Students from schools around the County Town celebrate record-breaking results Small is beautiful at buoyant Swadelands
SWADELANDS head teacher Richard Bad- deley says a decrease in pupil numbers is a significant factor in his school’s remarkable improvement. Two years ago, the Lenham school, which specialises in sport, reduced its annual intake from 180 to 150 after parents in Bearsted, unhappy that their children had been allocated places at Swadelands campaigned for them to go elsewhere. Swadelands’ reputation
was low after uninspiring exam results and an ‘Inade- quate’ Ofsted rating follow- ing a December 2008 inspection. But the latest GCSE results showed a massive rise in at- tainment, making it one of Kent’s highest-performing non-grammar schools. The 55% of pupils who achieved five or more A*-C grades including maths and English compared with 37% in 2010 and 19% in 2007. Without English and maths, 87% picked
changed our Pupil Attendance Numbers (PAN) so we will not get more than 150 stu- dents each year. “We have seen the benefits of being a smaller school. It means that I know more
“We are bucking the trend because schools
Successful pupils Faye Girscher (left), Jamie Ades, Thomas Robinson and LeahWatson with head teacher Richard Baddeley
up five or more A*-Cs, compared with 72% last year and 40% in 2007. Mr Baddeley believes the unpopularity of
the school two years ago has proven to be a blessing in disguise. He said: “We have now
TRIPLETS Megan, Lauren and Emma Carter have proved that things do in- deed happen in threes. The 16-year-olds all achieved 11 A*/A grades in their GCSEs - plus two A grades at AS-level. Invicta Grammar School
students and heads of year will know more students and understand their needs. “Other schools in the local area have ex- panded, but this has had a positive impact on us and we have decided that we want to remain this size.
that are successful and get good results tend to look to expand, but there is a point where you can get too big.” Lower sixth form pupil Faye Girscher, who lives in Bearsted, took her GCSEs last summer and scored Bs in English and French and a C inmaths. She said: “I do think it might have been harder if it was a bigger school. In big schools it gets quite hard to know teachers well and see them on a personal level.” Mr Baddeley also believes working closely with the Canterbury Christchurch University has helped the school develop outstanding teachers. Thomas Robinson, of Leeds, took his GCSEs a year early as a Year 10 pupil, pick- ing up A*s in chemistry, his- tory and physics, as well as three As and a B. Thomas, who wants to be a mechani-
cal engineer, believes Swadelands caters well for gifted pupils in fields other than just sport. He said: “The teachers still challenge you.
They focus on your talents in sport but also if you are academic as well.”
Three times a winner for A-grade Lenham triplets
head Julie Derrick said: “This is an amazing family and school achievement. “The triplets all want to
go to Cambridge so watch this space!We are sure that their dreams will come true.”
Emma aims to study ar- chitecture, Megan has set her sights on
STUDENTS reached new levels of success in their GCSEs. Top of the class in terms of im- provement was Swadelands School in Lenham, where 55% of students achieved five A*-C grades, including English andmathematics – up from 36% in 2010.
Cornwallis Academy cele-
brated another record year, with 57% reaching the gold standard of five A*-C grades, including English and maths. Academy principal David Si-
mons said: “We are delighted for the young people, the majority of whom will now carry on their studies in ournewstate-of-the-art school. “This year’s results continue the
trend of year-on-year improve- ment, thanks to the dedication of the students and staff.”
32 East
sciences while Lauren is looking at law for a career. She said: “We never planned to
go to university but it has ended up as one of our aims.” The girls, who attended Roseacre Jun-
ior School in Bearsted, are also very sporty. They used to play football at school and for Bearsted, and now play hockey. They are all members of St John Am- bulance in Lenham, where they live. The threesome, plus another member, Lauren Wickison, won the regional cadets quiz - at their first attempt. Meanwhile, six more Invicta girls joined the triplets on similar pass rates - Katie Billing, Sophie Bradshaw, Annabelle Brittle, Eleanor Bryant, Chloe Ranger and Bethan Dowden. Mrs Derrick added: “We had more 20 students with straight A*/A grades.”
GCSE delight for many
At its sister school, New Line Learning, more than 80% of stu- dents – a record – gained five or more GCSEs at grade C or above, overall. This compared to 91% at Cornwallis. Particular NLL successes in- cluded Zoe Benstead, Jade De- laney, Peter Eisinger, Georgina Mannering and Hannah Russell, who all achieved six ormore A*- A grades. Head of academy Guy Hewett
said, “I am delighted to see the hard work of our young people re- warded, not only in Year 11, but also in the record results achieved by ourYear 10 studentswhohave taken many GCSEs a year early.” St Simon Stock School in Oak- wood Park reported 83% of stu-
dents getting five or more A*-C grades, of which more than three- quarters included English and maths.
Meanwhile, Invicta Grammar School had its best ever GCSE re- sults, with 64% getting A*-A grades. School head Julie Derrick said:
“Our students have worked so hard to achieve outstanding re- sults along with all the wonderful work they do as part of their en- richment. “Wehave 728A*grades in total
and 823 A grades. This is an amazing set of results.” At Oakwood Park Grammar,
NLL’s Molly Terry (left) and Lauren Higgins celebrate their results
Visit Downs Mail’s website —
downsmail.co.uk
46% got A* and A grades, in- cluding Sam Jamaa and Jamie Russell who achieved 10A*s. At Maidstone Grammar for
Boys, 11 students gained five or moreA* grades.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64