tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433144336299288135.post8355098702278000082..comments2024-03-26T13:27:26.499+00:00Comments on Zelo Street: Toby Young Says Look Over ThereTim Fentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00726447899972084146noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433144336299288135.post-15916194175941145362013-12-10T14:01:53.802+00:002013-12-10T14:01:53.802+00:00A number of Welsh schools do have Welsh as the fir...A number of Welsh schools do have Welsh as the first language. They are known here in Wales as 'Welsh Schools'. Although they are taught in Welsh they still have English language lessons in the same way that the vast majority of other schools in Wales are taught in English and offer Welsh lessons although its usually dropped by students as soon as possible.<br /><br />If you compare results of English language schools versus Welsh language schools you get the following:<br /><br />Level 1 Threshold ... <br />Welsh 96% ... English 95%<br /><br />Level 2 Threshold ... <br />Welsh 76% ... English 74%<br /><br />Level 2 Threshold including English/Welsh & maths ... <br />Welsh 60% ... English 57%<br /><br />Core Subject Indicator ... <br />Welsh 58% ... English 56%<br /><br />Average Wider Points Score ... Welsh 493 ... English 441<br /><br />Average Capped Wider Points Score ... Welsh 338 ... English 330<br /><br />Plus, of course Welsh language students are bilingual.<br /><br />Methodology can be found here:<br /><br />http://syniadau--buildinganindependentwales.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/do-welsh-medium-schools-produce-better.htmlNeilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433144336299288135.post-76257024104540267462013-12-08T11:22:19.706+00:002013-12-08T11:22:19.706+00:00There is another issue which all London based medi...There is another issue which all London based media will have missed completely because their Oyster cards won't stretch that far.<br /><br /><br />A lot of schools in Wales use Welsh as first language.<br /><br /><br />I think that might affect the English scores to start with!<br /><br />But it has an unfortunate side effect. Try buying text books in Welsh for any other subject. It does tend to limit potential. And that's before you try to recruit the best maths and science teachers - Stephen Hawking wouldn't get the job because he can't do it in Welsh.<br /><br />I don't recall the Conservatives ever saying this was wrong and should be stopped.<br /><br /><br />But more importantly, has anyone really looked at PISA? It's based in Paris and run by foreigners so you'd have thought the Tories would have been rubbishing it for that alone. And that's before the quality of the testing is looked at, there have been a number of studies and they raised serious doubts - for instance the study done by Copenhagen University in 2011 that found that "like with like" was not being compared in different countries, that some tests were not being completed and modelled marks were awarded. Plus a list of other dubious short cuts.<br /><br />Begs the question why the Conservatives who have run the Department for Education for the last three and half years have bothered to continue with the scheme.SteveBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433144336299288135.post-51947600446355667142013-12-07T17:33:16.501+00:002013-12-07T17:33:16.501+00:00It's almost laughable how his logic works. &qu...It's almost laughable how his logic works. "Labour have been in charge of Welsh education since 1999... Since 2007 the welsh results have slipped" yet incredibly he manages to come to the conclusion that this is not his beloved Mr Gove to blame, but those scummy leftie socialists. Presumably he thinks the crippling effect of labour increasing educational investment took a good 14 years to cripple the Welsh education system. I guess it's easier for him to believe this than blaming his beloved Tories. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com