Wolverhampton school named best for 'added value' in the country
Released: 10 January 2008
Tables were released today identifying the performance of all schools in England at Key Stage 4 and post-16.
These show that across Wolverhampton, results for 16-year-olds are the highest ever. Moreton Community School has been named as the top ‘value added’ school in the country.
Across the city, numbers of pupils achieving 5 or more A*-C grades have risen faster than the national average to 61%, making it the 20th most improved in the country since 1998. Results have improved by almost 5% this year in Wolverhampton, compared to 2.8% nationally.
There are outstanding performances in a number of schools both in terms of raw outcomes and progress. In a number of cases the value added by the school (known as ‘contextual value added’ or CVA) is amongst the top few percent in the country with Moreton Community School having the highest CVA in the country.
In the city, the CVA from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4 stands at 1008.6 (compared to a national norm of around 1000). In many instances, these results have been achieved by schools serving less affluent communities. Wolverhampton’s results are ahead of similar authorities with whom comparisons are made by central government.
There are also improvements in the new measure of the proportion of students gaining 5 or more A*-C grades including English and mathematics. This has risen to 37%, again ahead of the national rate of improvement year on year, although the raw results are below the national average. It is anticipated that there will be significant improvements in this measure in the coming year as schools have set themselves ambitious targets for improvement.
Wolverhampton City Council’s Cabinet Member for Schools, Councillor Christine Irvine, today welcomed the improvement in GCSE results.
“We have got used to improvements in GCSE results over the years, but these are excellent by any standard. I am delighted that the hard work of children and staff and the support of parents and carers have led to these record results and an increase in students staying on in education post 16. This is the way that we need to continue to improve the chances of individuals and the prosperity of the city.”
Issued by the press office.