THERE is something very unfair about a league table which quantifies how well children at school perform overall.

The latest secondary school figures reveal no major surprises for any Boltonian who has had a child go through the educational system.

But, it is a shame that an inordinate amount of importance will be paid to them because schools, their pupils and their abilities vary so dramatically.

Some parents may well select a secondary school for Nathan or Amy on the basis of how many exam passes it achieved last year, but most -- you might hope -- would trust a combination of instincts.

Education is not battery farming, just like it is not Dotheboys Hall.

It is all about getting the most from individual children by the best, most civilized means, to let them develop and prepare for life afterwards.

Just because society now lives by the certificate does not necessarily mean that schools which do not get the highest exam passes are necessarily unworthy and failing.

Everyone has heard of bright children doing well in schools with poor reputations and, conversely, not doing as well as parents might have hoped at establishments with big reputations.

It is all a very personal perspective, and the best way to judge a school is to actually get through the door and see for yourself how the pupils behave.

I defy anyone with half a brain not to pick up on poor atmosphere, or to identify a positive warm environment.

Sometimes, the latter is not in a so-called high-achieving school but in a school where they simply have to try harder. And the same criteria can also apply to local primary schools.

We all want the best for our children, and we all face the same dilemmas at crucial times of their school-age lives.

Hopefully, most parents will make a choice which suits Nathan and Amy best. Some children thrive on discipline and academic focus, some do not. Parents are experts on their own children by the time school decisions loom. So, why not trust your own feelings at this vital time?