Making sense of the numbers
The mean average score for the number of areas of strength awarded to language centres since March 2020 has risen to 5.5 net once all Needs for Improvement have been deducted. Since so few inspections have taken place (see opposite page), this is likely because 60% of all the centres which have closed or left accreditation scored less than the previous mean average score of 4.5 net areas of strength.
Currently, the median average score is five, with 40% of centres receiving above six areas of strength. The mode, or most common score, remains at net two.
The standard variation is 4.1, which means that the normal range of scores lies between nine areas of strength and one. Centres that score between 9.2 and 12 are one standard deviation above the mean, so they are significantly better than the norm. Those scoring 13 and above are two standard deviations from the mean and thus outstanding. Just over 3% of accredited centres score 13 areas of strength and above.
However, just over 5% of accredited centres have a net negative score, meaning they have between more Needs for Improvements than areas of strength. Evidence shows that the number of centres with negative scores has increased in recent years.
Of 116 centres inspected in 2018, just two – or 1.7% – had a net negative score. However, in 2019, net negative scores rose to 10% of all centres inspected. This has dropped a little during Covid: of the 93 centres inspected since January 2020, seven, or around 7.5%, have been awarded net negative scores.
Centres of Excellence lost since March 2020
- BSC Edinburgh PLS
- BSC Brighton* PLS
- CES Harrogate (merged) PLS
- Dudley College* FE
- EC Oxford PLS
- Eurocentres Brighton (merged) PLS
- Eurocentres Cambridge PLS
- Eurocentres London (merged)
- Globe English* PLS
- IH Aberdeen PLS
- International Community School* IS
- Liverpool School of English Year Round PLS
- London School of English Canterbury PLS
- Moreton Hall* BS
- MLS International
- Nab Cottage PLS
- Northumbria University* Uni
- Regent Summer School* SS
- South Thames College* FE
- University College London* Uni
- University of Brighton* Uni
- University of Leeds* Uni
- University of the Arts London*
- Victoria school of English PLS
- Windermere ISS* BS
Key
BS = Boarding school, FE = Further education college, PLS = Private language school, SS = Summer school, Uni = University. *Still trading.
