PARENTS and young people thinking about education choices post-16 should reflect that the league tables, published last week, seriously underestimate many local colleges' performance.
The tables only give points for A-levels and some key skills, so the equally challenging vocational qualifications which students may be studying get no points at all.
This automatically seriously depresses the points score of the many colleges offering a wide range of vocational qualifications.
Nor do the tables yet reflect the progress which individual students have made. These 'value-added' scores - for schools and colleges - will not now be published until January 2007.
The Association of Colleges believes these problems mislead parents and young people about the best choices to make post-16.
The fact is that your local college - even if it has done very well this year - is likely to be even better than the tables show.
Rather than make a judgement based on faulty information, the best course of action is to see for yourself what your local college has to offer.
DR JOHN BRENNAN
Chief Executive
Association of Colleges
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