Secondary School League Tables…do we understand them?

I wonder how many of you last week studied the new Secondary School League Tables to find out where your school was in relation to those in your locality? I was pleased to see that alongside the % of A-C grades were the value added figures, which for any teacher gives a better reflection of what is happening to pupils learning within a school.

However, I still wonder every year how many parents really understand these figures and do they influence them when it comes to choosing a school for their children? I even found myself checking out our local secondary for my own son. He’s 5 years old and started Reception in September! How many teachers use them when it comes to applying for a new post?