GCSE records tumble but concerns over some grades (From Daily Echo)

GCSE records tumble but concerns over some grades

7:24am Thursday 23rd August 2012 in News By Jon Reeve, Education Reporter

GCSE records tumble but concerns over some grades

RECORDS look set to tumble again today as thousands of teenagers across Southampton and Hampshire discover their GCSE results.

Early indications suggest there have been significant improvements at several schools, with many posting best-ever figures while there have been impressive rises in the proportion of Year 11s achieving good marks in the core subjects.

But celebrations may be on hold at some schools amid concerns over lower than expected English grades.

A number of complaints are understood to have been made to exam boards AQA and Edexcel, with many head teachers upset results were significantly down on predictions despite grades in all other subjects meeting forecasts.

It means many youngsters opening their results today could be left disappointed with their English grades, although schools are now expected to appeal many of those in a bid to have them reclassified.

Head teachers told the Daily Echo last night the issue appeared to hinge on “moved goalposts” over how many marks were needed to achieve an allimportant C grade, although not all schools using those exam boards had been affected.

Successes One head said: “A lot of schools are finding themselves well down on where they expected to be and that’s well out of kilter with other subjects.

“One school said they’re ten per cent below predictions for English, despite good increases in maths and none of their other predictions being out.

Successes were being toasted, however, as in Southampton, Chamberlayne College for the Arts recorded its best figures.

The Tickleford Drive school was this year integrated into a federation with Bitterne Park School .

Susan Trigger, who is head teacher at both schools, said: “It’s the best ever for Chamberlayne, considering they were a school that was in the national category for support and we’ve got them to this stage, it’s really impressive.

“And Bitterne Park ’s results have been consolidated again, so we’ve had ten years of continuous improvement now.

Meanwhile, Oasis Academy Mayfield has built on last year’s huge gains with another set of highly-improved results.

Nine out of ten students achieved five or more A* to C passes, which is up from just 38 per cent two years ago.

The school moved into its new building earlier this year and Principal John Toland believes stability will help things get better still.

He said: “We’re really pleased.

It’s been a very productive year, which has built on last year’s impressive results, and we’re still looking forward.”

Best-ever figures have also been achieved at Redbridge Community School, where head teacher Jason Ashley said he was “chuffed to bits” that more than half of pupils have got five good grades, including core subjects.

Mr Ashley, who arrived at the school last September, said: “They’re record-breaking results for Redbridge, and so after all the changes we’ve introduced and the new ways of working, the students have delivered so I’m thrilled for them.”

In Eastleigh Quilley School of Engineering saw the proportion of those gaining five A* to C grades leap by seven per cent.

Jubilant head teacher Richard Kelly said: “I would like to congratulate the students. I am really, really pleased with that and once again it is down to their continued hard work and the hard work of staff.

Hamble Community Sports College principal Gerry Halley- Gordon was delighted with a five A* to C pass rate of 77 per cent.

She said: “I am delighted with these results as they show a 25 percentage point increase over the past four years and demonstrate the commitment and determination of all at the college to be the best that you can be.”