By Sarah Robinson

Last updated at 11:50, Thursday, 02 February 2012

COPELAND schools are celebrating their exam results success following the release of the government’s school league tables.

Details were published last week by the Department of Education showing where all of the country’s schools are placed in the league tables. All of the latest GCSE and A-Level performance figures for schools and colleges across the country have been collated and are now available to view.

In Copeland, there are five secondary schools that provide GCSE and A-level qualifications. Lakes College also provides A-level qualifications. The benchmark of academic success for 16-year-olds leaving Year 11 (at the end of key stage four) is currently to achieve five or more A*-C grades at GCSE or via an equivalent course.

Despite this, the government introduced the English Baccalaureate last year, which looks for pupils to gain A*-C grades in a range of academic subjects. Figures in recent data relate to pupils who picked their GCSE options before the measure was introduced.

Other aspects are also looked at, including a VA score. This measures the school’s effectiveness over the course of a child’s secondary education. The higher the score the more progress pupils make between years seven and 11, the national average is 1,000. The figure is based on best eight GCSEs/equivalents.

Philip Capes, headmaster of St Bees School, said: “I am delighted that the excellent public examination results obtained by St Bees School students last summer have resulted in the school achieving very high positions, particularly in the league tables compiled for all Cumbrian schools.

“We are certainly the best performing school on the West Coast of Cumbria. We are very proud of our achievements.”

While, Millom School headteacher, Ian Smith, said: “This set of results was superb. We were particularly delighted with the 95 per cent for five or more A* to C grades as it shows we are an inclusive school. We were also delighted with the significant improvement with the five or more A* to C grades, including English and Maths.”

At West Lakes Academy, head Vanessa Ray said: “With 78 per cent of students receiving five or more good GCSE’s at grades A* to C, this is the best ever set of results for the Academy and its predecessor schools.

“The Academy continues to build on positive progress and results have improved year on year since its start in 2008. The ongoing success has resulted in a much higher proportion of students meeting the necessary entry requirements and staying on to join our very successful 6th form, where the results are some of the best in the west.”

At Whitehaven School, headteacher Lynette Norris, said: “We are very proud of the success stories from all our past students; some of whom from the outgoing Year 13 are studying hard at university and many of those from Year 11 have stayed on in school to study their A- levels with us.

“Our staff and students all worked so very hard last year and the three per cent improvement in the Year 11 measure of five good GCSEs that was made since the previous year, does not do justice the blood, sweat and tears that went into achieving it. Although the raw percentage data is misleading, the added value is a much fairer indicator of progress and we are pleased with our increase of 27 points from the 2010 exam results,” Mrs Norris added.

At Lakes College, principal Cath Richardson said: “Our pass rates for key stages 4 and 5 exceed benchmark, standing at 91 per cent and 92 per cent respectively. According to Ofsted the college significantly outperforms providers in comparable regions at levels 1-3.”

She added: “Often in league tables colleges are poorly represented when compared with schools, due to the focus on point scoring systems in place for GCSEs and A-Levels, delivered by schools, and not vocational skills delivered by colleges. This comparison is misleading.”

PUPILS: Number of GCSE/equivalent exam pupils in 2011

5+ A*-C EngMath: Percentage of pupils achieving five or more GCSEs A*-C/equivalent including English and maths and figures for 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 are given where applicable

5+ A*-C: Percentage of pupils achieving five or more GCSEs A*-C/equivalent in any subject in 2011’s exams

5+ A*-G: Percentage of pupils achieving five or more GCSE passes in any subject in 2011’s exams

ANY: Percentage of pupils achieving any qualification in 2011’s exams

EBacc: Percentage of pupils achieving English Baccalaureate – government’s new measure showing percentage that get A*-C in a range of subjects – English, maths, sciences, a language and a humanities subject. (Figure in bracket: percentage who sat exams in all eligible EBacc subjects)

6TH FORM: Number of sixth form exam students in 2011

AVERAGE SCORE: Average points score per student. Points are given for different grades as part of university application process

2+ A-LEVELS: Percentage of sixth formers gaining two or more A-levels/equivalent

VA SCORE: Value added score to measure school’s effectiveness over the course of a child’s secondary education.

The higher the score the more progress pupils make between years seven and 11, national average is 1,000.

Figure based on best eight GCSEs/equivalents.

ST BENEDICT’S, WHITEHAVEN

Pupils: 222

5+ A*-C EngMath: 2008: 49%; 2009: 43%; 2010: 56%; 2011: 51%

5+ A*-C: 70%

5+ A*-G: 97%

Any: 100%

EBacc: 5% (5%)

6th form: 88

Average score: 621.8

2+ A-levels: 90%

VA score: 972.7

WEST LAKES ACADEMY, EGREMONT

Pupils: 183

5+ A*-C EngMath: 2008: N/A%; 2009: 27%; 2010: 47%; 2011: 44%

5+ A*-C: 78%

5+ A*-G: 88%

Any: 99%

EBacc: 5% (7%)

6th form: 51

Average score: 812.4

2+ A-levels: 94%

VA score: 975.9

WHITEHAVEN SCHOOL

Pupils: 218

5+ A*-C EngMath: 2008: 35%; 2009: 35%; 2010: 40%; 2011: 43%

5+ A*-C: 80%

5+ A*-G: 95%

Any: 100%

EBacc: 5% (6%)

6th form: 75

Average score: 638.8

2+ A-levels: 91%

VA score: 985.1

LAKES COLLEGE

6th form: 121

Average score: 462.6

2+ A-levels: 82%

MILLOM SCHOOL

Pupils: 109

5+ A*-C EngMath: 2008: 38%; 2009: 52%; 2010: 45%; 2011: 59%

5+ A*-C: 95%

5+ A*-G: 99%

Any: 100%

EBacc: 0% (0%)

6th form: 15

Average score: 717

2+ A-levels: 100%

VA score: 1019.2

ST BEES SCHOOL

Pupils: 38

5+ A*-C EngMath: 2008: 76%; 2009: 63%; 2010: 86%; 2011: 84%

5+ A*-C: 92%

5+ A*-G: 100%

Any: 100%

EBacc: 58% (82%)

6th form: 38

Average score: 891.7

2+ A-levels: 100%

VA score: Not Published

Percentage of pupils getting five or more A*-Cs GCSE/equivalent including English and maths (in North and West Cumbria)

Queen Elizabeth Grammar, Penrith 98%

Austin Friars, Carlisle 89%

St Bees School 84%

Cockermouth School 70%

Nelson Thomlinson, Wigton 69%

Keswick School 68%

Trinity, Carlisle 66%

William Howard, Brampton 65%

Lime House, Dalston 60%

Millom School 59%

NATIONAL AVERAGE 58.9%

Kirkby Stephen Grammar 58%

Stainburn School, Workington 57%

CUMBRIAN AVERAGE 57%

Caldew, Dalston 56%

St Joseph’s, Workington 56%

Appleby Grammar 55%

Samuel King’s, Alston 54%

Ullswater, Penrith 52%

St Benedict’s, 51%

Southfield, Workington 49%

West Lakes, Egremont 44%

Netherhall, Maryport 43%

Newman, Carlisle 43%

Whitehaven School 43%

Beacon Hill, Aspatria 41%

Richard Rose Morton, Carlisle 35%

Solway, Silloth 34%

Richard Rose Central, Carlisle 31%
 

First published at 11:11, Thursday, 02 February 2012
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk