Woodham Academy is among the region’s best-performing schools, new government figures have confirmed.
The Department for Education (DFE) shows that Woodham Academy is in the top 13 percent of secondary schools in the North East for the progress made by students – a key measure of a school’s performance.
The DFE’s provisional school performance comparison tool allows schools, parents, carers and students to analyse the most recent GCSE exam results, with the facility to compare the outcomes of any schools nationally, regionally or in the local area. In addition, all schools are compared to a local authority and England averages.
This year, Woodham Academy recorded the best GCSE results in the history of the school.
The DFE figures show:
The Progress 8 is the recognised comparative measure for all schools nationally. It highlights how much progress all students make in their time at Woodham Academy based upon their starting point in year 7. It has been introduced as a more consistent measure of school performance, as many school cohorts around the country vary significantly in relation to their starting point.
Woodham Academy’s score of +0.25 means that all students achieved a quarter of a grade more than similar students nationally in every subject. Woodham is in the North East’s top 13% of schools on this measure.
Attainment 8 is a summary of the average grade(s) achieved by students. This measure will become increasingly clearer as all subjects move to a 1-9 grading system, but in basic terms, the attainment 8 score divided by 10 produces the average grade for a student across all the subjects studied.
Grade 5 in English and Maths highlights significant improvements within core subjects. English and Maths were marked on a 1-9 scale for the first time this year, with 5 being a ‘good pass’. The 45% gained is significantly better than the local authority average and well above the national average. Furthermore, 68% of students achieved grade 4+ in English and Maths, which is again well above local and national measures.
EBacc is gained when students achieve a grade 5/C in English, Maths, Science, Geography or History and a modern foreign language. Woodham Academy continues to perform very well in this area.
Headteacher Christine Forsyth said: “The DFE tables show how students and staff at Woodham Academy have worked very hard across the last academic year. In addition, they highlight the significant number of developments we have made in daily school life, from pastoral care, behaviour management, curriculum development and improvements to buildings. Provisional data indicates we are one of the best performing schools in County Durham for Progress 8, with all other headline measures being well above average. We have a strong focus on ‘achievement for all’ and these results show that regardless of starting point, academic ability or curriculum interest, our students made very good progress.”
To use the comparison tool, and see how Woodham Academy compares to schools nationally, regionally and locally.
www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/138717
Pictured: Headteacher Christine Forsyth
