Barrs Hill school “One of Most Improved” for GCSEs

[dutchman]

A Coventry school labelled as failing last year is celebrating a huge turnaround in GCSE results.



In 2010, 29 per cent of people sitting exams at Barrs Hill got at least 5 A* to C grades including English and Maths, before the national target of 30 per cent.

This time around 47 per cent of teenagers made the grade- a rise of nearly a fifth. The figure is also 33 per cent higher than in 2009.

The results are likely to make the school one of the most improved in the country.

Head Selwyn Calvin says it is done to hard work by the pupils, their families and staff, and he thinks it can only get better:

“We really say to our students ‘expect the best’, really challenge yourself and strive for the best and they have responded well to that.

Mr Calvin also hit out at the target culture that has put his staff and pupils under pressure:

“The progress of the individual student is not taken into account and the context that individual schools are working in. The value that is added in this school over a number of years has been right up in the top end of schools in the city.”

Across the country, around 70 per cent of papers got at least a C grade – with the figure rising to 85 per cent in Coventry. That’s double the amount recorded in 2001.

In Warwickshire, the county-wide figures are also expected to be above the national average.

5,700 pupils have sat them there.

Yvonne Rose, from Warwickshire County Council is hoping as many of them as possible stay on to study A Levels, even with the big hike in university tuition fees:

“The job market is quite tight at the moment and you may be able to get a job but it may only be temporary or it may not lead to anything further in terms of progression opportunities.

“Whatever happens no young person should give up learning at age 16. It is vitally important that they progress into a positive educational training option and that is in order to secure good future job and earning prospects.”