Posted: Oct 21, 2010 4:49 am
Beatsong wrote:Jan wrote:In England, Steiner schools don't do the national tests at age 11 and 14 so you can't compare.
At GCSE level, you'd have to compare them with other fee paying schools in their area rather than state schools (which take children from all income backgrounds).
Yes, that did occur to me after I posted.
Steiner schools are likely by definition to serve parents who have a higher than average concern and involvement with their kids' education - since they've made the decision not only to pay fees, but to seek out an unusual school to suit their educational philosophy. As such, of course they'll do be than a national average that includes every sink school full of indifferent parents.
Well it's not so much that, as the fact that you're probably going to have twice as many teachers per pupil. No matter how much bullshit is in the school, that's going to have a positive effect. If it becomes a free school, I would guess the budget wouldn't support the same level of staffing as a fee-paying setup. But in principle, there should be no reason the government can refuse this, yet allow faith schools, if woo is the only factor.