top 10 schools? (1 Viewer)

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Bambul

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James Ruse would still come 1st, but Baulkham Hills and North Sydney Girls might switch places. Especially taking into account that Baulko came 1st in honour roll mentions (NSG came 3rd) but North Sydney Girls came 2nd in the English and maths as % of subjects done whereas Baulko came 3rd in English and about 5th or 6th in maths.

I think it was because Baulkham Hills was a bigger school and so the honour roll mentions adantaged its result, but in reality North Sydney Girls (IMO) performed better.
 

timmii

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A while ago the papers/education institutions were canvassing an idea of ranking the schools on a "value added" scale. I'm not quite sure how they would go about it, but theoretically that is what *should* be measured. A school may cater for academically average students and lift them to 80+, 90+ uais but be overshadowed by the ultra-selective schools that maintain their students at 95+. I think they were considering a comparison between yr 6 entrance results/literacy scores and tests along the way and final results.

Ultimately, its a strange interaction between the individual, the parents, the school, the peers (and the tutors?) that can't be generalised or even quantitively measured. People will make their minds up on a school by other factors, with their impression either confirmed, bolstered or disappointed by the supposed rankings. I think Disraeli once said "lies, damned lies and statistics" - anyone can make any of the plethora of statistics available out there prove their point, whatever it may be, about almost any school.

(spelling edit)
 
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spice girl

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hmm...but the problem with that is how to measure ability: how to know whether a group of people is average, above average, or super-smart, or etc.

with the statistics proving anything, I think it rather stupid when Watkins says (about the 25% increase in band 6's): "it's not marks inflation. it just means students are knowing better what's required of them and that the new HSC is starting to settle in"
 

kini mini

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Originally posted by spice girl
hmm...but the problem with that is how to measure ability: how to know whether a group of people is average, above average, or super-smart, or etc.

with the statistics proving anything, I think it rather stupid when Watkins says (about the 25% increase in band 6's): "it's not marks inflation. it just means students are knowing better what's required of them and that the new HSC is starting to settle in"
Watkins is either a fool, or spouting propaganda, or quite possibly both :rolleyes:.
 

timmii

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Originally posted by kini mini


Watkins is either a fool, or spouting propaganda, or quite possibly both :rolleyes:.
He's a politician...i think that's sufficient explanation.

(i.e most probably both)
 
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Bambul

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The funniest thing was that he subtly admited the fault with the system later on when he mentioned that "obviously" if the marks were too high then it would have been due to marks inflation, though he didn't link that to the current possible "marks inflation".

I do like the idea of that system. The UAI's are linked to the School Certificate results, so why not link them again to say the basic skills test from year 5 or 6 (whichever year it's done in now). I think that system has a lot of potential, to see what level the students were at going in (in year 7) and then what level they were at going out (in year 12).
 

kini mini

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Originally posted by Bambul
The funniest thing was that he subtly admited the fault with the system later on when he mentioned that "obviously" if the marks were too high then it would have been due to marks inflation, though he didn't link that to the current possible "marks inflation".

I do like the idea of that system. The UAI's are linked to the School Certificate results, so why not link them again to say the basic skills test from year 5 or 6 (whichever year it's done in now). I think that system has a lot of potential, to see what level the students were at going in (in year 7) and then what level they were at going out (in year 12).
I never took the Basic Skills test in year 5, I had a wonderful <ahem> year of school in Singapore. Corporal punishent was abolished years ago but someone forgot to tell them :rolleyes:. Luckily the only punishment my teacher gave was a whack on the hand for a spelling mistake, the tests were a cinch and I never got smacked :D.

I think they are already linked to basic skills tests, or at least other forms of external assessment. I read last year that Dep of Ed prepared internal value-added reports, and a JR teacher was asked to comment on JR's good results. The data for those must have come from somewhere.
 
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bex

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23. Loreto Kirribilli 24. St Josephs College
:eek: my school (Loreto Normanhurst) has a lot t answer for then!! Lats year we beat Kirra straight out and Joeys.. my parents were so mad (my brothers go there)! This year Normo dropped their rank for maths and english but heaps of girls got over 90 because we did well in the other subjects.. oh well i dont understand it
 

bex

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PS John Watkins' sister in law is the Vice Principle at my school.. shes the biggest champ!
 

Schemin

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Can someone explain how the quality of the school ends up affecting the scaling of individuals' UAIs????
Is it based on the school in general, or the students from that school sitting that particular subject? I don't understand how it all works.
 

Lazarus

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Originally posted by Schemin
Can someone explain how the quality of the school ends up affecting the scaling of individuals' UAIs????
Read the thread entitled Explanation of HSC Marks.
 

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