Greenwich (18) Sacred Heart Catholic School, Southwark (20)
Top 10 Highest climbers
Meridian High School, Croydon (1561) – up 1025 places London Nautical School, Lambeth (542) – up 727 places The Charter School Bermondsey, Southwark (179) – up 699 places St Mary Magdalene Academy, Islington (673) – up 677 places Haggerston School, Hackney (457) – up 671 places The Urswick School – A Church of England Secondary School, Hackney (679) – up 648 places City of London Academy Islington, Islington (1318) – up 609 places Acland Burghley School, Camden (1387) – up 594 places Kingsdale Foundation School, Southwark (725) – up 573 places Cleeve Park School, Bexley (1197) – up 527 places