'Rapidly improving' schools score well in league tables

Published on 18th January 2007 in News

GCSE and A-level performance tables revealing how secondary schools in the Goole area performed in the 2006 examinations were released last week and resulted in a well-deserved pat on the back for Vermuyden School.

Education Minister Jim Knight wrote to the school's staff and governors, telling them that the results for Vermuyden showed that it was among the top performing schools, based on the Key Stage Two-Four Contextual Value Added (CVA) Measure.

CVA was introduced in 2002 to measure the performance of each child within a school, taking account of reliable factors for that student which are known and agreed nationally to have an effect on progress, such as levels of deprivation or special educational needs.

Head teacher Anne McErlane said: "Vermuyden's results show that our students make much better individual progress in relation to other students in other schools nationally, so much so that we are placed 104 in comparison with all other schools in England.

"The many changes and developments which have been put in place in the school over the past years have paid off."

The latest GCSE and A-level performance tables, released last week, have been revised to take account of a new measure, the percentage of pupils achieving five or more A*-C grades including English and mathematics.

Howden School and Technology College and Snaith School were both above the country's average of 45.8 per cent, with the number of students attaining five or more A*-C grades at GCSE, with 46 per cent and 49 per cent respectively.

Vermuyden School fared well in the A-level performance tables, achieving an average point score per student of 752.4, higher than the country's average of 721.5. However, only 35 of the 94 students who began an A-level or AS-level course at the school completed their courses.

Meanwhile, Howden School achieved an average score of 611.3 against the English average, with 20 of the 21 students enrolled on A/AS-level courses completing study.

Throughout the East Riding, the performance of schools has seen considerable improvement over the past three years in the percentage of pupils achieving five or more A*-C grades.

Since 2003, the overall performance of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council has increased from 51 per cent in 2003 to 62 per cent in 2006.

"The A-level performance remains a key priority for us to see further substantial improvement in the coming years," said Philip Holmes, head of improvement and learning at East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

Local MP Ian Cawsey said: "Schools don't all have children of the same ability. Some schools obviously have a higher performing intake than others. What matters is the difference schools make to the life chances of young people. This is where Vermuyden School has excelled.

"Goole is fortunate to be served by such a rapidly improving school that is improving the prospects of the area's young people. The £15million about to be spent on building modern facilities for the youngsters will help to improve things further.

"I congratulate pupils, parents, teachers and governors for their hard work that lies behind this fantastic achievement."