The Welsh Government has published a parents’ guide into the new school banding system, which it says will give a clearer picture of school performance.
Banding will use national data on school performance, such as GCSE results and attendance, to group schools according to where they are on improving in comparison to other schools in Wales.
The parents’ guide will be sent to all secondary schools in Wales in the coming weeks before details on secondary school banding are published by the Welsh Government.
Education Minister Leighton Andrews said: “It’s crucial that parents understand the important changes taking place in our education system. This leaflet explains why we are bringing in a banding system in Wales and how our schools and learners will benefit.
“I have said before that I want to see standards and performance in our education system improve across the board. Banding is at the heart of this agenda and will give us and parents a clear picture of how secondary schools in Wales are performing.
“It’s not about labelling, naming or shaming, or creating a crude league table. It is about objectively using a range of measures to put schools into groups to identify which need our support and which we can learn from.”
Teaching unions have branded the new system league table in all but name.
In February this year, writing for Caerphilly Observer, the chairman of Caerphilly Governors’ Association Derek Harvard supported the system.