High school graduates can choose between the state exam or the Cambridge C1 language test as their English final exam. The latter can be taken as early as the 11th grade. However, Postimees' ranking does not include exams taken a year earlier. Haridussilm displays exam results for specific academic years, not for graduates.
In Haridussilm, we see information about exam takers in one school for a single academic year. There, all English C1 exam takers are grouped together, regardless of whether they are in the 11th grade or seniors. The results of 11th-grade students cannot be added to their final year results. This may affect the adequacy of the school rankings. Haridussilm also does not display data if there are fewer than five exam takers. This may affect the results of small schools.
The compiler of Postimees' school ranking says that if Harno provided more precise data, he would use it. He considers the results of exams taken in a specific academic year. He does not know whether they were taken in the 11th grade or as early as the 10th grade.
The ranking of some schools has dropped because Cambridge language test results are not included. For example, Nõo Realgymnasium was second in mathematics exam results, but only scored 28.9 points in the English exam. The school principal says that students took the C1 exam in the 11th grade, not as seniors. If Postimees had used the correct data, the school's position would have been better.
The principal says that weaker students tend to take the state English exam. The C1 exam also has a preliminary stage that must be passed. Stronger students aim to take the C1 exam. At Nõo Realgymnasium, 75 out of 90 students take the C1 exam.
In Postimees' ranking, Tallinn Real School is in first place, Tallinn English College is in second place, and Gustav Adolf Gymnasium is in third place.