Schools Are Moving On Up

Two schools in Bishop Auckland are celebrating after being named as among the best in the country for improving pupils’ levels of achievement. The figures on secondary school performance at GCSE were published last week by the government.

Half of Durham County Council’s 36 secondary schools are in the top 10 per cent of schools nationally for their value added scores, which measure the progress pupils make from starting secondary school, aged 11, to
the time they sit their GCSEs, aged 16.

And seven of those schools, which included King James I Community Arts College and Bishop Barrington School, were among the top 100 nationally for their value added scores, showing that pupils there made some of the
highest and fastest levels of progress in the country.

Overall, Durham County Council has seen dramatic increases in the percentage of pupils achieving five or more GCSE qualifications at grades C or above.

The improvement in the average point score shows that more pupils in Bishop Auckland are achieving more qualifications.

Councillor Claire Vasey, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services at Durham County Council, said, “I am absolutely delighted with these results, which show that pupils, schools and the county council are successfully and relentlessly driving up standards in educational attainment.

“This type of improvement is not easily achieved. It is the result of a great deal of hard work and commitment from everyone involved – from the pupils themselves, their families, teachers, school governors and the staff who work to support schools.

“I am very proud of their achievements and delighted that more and more young people are getting the qualifications they need to realise their ambitions.”

This article originally appeared in Issue No. 22. Read or download The Bishop Press Issue No. 22 (PDF).

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