League Tables for Secondary Schools
| Published: 12th January 2007 20:10 |
Latest Press Releases
11 January 2007
SHEFFIELD MAKING STEADY PROGRESS
New secondary school league tables published this week show that Sheffield schools are making steady progress.
New formats to the tables mean that the figures don’t compare directly with those of previous years, but the indications are that Sheffield students are being well prepared for the world of work, through learning programmes designed to address employers’ concerns about basic skills.
The ‘old’ measure of the percentage of students achieving at least 5 grade A*-C in any subject has this year been replaced by those achieving at least 5 good grades but including English and mathematics. This has the effect of reducing the percentage achieving at this level, but also indicates that take-up of vocational learning programmes is popular among students.
Comparisons between Sheffield and national performance show that the gap between city and national performance according to the new measure is 8.7%, compared to a gap on the old measure of 10.7%. More Sheffield pupils are sticking with, and gaining, the traditional GCSE English and Maths than in some other parts of the country. Sheffield is in the third quartile of the 36 metropolitan authorities.
Sheffield is achieving its long-stated ambition of enabling black and ethnic minority students to reach and exceed average levels for the city. The achievement of this group in reaching 5 or more A*-C grades has increased from 37.8% in 2004 to 44.6% in 2006. The city has also reduced significantly the number of young people leaving school with no qualifications who do not go on to engage in any form of work or learning. 95% of students now leave school with at least one qualification compared to 91% in 2002.
And, for a further year, the city’s 11-18 schools are well beyond those in other parts of the country. The national average point score per candidate is 722 - Sheffield schools Notre Dame recorded 887 points per candidate, and Silverdale 854 points. In terms of average points per entry, every 11-18 school in the city except one is above the national average of 206, with Silverdale on 231, Tapton on 228 and King Ecgbert on 223.
“We congratulate schools, students and parents on their achievements in 2006. In the past year we had two schools, Notre Dame and Fir Vale cited by Ofsted as ‘Outstanding’ with several more described as ‘Good’,” says Jonathan Crossley-Holland, Executive Director of Children & Young People’[s Services, Sheffield City Council.
“The next step for the city in securing faster improvement lies in providing a curriculum that allows all our young people to succeed. I know that schools are looking hard at reviewing their offer to young people and developing their provision of the new specialist diplomas and other vocational awards.
“There is steady progress in these results - yet again, the highest the city has ever received. There is more to do however. On the authority’s part we are re-configuring our advisory support and commencing the second wave of our £350m rebuilding and refurbishment programme which could see every secondary child in new or improved accommodation by 2012. The challenge in 2007 is to raise achievement further as well as preparing for the new vocational diplomas which will enable more of the city’s youngsters to succeed in 2008 and beyond.”
Contact: Katie Harrison, Media Team (Tel: 0114 2736927 )
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