The way to climb the league tables?
Posted on | June 28, 2010 |
‘NO APOLOGIES’ FOR HANDS-ON FOCUS AT NATION’S ‘MOST IMPROVED’
Barnfield West Academy was named the country’s most improved academy by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust in March. In 2009, the Luton school achieved a perfect 100 per cent of pupils gaining at least five A*- C GCSEs or equivalent.
At 54 per cent, the proportion that also achieved English and maths GCSEs was impressive for a school where free school meals are more than twice the national average.
New Government figures show that score falls to 29 per cent when only GCSEs are included and that much of the academy’s achievement is with “vocational” and other non-GCSE qualifications.
But Andy Hardy, acting principal, makes no apology for his school, judged “outstanding” by Ofsted, offering what he says is a “truly personalised” curriculum.
All pupils take GCSE maths and English, with the proportion achieving a C or above in English going up from a third to two-thirds compared with its predecessor school.
The OCR national level 2 in ICT, worth up to four GCSEs in the league tables, is also compulsory. Ofsted has said the qualification is of “doubtful value” and teaches pupils what they already know.
But Mr Hardy describes the work and engagement it produces in pupils as “exceptional”.
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