A West Berkshire primary school is celebrating after being ranked in The Telegraph’s top 10 primary schools in the country.
A West Berkshire primary school is celebrating its spot in The Telegraph’s top 10 primary schools in the UK.
The Ilsleys Primary School, part of the Hampstead Norreys federation, scored an impressive 37 out of 40 in the ranking system.
Executive headteacher Kate House expressed pride in their achievements, stating, "We are extremely proud, and I want to thank everyone in the team. Our federation has much to be proud of, and this is just one of many achievements. Both The Ilsleys and Hampstead Norreys are fantastic places to learn, fostering our children's success."
But what do the ratings actually mean?
Primary schools are evaluated on nine criteria, with a maximum score of 40, assessing academic, behavioural, and organisational performance.
Performance ratings range from ‘very good’ to ‘well below average’, based on comparisons with national averages, with 70% of schools typically falling into ‘fair’ or better.
For the 2023-24 academic year, points are awarded based on several factors, including:
- Key Stage 2 grammar, punctuation, and spelling scores: Up to five points based on scaled scores, with top performers receiving five.
- Key Stage 2 maths and reading scores: Scoring mirrors that of grammar tests, awarding five points for high performance.
- Local authority comparison: Schools performing above local averages can earn up to three points.
- Proportion of students meeting expectations: Schools in the top 20% can score five points.
- Disadvantaged pupils meeting expectations: Similar scoring applies to disadvantaged students.
- Oversubscribed status: Oversubscribed schools score three points.
- Class size: Smaller class sizes can earn up to four points.
- Truancy rates: The best schools score four points, while the worst score one.
Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter
