'Yes' to changes

2:58pm Monday 15th January 2007

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HEADTEACHERS at West Oxfordshire schools have welcomed moves to include English and maths results in GCSE tables, despite seeing their pass rates slip.

Figures published last Wednesday show that 47.5 per cent of Oxfordshire students achieved five or more A* to C grades, including English and maths, compared with 45.8 per cent nationally.

The Government has changed the way schools are judged to include English and maths in their five A* to C grades percentage score.

Carterton Community College was among the schools making significant improvements, with a 13 per cent increase in the number of A* to C grades last year.

Headteacher, Julie Tridgell, said it was the college's best set of GCSE results. Its A* to C pass rate in 2006 was 63 per cent compared to 50 per cent in 2005.

However, the figure slipped back to 50 per cent of pupils achieving five A* to C grades, when English and maths results were included.

She said: "We are all really thrilled with the performance of our students - they have worked incredibly hard to secure these results and should be very proud of their achievements.

"Carterton is often forgotten and ignored, but we are really pleased with the results and the high score we have for pupils overall achievement from year seven to 11. This is a school that's going places."

At Henry Box School, in Witney, 60 per cent of pupils got five A* to C grades as opposed to 62 per cent the year before. The figure dipped to 48 per cent when Maths and English were included.

Headteacher, Rod Walker, said: "We had a relatively weak cohort this year. But I do welcome the inclusion of English and maths, as it goes some way to restoring the integrity of GCSE tables. I would go further, and include science and modern languages as well.

"The Government is rightly concerned that these subjects are being squeezed out as school seek easier options to boast their school league table performances."

Wood Green School, in Witney, saw its GCSE A* to C grade rate slip to 49 per cent, compared to 55 per cent last year when maths and English results were not included in the final figure.

Headteacher, Cynthia Savage, said: "Our GCSE results slightly dipped, but we have a very strong core of maths and English results, and I welcome the move to include these subjects in the league tables.

"Wood Green has the second highest point score in the county for A-Levels. Schools in West Oxfordshire offer a broad and balanced curriculum, leading to good quality qualifications. Witney is a town served by two very successful schools."

Schools were ranked according to the proportion of pupils getting five Cs in GCSE subjects, including English and maths.

The tables also compare A-Level results, truancy figures, and - for the first time - a 'contextual value-added score' (CVA score), which measures the progress pupils have made between 11 and 16.

It also takes into account factors influencing results, including pupils' gender, age, and social and ethnic backgrounds.

High achieving schools elsewhere in the county were Magdalen College School, Oxford, Tudor Hall School, Banbury, Our Lady's Convent Senior School, Abingdon, and Wychwood School, Oxford. They all achieved 100 per cent pass rates at GCSE.

The top performing state school in the county was Chiltern Edge School, in Sonning Common. The county's average point score at A-Level was 712.2, compared with the national figure of 709 for comprehensives and 721 for all schools and colleges.

Councillor Michael Waine, the county council's cabinet member for school improvement, said: "It is good to see that Oxfordshire schools have moved forward again at GCSE and A-Level.

"There are some great individual successes, and pupils and teachers deserve credit for all their work. The overall picture is very promising, and we look forward to building on the progress made to raise standards still further."