Heywood school tops the charts

Heywood Community School is one of the top 20 secondary schools in the country, showing the greatest levels of sustained improvement between 2006 and 2009.

The secondary school league tables, issued last week by Ed Balls from the Department for Children, Schools and Families, showed Heywood Community was one of the best in England with sustained improvement over the four years in the number of pupils achieving 5 GCSEs or equivalent at grades A* to C including English and Maths.

In 2009 53% of GCSE students made the grade, up from 25% in 2006.

Sue Brown, Head of Schools at Rochdale Council, said: “This is great news – well done to students and staff for their hard work and commitment. These results have ensured that the young people of Heywood are in a really strong position to access future education, training and employment opportunities."

Heywood councillor, Colin Lambert said: "These are fantastic results for the pupils of Heywood Community School.

"It is a great credit to the children and their families, but also a real insight into the dedication of the staff at the school, who are facing closure this summer.

"The staff at all levels are facing an uncertain future and yet they are giving everything to the future of all our children.

"The authority now have to recognise the sacrifice being made by staff, who are committed to staying until the end, to work with our pupils, and it is now time for the authority to give a guarantee to all staff throughout the school, that they will also have a future beyond July 2010.

"We can not afford to lose this quality and standard or commitment from anyone working at the school, and all measures have to be taken to retain them in the borough."