Plume School Versus Thurstable
Their football teams may have joined forces in 2010 as Maldon & Tiptree FC, but on-field unity is underpinned by deep-rooted tension and hostility between the towns.
This rivalry is evident in battles between the towns’ respective celebrated commodities – Maldon Sea Salt and Tiptree Jam.
On more than one occasion, I’ve heard of Maldonians sprinkling salt on their sandwiches and Tiptreeans spreading jam on their fish and chips, such is their attachment to their own locales.
Such enmity extends into education and the towns’ secondary schools, Maldon’s Plume School and Tiptree’s Thurstable.
Admission may be a formality for residents within the towns, but those in Great Totham, Wickham Bishops, Tolleshunt D’Arcy, Tollesbury and other surrounding villages may have a decision to make.
So, how do these two great adversaries match up?
Table 1 (below) depicts a pretty close affair except for size. Should the schools engage in an all-out battle royal then the Plume’s sheer advantage of numbers would be enough to wipe out the entire student roll of Thurstable.
This rivalry is evident in battles between the towns’ respective celebrated commodities – Maldon Sea Salt and Tiptree Jam.
On more than one occasion, I’ve heard of Maldonians sprinkling salt on their sandwiches and Tiptreeans spreading jam on their fish and chips, such is their attachment to their own locales.
Such enmity extends into education and the towns’ secondary schools, Maldon’s Plume School and Tiptree’s Thurstable.
Admission may be a formality for residents within the towns, but those in Great Totham, Wickham Bishops, Tolleshunt D’Arcy, Tollesbury and other surrounding villages may have a decision to make.
So, how do these two great adversaries match up?
Table 1 (below) depicts a pretty close affair except for size. Should the schools engage in an all-out battle royal then the Plume’s sheer advantage of numbers would be enough to wipe out the entire student roll of Thurstable.
The Plume houses a slightly greater number of SEN students and its pupils have a greater tendency to skip school.
On the other hand, Thurstable has more students per teacher – perhaps a reason why the teaching staff is better paid compared with the Plume.
In the key measure of achievement, 5 A*-C GCSEs, including Maths and English, there is not currently a size zero model between the two schools (Table 2, below - click for an enlarged version).
On the other hand, Thurstable has more students per teacher – perhaps a reason why the teaching staff is better paid compared with the Plume.
In the key measure of achievement, 5 A*-C GCSEs, including Maths and English, there is not currently a size zero model between the two schools (Table 2, below - click for an enlarged version).
As the Plume stalled, Thurstable edged past in 2011 but the Plume responded with a 5% rise in 2012 to leave both schools locked on 59%, which is pretty much on a par with the Essex and England average.
The Plume does seem to cater to more low performing students with a whopping 5% failing to achieve 5 GCSEs within the A*-G range. Judging by the analysis in ‘Maldon compared with Maldon’, these underachievers have a tendency to drift into one sub-ward of Maldon West, perhaps Orchard Road, living a life of low income and poor health.
6th Form Performance
Something puzzling has happened to Thurstable’s 6th form over the last four years. From a blinding 711.1 points per A level student in 2009 to a paltry 485.1 in 2012.
To confuse matters, all the time their A level results were going down the toilet, their GCSE results continued to improve.
Either Thurstable’s 6th form environment is turning capable students into mush or, perhaps more likely, gifted GCSEers are moving out of Tiptree to pursue their A levels.
Having said that, although the Plume College continues to make incremental improvements, just 3% attain AAB in facilitating subjects (those deemed important by Oxbridge and the like – maths, sciences, English literature, history, geography and languages).
Still, that beats the 0% ‘achieved’ by Thurstable’s A level students.
The Plume does seem to cater to more low performing students with a whopping 5% failing to achieve 5 GCSEs within the A*-G range. Judging by the analysis in ‘Maldon compared with Maldon’, these underachievers have a tendency to drift into one sub-ward of Maldon West, perhaps Orchard Road, living a life of low income and poor health.
6th Form Performance
Something puzzling has happened to Thurstable’s 6th form over the last four years. From a blinding 711.1 points per A level student in 2009 to a paltry 485.1 in 2012.
To confuse matters, all the time their A level results were going down the toilet, their GCSE results continued to improve.
Either Thurstable’s 6th form environment is turning capable students into mush or, perhaps more likely, gifted GCSEers are moving out of Tiptree to pursue their A levels.
Having said that, although the Plume College continues to make incremental improvements, just 3% attain AAB in facilitating subjects (those deemed important by Oxbridge and the like – maths, sciences, English literature, history, geography and languages).
Still, that beats the 0% ‘achieved’ by Thurstable’s A level students.