APPENDIX 1
5. Letter from David Taylor, Director of Inspection,
Ofsted, to the Chairman of the Committee (DP53)
The Committee was interested in the performance
of grammar schools with specialist status. There are 24 grammar
schools that had specialist status in September 2000 (the date
used in the Ofsted analysis of specialist school performance).
Of these, 10 were languages colleges, one was a sports college
and 13 were technology colleges.
The number of specialist grammar schools included
in the analysis is therefore small. In each year since 1997 these
specialist grammar schools have achieved higher average GCSE points
per pupil than non-specialist grammar schools. In 2002, the difference
was 2.3 points per pupil. Their trend of improvement from 1997
to 2002 has been somewhat higher than non-specialist grammar schools.
The gap between the two sets of schools increased
somewhat between 1999 and 2000; this may be explained, in part
at least, by an increase in subject entries in specialist grammar
schools.
I attach with this letter a chart, as promised,
showing comparative achievement in grammar, comprehensive and
modern schools.
9 December 2002
ANNEX
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