GCSE’s : New records all round

Last year Knutsford High School’s GCSE results were the best to date

This year the 5 A*-C pass rate has improved a further 6% to a new high of 87% !  Comparing very favourably with last year’s National average of 75% , and resting alongside last week’s record A level results, Knutsford’s upward trend of results shows no sign of slowing down.

Overall there was very little difference between boys’ and girls’ achievement, bucking national trends.  In fact, based on GCSEs sat this year 7 of the top 10 students were boys – although the best in year was star student Emily Lunnon, who amassed an outstanding 10 A* grades and 1 grade A.  When added to Emily’s A* in Religious Studies and Starred Distinction in BTEC Performing Arts (both of which she gained in year 9), her Distinction in OCR National in ICT (year 10) and her A in the Higher Project qualification this gives her an impressive 16 top grades!

Emily’s GCSE success was closely followed by that of George Edmondson, who declared he was ‘very pleased’ with his 10 A* grades.  Emily is currently in Switzerland and so was not available for comment.  Both George and Emily intend to continue their studies into Knutsford High’s Sixth Form.

The school described the headline figures as very similar to those of last year, but with a distinct increase in the higher (A*-B) grades.  At 46% this beats both last year’s school figure of 41% and the national figure of 43%.

Also increased were the number of A* grades.  7.2% of all grades were at the highest level of A*, again exceeding both last year’s national figures and the school’s previous best of 6%.

Vice Principal Mark Gartland stated that he was “exceptionally pleased with the success of individual students, the ‘passport’ they have achieved to future qualifications and careers and the continued improvement of the school’s examination results at both GCSE and A-level”

In many subjects students now have the chance to study GCSE equivalent qualifications from as early as year 9, including such subjects as BTECs in Science and Performing Arts.  When these are included, the average number of GCSE passes works out at over 12 per student – with the possibility of obtaining over 20 passes!

“The results are fantastic,” said Deputy Head Stephen Cunliffe.  “There were a few anxious faces this morning – but soon replaced by smiles and hugs.  The students have worked really hard, and the teachers have put in hours of after school coaching sessions to help individual students.  It’s been a real team effort.”

Particularly pleasing were the ‘higher grade’ (A*-C) results in the core subjects and in modern languages:

Physics, Chemistry and Biology each achieved 100% success at higher grades; Science overall topped 80%

At 80% English results put the school well into the top 10% of schools nationally for progress made

Similarly Maths (69%) was again ahead of the national average (64%), placing the school in the top 25% nationally for progress made in Maths.  In fact, A*-A grades in Maths accounted for 24% of all grades – the comparable national figure for 2010 was 18%.

With German results at 82% and French at 95% higher pass rates, these results were ‘a real triumph’ for the Modern Languages Department.

Music and RS also exceeded the 80% mark.

Principal Kevin Hollins was particularly interested in his own subject, History.  “The Government are currently very anxious to promote humanities subjects and to encourage as many students as possible to study these.  Over half of our students chose to study history; with an A*-C pass rate of almost 75% for these students, we are clearly in line with government expectations.”

The school offered GCSE Statistics for the first time this year – with just 1 hour per week tuition!  75% of these students also came away with grades C or better.

More facts & Figures:

• 227 students sat level 2 exams (GCSE or equivalent) and gained a staggering 2178 A*-C grades between them
• Over 80% of the GCSE grades awarded were at the higher levels of A*-C
• The percentage of students gaining 5 or more A*-C grades has risen yet again, from 79% last year to over 87% this year – nationally last year’s figure was just 75%
• The percentage of students gaining 5 or more A*-C grades including English and Maths was over 63% – exceeding last year’s national figure of 54% and producing the school’s second best results ever.
• This year’s 5A*-C results (87%) are the best the school has ever had.
• Nationally figures are improving – the school’s figures are improving at an even faster rate.
• Nationally last year’s 5A*-C with English and Maths pass rate was 54% – this year the school’s comparable figures are 63%
• 20% of all grades were at the top level of A or A*; this rises to 46% A*-B (up 2% and 5% respectively on last year).
• 29 of the 227 students gained nothing less than a grade B (up 1% on last year to 13%)

Story submitted by Stephen Cunliffe

You must be logged in to post a comment Login