Skelmersdale schools celebrate GCSE league table sucesss

Jan 31 2013 by Rob Pattinson, Skelmersdale Advertiser

WEST Lancs pupils achieved another year of impressive results, the GCSE league tables have revealed.

High schools across the borough saw a rise in the numbers of pupils achieving five A* to C grades including English and maths.

At Ormskirk School, 76%of pupils achieved five good A* to C grades, up from 68% the year before, and continuing the upward trend since 2009 when it scored 59%.

Tarleton Academy was another to post an impressive rise, going from 60% last year to 68% this year.

And Scarisbrick Hall achieved 63% – up from 56% the year before.

Meanwhile Up Holland High achieved the highest increase – from 53% in 2011 to 69%in 2012 – a considerable rise of 16%.

Last year, Glenburn Sport College head teacher James Harris told the Advertiser he was confident that the school’s results would be “much improved” in 2012 after it was ranked the lowest in Lancashire with just 29% achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C grade, including English and maths.

And he spoke of his delight after the school’s results went up to 39% – just below the benchmark set by Government.

Mr Harris said: “We are delighted with the 10% increase in five A*-C, including English and maths, between 2011 and 2012. The remarkable 15% increase in maths A*-C is also from 2011 to 2012.

“This has been achieved by a clear focus on the academic attainment of each of our students with everyone at Glenburn working as a team – this approach is going to lead to further big performance increases this year. This is the first stage of rapid academic performance improvement at Glenburn. “There is plenty more to come. Our strength is the care and support that we give each of our students and we are now turning that strength into remarkable academic success.”

The picture throughout the county showed that results were again above the national average. And county councillor Susie Charles, Cabinet Member for Children and Schools, said: “Lancashire's results show that the proportion of pupils leaving school with five or more good passes including English and maths has remained steady overall, and is still above the national average.

“I'd like to congratulate everyone involved for all of their hard work.”