Latest GCSE figures showtheaddedvalue of Jewish schools

PARENTS AT state-aided Jewish secondary schools do not pay for their children’s secular education. But if they did, they would probably feel they were getting value for money.

At most Jewish schools, pupils achieve higher grades at GCSE than would have been forecast fromtheir educational level on entry to the school at the age of 11.

According to the government’s new “Progress 8” measure, nine out of the 11 Jewish schools are in the top 350 from more than 6,000 in the state sector in England. Three schools, Manchester Mesivta, Kantor King Solomon in Redbridge and King David High School Liverpool are inside the top 150.

Progress 8 replaces the old “valueadded” index used to indicate how much progress children are making.

A score of 0.5 under the new system means children are achieving on average half a GCSE grade more than one would have been predicted at the beginning of their school career.

Only one Jewish school, Lubavitch Senior Girls in Stamford Hill, obtained a minus Progress score — although it still fell within the “average” band nationally.

Matthew Slater, King Solomon’s head teacher, told parents that its Progress 8 data showed KKS as the top Jewish school in London. He added: “We are delighted that the school is gaining recognition for the dedication, commitment and energy of our staff, students and parents”.

The other new measure i ntroduced this year and based on provisional results for state schools for 2016 is the “Attainment 8” statistic — which replaces the previous yardstick of five GCSE A* to C passes including maths and English.

Attainment 8 is based on a basket of eight GCSE grades: one English and one maths, which count double: the pupil’s next three best GCSE scores in “English Bacccalaureate” subjects such as science, history or geography or a language: and then their next three best

Three Jewish schools are inside the top 150’

results, which can be either an EBacc or any other recognised subject such as drama or media studies.

The result is then divided by 10 to produce the Attainment 8 mark. A 50-point score is equivalent to an average of a C grade across the school, 60 to a B. Four Jewish schools, JFS, King David Manchester, Hasmonean and Yavneh scored 60 or above.

Our table also gives percentages of students gaining a maths and English GCSE as well as the EBacc measure, which reflects performance in traditional academic subjects.