Minster up to the mark
The Minster School, Southwell, has maintained its place as one of the best in Nottinghamshire.
Government league tables showing the proportion of 16-year-olds gaining five A*-C grades at GCSE, which include the core subjects of maths and English, were published for the second time yesterday.
Figures given by the schools when GCSE results are released in August take into account a pass rate of five good grades, regardless of whether English and maths are included.
Nationally, 60% of pupils left school with five GCSEs at A*-C in the summer, but when maths and English were included, the pass rate fell to 47%.
Although its pass rate drops from 78% to 68%, the Minster School is the sixth best in Nottinghamshire when maths and English are included. It is the best in the Advertiser area.
The sixth form was the best in the area for average points scores for A-level students. It was seventh out of 56 schools and colleges in the Nottinghamshire Learning and Skills Council area.
The 160 pupils at the Minster School who sat A-levels last summer had an average score of 836.
A-level passes are awarded scores which are used to determine whether candidates are given places on university courses. An A grade receives 120 points, a B 100, a C 80, and a D 60. The Nottinghamshire average score was 709.2, and the national average was 731.1.
On average each Minster School pupil scored the equivalent of one extra A grade A-level compared to the average pupil in Nottinghamshire
The head of the Minster School, Mr Phil Blinston, said: “We are pleased with the continuing success of our students, particularly to have maintained our standards during a period of considerable upheaval moving into the new school.
“We look forward to even greater success in the coming months. Our students and staff have worked incredibly hard and the pupils are well supported by their parents.
“We have always seen English and maths as being very important subjects and they are given a high priority.”
The Grove School, Balderton, is the highest achiever in GCSE English and maths of the three Newark area schools. Its pass rate drops from 48% to 32% when English and maths are included and it is ranked joint 39th out of 55 Nottinghamshire secondary schools.
The Magnus school’s rate drops from 45% to 28%. It is joint 43rd in the county.
Newark High school’s rate drops from 61% to 19% leaving it in joint 51st place.
The tables are intended to give a more accurate picture of the nation’s schools.
Advertiser area school GCSE pass rates at five A*-Cs, including maths and English in %, with the schools’ overall pass rate in brackets: Southwell Minster: 68 (78); Tuxford: 57 (73); Toot Hill, Bingham: 57 (68); Radcliffe Dayncourt: 45 (55); Sir William Robertson, Welbourn: 42 (56); Grove: 32 (48); Magnus: 28 (45); Dukeries College, Ollerton: 24 (46); Newark High: 19 (61).
