GCSE Results

The school released the following press statement after the summer 2012 GCSE results:

Staff and students at Holy Family Catholic High School are celebrating after achieving another set of record breaking GCSE results. There was an increase in the number of students achieving the benchmark standard of five A*-C as well as a strong performance in a number of other areas…

Headteacher Darren Beardsley described the results as a “significant achievement for all involved in the school. There is a strong relationship between students, staff and parents at Holy Family School and these results are a reward for the efforts of all involved. We have a strong academic performance, which can be demonstrated by more than 78% of students achieving a grade C or above in Maths, but the care that we provide to all members of the school community is also evident in the achievements of students of all abilities.” He went on to thank all the staff “who have demonstrated great professionalism and dedication in delivering this continued improvement and also to thank the students who we have been a pleasure to teach. The school wishes them every success in the future”.

As a school we were very pleased with many aspects of these outcomes, and we were delighted to see the best ever results in a number of subjects. We were, however affected by the national issue relating to GCSE English. As a result of this, the figure of 53% of students achieving 5A*-C including English and Maths is lower than we had expected. We calculate that if the grade boundaries in English had not been changed, the school would have achieved 68% 5A*-C including English and Maths. The legal challenge into the change of the English grade boundaries was launched in December 2012 by an alliance of 167 students, 150 schools, 42 councils and 6 professional bodies. Unfortunately in February 2013, Lord Justice Elias concluded that that the decision to change the grade boundaries between January and June 2012, was unfair on the students, but not unlawful and so he was not in a position to direct that the results should be changed.

We anticipate a further improvement in results when we take into account the progress being made by students currently at the school. An example of this is the 5A*-C including English and Maths measure, where recent assessments indicate a performance of 65% A*-C including English and Maths for the current Year 11 who will take their examinations in 2013, and 73% 5A*-C including English and Maths for the current Year 10, who will take their examinations in 2014.

Figures for the past two years, along with projections for 2013 and 2014 are represented in the graph below:

The following table highlights some of the main attainment and progress measures nationally and how Holy Family School performed against these in 2012, as well as the projections for 2013 and 2014.

Note 1 – If we had entered the students for their GCSE English examination on January 2012, we calculate that the A*-C including English and Maths measure for 2012 would have been 68%

Note 2 – The English Baccalaureate is a measure that looks at students performance across a range of subjects. To achieve the English Baccalaureate a student must obtain A*-C in English, Maths, two Science subjects, a Modern Foreign Language and a Humanities subject.

Note 3 - Average Capped Point Score is the average of the points achieved in their best 8 subjects by each candidate.

The table below summarises the performance of the students in 2012 in the subjects that we offer at Holy Family School.

(please click to enlarge)