The latest league tables published in January 2012 demonstrate the difficulty in measuring the achievements - and possibly the need for a qualification in interpreting league tables.
“Although I am pleased by this consistently good performance, I am exasperated by the lack of consistency in the metrics for the league tables, which reduces their value. I think it is essential to remember the truth in the adage:
Teaching pupils to count is good – teaching them what counts is better”
Dame Allan’s welcomes Chinese visitors
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Students from China’s ‘clean energy city’ have visited one of the most sustainable schools in the country.
The eleven students from Baoding No 17 Middle School, aged between 11 and 14, were paired with pupils from the Boys’ and Girls’ Schools and shared in all lessons and activities taking place during the week.
Baoding is 90 miles south west of Beijing, in the Hebei province of China, and promotes itself as a manufacturing centre for environmental technology, including solar panels and wind turbines.
Dame Allan’s was awarded Green Flag status in March last year, when judges described it as one of the most sustainable schools in the country; their new Nursery and Junior School taking shape on Hunter’s Moor has been designed to the highest environmental standards.
The exchange between the two schools was arranged following a visit to the Chinese school by principal Dr John Hind and governor Brian Adcock last term. The visit was arranged by Li Chang, Project Officer for Hebei Provincial Education Department, whose son is in Year 10 at Dame Allan’s Boys’ School.
“This is a very exciting project,” declared Dr Hind. “There has been significant focus on China since the economic problems in Europe and indeed when Dame Allan’s student Mayank Bannerjee won the “Young Economist of the Year” his entry was an essay on the Chinese economy. We do have some existing links with Baoding and I hope this first visit will be the start of a relationship that will see developing language and educational exchanges.”
Brian Adcock said: “I was impressed by the Chinese students’ standard of English and the warm welcome we received. I hope it will be the start of a longer term relationship to benefit students at both schools.”
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