Sunday, December 16, 2007

Performance Predictors All Around (Part 3)

This is the final instalment in this series about the wide application of Peformance Predictors. Let's put schools under the spotlight...

I mentioned we had moved from Perth to the Central Coast. We also moved from Queensland to Perth 18 months prior and whilst living in Perth we had an exchange student from Brazil living with us. The organisation coordinating the exchange student sent us a notification prior to Natalia arrive of the school she would be attending.

My wife and I decided to drive past the school to ensure it was within walking distance, and if not, that a bus service existed. However, when we arrived out the front of the school the conversation changed dramatically starting with the comment, "I would never send our children to a school that has barbed-wire all the way around the top of a 8ft high fence".

Further, "Do you think the barbed-wire is there to keep the children in, or undesirable nearby residents out?" "Either way, this can't be a good thing."

As you can see, negative performance predictors have a significant impact on prospective customers. The school could have had a range of positive performance predictors too, such as a large percentage of leaving students with high OP results, quality extracurriculum facilities and outstanding teachers ... unfortunately these weren't given the opportunity to shine because they were encased with a negative performance predictor.

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