Hollandforlife

salsa dives? intrigued, do tell.

Otta Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > "I really question whether this would have > happened had this not been an academy and > therefore a political hot potato?" > > Not only that, but one that David Cameron had > singled out for praise. Untouchable. I forgot about this, of course! Total embarrassment to admit anything has gone wrong. But this is bitterly unfair on every other school who has to adhere to certain standards set.

Thank you Gwendolen1, I similarly agree with your comments. I especially agree that they were pretty lucky to get away with a Good. I really question whether this would have happened had this not been an academy and therefore a political hot potato? I really hope the Governors are asking for this, but then again, have you heard the HT talk? Well I am guessing you like I have at the open days you discuss. I could not stick with his long and meandering speech and I wonder whether this is deliberate? Talking so much that people either stop listening or forget the point, lose track of the thread. Maybe it is just my poor levels of concentration. I hope the governors do not have this problem, because this is a very serious issue which needs to not only be considered but thoroughly and carefully analysed in order to make sufficient improvements. I have edited this twice because I don't want to be considered guilty of libel and it seems that the definition is somewhat unclear when it comes to this subject

I agree Charlie83, I think whilst it may only benefit a few on the surface, overall it will be hugely beneficial. Who do you insure your bike with? My insurers are not budging on this.

Hi Debster99, Just wondering, whether you think the school was going to receive better/more positive press attention or less OTT activity on social media such as this by hiding the results? It made them look like they were hiding something and as we all know now...they were. I think this point has been raised time and time again so I don't want to rehash it but more transparency is needed. Then at least it would stop rumour mongering and silly speculation. You are obviously quite close to the management of the school and are very supportive. Have you suggested this to them? I am not saying your word will change the way the school runs, but it takes caring parents like yourself to make the difference. The results were seriously shocking. I am not saying that the malpractice alleged definitely happened, please don't take this as me saying that. However, I think that does make the allegations more compelling. The year it was reported results were at their all time high for the school of 60% and then the following year when exam boards say they are monitoring examination practices (as a result of the allegations) that the results drop to 36%. Perhaps this is not a drop but where results should have always been. One of my good and oldest friend's sons was in the 2012 year 11 cohort and they are still at the school so I do not want to say too much, but it is definitely not his opinion or his parent's that this cohort was so much more weak than the previous 3 years, year 11 groups. I think the Value Added score would also show that the school have done badly by these students who would have been expected to get more than they did. Very jumbled thoughts here, but just trying to see sense in what seems like an unbelievable situation. This school has low retention and low exam results, low in the league tables...I think that is pretty relevant. I am just utterly confused by this situation. As Ofsted have deemed the school 'good' and yet everything indicates that it is not 'good'. Also I think I would feel happier if Management and Leadership had received 'Outstanding' as at least I would then be left feeling that the school was on the way 'up' out of this drop, instead it has been lowered to 'good'. I just hope this management team are able to pull themselves together and sort this out. I hope this does not come across as me having an axe to grind as so many others of mine might have done previously, I have had time to process more of my thoughts now and with time has come a little bit of not understanding but calm.

Queenie23 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sorry - Exceptionally challenging issues? Due to > the senior management's desire to inflate their > gcse results no matter what surely! The problems > with staff were all their own making. I for one am > pleased that the other schools in our area are > finally being proved to be good schools with good > results and parents will now take off their rose > tinted glasses re Kingsdale. Agreed Queenie23, it is great to see that other schools are able to shine and show how far they have come, they have been hidden amongst the smokescreen caused by K'dale over the past few years. Well done to all the other schools in Southwark who have improved this year in spite of all of the English exam issues.

I have to say I think this year's results have already been telling...why are people dismissive of this? Let's look at the background of the results: 2009:47% 2010:59% 2011:60% 2012:36% The school has boasted about its ever improving cohort and even if this was a bit of a weaker year group, it would have been weak when it started, hence why the Value Added Score is so incredibly low. There is no excuse for it being so low, the school has failed very many low achieving students which is unacceptable. I know I have said most of this in a previous post, but I am not entirely appreciating being told I have made unsubstantiated explanations, so a result of 36% 5A*-C GCSEs including English & Maths is : * below the floor target set by this government of 40% * 22.8% lower than the LA average and appears to be the lowest in Southwark. * less than half that of The Charter School which became an Academy at the same time as Kingsdale, has a very similar intake and regularly compares itself to. * close to the top of the BBC's list of 'worst GCSE results' On top of this, these are the first set of results since the exam investigation of 2011, which makes it very telling indeed. Yes next year's results will be telling, but so were the 2012. Every school in the country shown had their results taken before retakes and therefore there is no excuse that can be given for this very poor set of results.

They had to change exam boards after the investigation too...it wasn't necessarily a choice. I think people need to look at this carefully in 2011 the results were 60% this year people whistleblew and the investigation began, the investigation which still hasn't finished. The following year when the exam boards are watching the school like hawks, and the school follows proper procedures, the results drop to 36%. It is time people stop defending what is quite clearly unacceptable.

Firstly Ofsted refer to the school's 'dip' in performance. A dip would suggest they have come up over the other side. This is a plummet. Value added is a measure of progress from start of secondary school to GCSE it is a score of 1000 and is in line with national average, over 1000 above etc. Kingsdale scored 970.9, this is the lowest in Southwark by a significant distance. Charter(which has been mentioned)by comparison, has a higher value added of 1037.3. Compare Kingsdale's GCSE results with Harris Academy Peckham who scored 56% they have a Value Added of nearly 1040. Kingsdale has not met the government's 'floor target' is one of the lowest performing schools in London and features in the BBC's list of 'worst GCSE results'. Looks fairly clear to me!