4:30am Thursday 14th January 2010
By Ben Barnett
Bradford schools are celebrating a fourth successive year of record GCSE results.
The number of teenagers getting good grades in Bradford increased by more than double the national improvement.
In last summer’s exams, 41.6 per cent of pupils achieved the minimum standard expected by the Government of five A* to C grades including in English and maths. That is a year-on-year rise of 4.7 per cent.
Nationally, 49.8 per cent of GCSE candidates gained the benchmark grades, a 2.2 per cent increase on 2007/08.
Bradford’s performance lifted it to 137th out of 151 local authorities across England, up two places on last year when there were two fewer local authorities.
The data shows there is still room for improvement. Seven secondary schools – three fewer than last year – are failing to meet the Government’s minimum targets of at least 30 per cent of pupils getting benchmark grades. Those schools include: Belle Vue Boys’, in Heaton, Bradford Academy, in Bowling, Buttershaw Business & Enterprise College and Carlton Bolling College, in Undercliffe, and Tong High.
The under-performing schools also include two which have since closed and reopened as academies – Rhodesway, now Dixons Allerton Academy, and Wyke Manor, now Appleton Academy.
The DCSF’s data also shows that the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent from GCSE classes is high in Bradford at 7.1 per cent, compared to 5.9 per cent of pupils nationally.
Councillor Michael Kelly, Bradford Council’s executive member for services to children and young people, said: “It’s great news that we have record results for GCSEs in 2009 and very pleased to see that we are improving at such a good rate.
“These results show we are improving at a faster rate than the national average but we still need to work together to close the gap on the national average benchmark figures.
“This year we also have fewer schools that are below the floor target and we continue to work hard to reduce that figure still further.
“There are many schools that are achieving outstanding results. It is to the credit of all the pupils, teachers and other school staff, along with parents and governors, who all put in so much time and effort, that this improvement has been achieved across the district.”
Lesley Hart, Education Bradford’s director of school improvement, said: “We are delighted with these best-ever GCSE results. Some schools have secured remarkable improvements. Students, teachers and parents deserve to be congratulated for their hard work. We will continue working with schools to bring about a repeat of this success in years to come.”
For full details of how well schools have performed as well as further analysis, see today's Telegraph & Argus.
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