Our nation’s ability to report and consume simple statistics
29/11/2016
This is a comment about our nation’s ability to report and consume simple statistics, not a comment on social mobility.
In the Sunday Times published on 20 November this year, there were the headlines: “Southeast primary schools do best in Sats tests”.
The article states, “More than half of England’s best state primaries are in London and the southeast of England……” It goes on to say, “of the top 500 schools in the Parent Power rankings 136 are in London and 120 in the southeast…. By contrast, northwest primaries account for 76 of the top 500, followed by ….. 23 in the ….”northeast”
The article seems to be written as if there is some injustice that needs to be righted, as it goes on to say, “the findings will add to the fears of a growing north-south divide, escalating anxieties that children living outside the wealthy southeast have less chance of getting a good education….”
There clearly are concerns about social mobility, but my concern here is that quoting statistics out of context is not untypical for our British media, and actually represents a much greater failure in our education’s system in that understanding of simple statistics seems beyond a large percentage of even the best educated of our nation.
For example, in the above article, the first question that should come to mind (as the facts are omitted!) is actually how many primary schools are there in England, and how many in the southeast vs, say, the northeast.
From the Government’s National Statistics Service, there are (in 2012 – the latest figures available) 16,818 primaries in England, 2,606 being in the southeast and 878 being in the northeast. Thus, 120/2,606 = 4.6% in the top 500, and in the northeast 23/878 = 2.6% in the top 500. Gives a slightly different perspective on the north-south divide!
All comments welcome….
Regards, David
DAVID ANKER, Director – Client Services
Lightfoot Solutions UK Limited, Richmond House, Oldbury, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 8TQ
Categories & Tags:
Leave a comment on this post:
You might also like…
Come to a virtual study session in May
What are virtual study sessions? These are online study sessions facilitated by Library staff, where you can study independently alongside other students via Teams. They are a great way for you to dedicate specific time ...
Getting started on your School of Management thesis
Writing a thesis, business plan, internship project or company project can be a daunting task, and you might have some uncertainty or questions around how to get started. This post will share some ideas and ...
Sustainability by royal request: Managing an event fit for a King
The Coronation of King Charles III on May 6th 2023, was watched by millions of people around the world with tens of thousands of people travelling to Central London to witness the pageantry firsthand. ...
Getting started on your Master’s thesis
Please note: This post is intended to provide advice to all students undertaking a thesis in the Schools of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing; Water, Energy and Environment, and Defence and Security. There is separate advice ...
Finding your tribe: “Joining the sustainability community was the best decision”
For students on Cranfield’s Sustainability Business Specialist Apprenticeship, community and camaraderie is a vital component for success. Designed in consultation with industry, the part-time Level 7 apprenticeship aims to deepen participants’ knowledge of the ...
“My sustainability studies gave me the confidence to take on Amazon”
Not everyone would have the confidence to challenge a big global power like Amazon but, for Colin Featherstone, Senior Technology Manager and Tech Sustainability Lead at Morrisons, his Cranfield studies equipped him with the ...