Secondary schools improve

Beech House School is the top performing school in the borough

The borough's high schools have improved this year according to their GCSE results.

Figures released show that Beech House school is the top performing school in the borough for pupils achieving five or more A*-C grades at GCSE. The school achieved a result of 68% of pupils achieving five A*-C grades.

Kevin Sartain, Headteacher at Beech House School, said: “I am delighted with the result, especially when you compare it to the English baccalaureate schools. The only difference between our 68% and 100% is the special needs students that we have.”

Hollingworth Business and Enterprise College, now Hollingworth Academy, is second in the borough with 67% of pupils receiving the desired results.

Darren Randle Headteacher at Hollingworth Academy said: “I am delighted for the pupils and the staff. It is a testament for all of the hard work that the pupils have put in along with the support from the parents. We strongly anticipate good GCSE results this summer.”

Wardle High School, now Wardle Academy is placed third in the borough with 66% of students hitting the grade.

Graham Wright, Headteacher for Wardle Academy said: “Whilst we were pleased that these results reflect our best ever figures, they disguise the fact that 71.5% of all students actually left with at least five good GCSEs including English and Maths.

"Even more pleasing, is the potential in the school for the years ahead. Our congratulations go to those students who achieved those results, because we recognise the effort that many of them made to achieve the challenging targets that they were set."

Across the whole of the borough, figures show that 56.2% of students achieved the government’s benchmark in the 2013 exams.

The performance is the borough's best of recent years. In 2012, 52% of pupils received the desired grades. In 2011, the borough achieved 53.5% and in 2010 results were at 51.4%.

Even though results are improving, they fall below the national average, which is currently at 59.2% of English candidates achieving
the desired grades.