Education chiefs say they will not introduce school league tables - insisting that ranking performance in this way is misleading and unfair.

Their comments came following a Freedom of Information request for details of attainment levels of pupils on completion of Key Stage 2 at each of the island’s state-run primary schools.

The request asked for the percentage of students who had reached national curriculum levels 2 to 5 in English, maths and science for the years 2012 to 2016.

Isle of Man Newspapers subsequently asked the department to provide the figures for the percentage of students achieving below level 2 and above level 5. Level 4 is the level which the Department of Education and Children suggests a child should achieve by the end of year 6.

The figures show, on the face of it, that the best performing schools in English in 2016 were Anagh Coar, Ballasalla, Dhoon, Foxdale, Jurby, Kewaigue, Michael, Scoill Vallajeelt and Sulby, which all had 100 per cent of students achieving at least level 4 by the time they left school.

In maths, Ballasalla, Bunscoill Ghaelgagh, Dhoon, Foxdale, Jurby, Michael and Scoill Vallajeelt, all achieved 100 per cent.

And in science, Anagh Coar, Andreas, Ballasalla, Ballaugh, Bunscoill Ghaelgagh, Dhoon, Foxdale, Jurby, Laxey, Michael, Scoill Vallajeelt and Sulby, all got 100 per cent.

But education chiefs point out the results can be skewed by the size of the school.

And they stress that the figures don’t reflect how far a child has gone to reach a particular level - which is why schools are required to take as much account of progress made and not just benchmarks reached.

Director of education Geoff Moorcroft said: ’Within any classroom or cohort, there will be a spread of attainment levels.

’At the end of Key Stage 2, the range of performance is expected to be between levels 3 and 5 with the majority of pupils attaining level 4.

’It’s important to note, however, that for some children achieving a level 3 or below at the end of Key Stage 2 is a huge achievement.

’In addition, there will be a very small minority of pupils, often with profound and multiple learning difficulties, who will not achieve the expected standard.’

Mr Moorcroft explained that in schools with as few as five or six pupils in a cohort, the performance of a small number of pupils can have a disproportionate impact on the apparent success or otherwise of a school.

He said this was just one measure of assessment - although an important one. And to produce league tables would risk setting one school against another.

Mr Moorcroft said: ’The Education Improvement Service monitors all of its schools closely against a range of criteria, including various measures of pupil performance.

’To select a single metric and rank schools against it can be misleading and offer a very distorted picture of quality and it is for this reason that the department does not intend to produce league tables.

’Indeed, the lack of league tables and the more holistic approach to education is often cited as being a strength of the system.’

evidence

He said schools are required to offer evidence of the difference they make to pupils’ attainment - and they seek to develop all aspects of pupils’ development. The department’s framework for school evaluation includes 37 statements against which a school must evaluate itself.

The Manx system demands that children are sent to a school within the catchment area of their home. Anyone wishing to send their child to a different school must apply to the Department of Education.

School league tables were introduced in the UK in 1992 when John Major was the Prime Minister.