10:19am Monday 19th January 2009
By Oliver Evans
AVERAGE exam results have gone up or stayed the same for most south Bucks schools since 2005 – but nearly half of colleges have seen falls.
Official figures show 70 per cent of state schools improved exam results with the remainder staying broadly the same.
But the average point score has fallen for post 16 students since 2006 in 40 per cent of colleges.
Non-grammars managed between 1 and 19 per cent increases in a key score, the percentage of students getting five GCSEs grades A* to C including English and Maths.
Grammars got consistently high scores with two - Sir William Borlase's and Wycombe High - getting 100 per cent.
Amersham School saw 48 per cent of students get five GCSEs grades A* to C including English and Maths, the same as 2005.
But the average point score per student for post 16 fell seven per cent.
Sian Rowley, director of 14-19, said the variety of pupils at the school meant some years would produce better results than others.
Yet more youngsters then ever were going to university she said. And the “value added” score – showing how well students progress from 16 to 18 – was “our best ever”.
She said: “That is the measure that really counts.”
The average point score per pupil fell 16 per cent for post 16 at Princes Risborough School according to the figures released last week by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (see link, right for full figures).
This score is shown compared to previous years on the department’s website to tell parents how well a college is performing.
GCSE results have improved dramatically at the school though, from 32 per cent in 2005 to 43 per cent last year.
Deputy head Sue Collins said of the college results: “Our students are doing less qualifications but they are doing better in them.”
She said of 11 to 16 year olds: “We are projecting to go over 50 per cent in 2009. We have better staff, when you have the best teachers you can deliver better outcomes.”
Schools below 30 per cent in the key GCSE score were controversially threatened with closure by the Government’s “National Challenge” programme last summer.
No south Bucks schools are now below 30 per cent – although some schools are staying in the programme and receiving help (see link, right).
Councillor Marion Clayton, responsible for education on Buckinghamshire County Council, praised the results in a statement. She was not available for further comment.
She said: “Once again, Buckinghamshire schools have achieved outstanding examinations results. “Continual improvement from a high base is always a challenge and this is a well deserved recognition of the excellence of the education that all our schools provide.
Another post 16 score, average point score per examination entry showed similar falls.
Yet the council said this for the county “was the highest when compared with those of similar councils”.
Buckinghamshire came top of the 35 shire authorities in England with 63.4 per cent of pupils with the five key GCSE grades, up 2.5 per cent on last year, it said.
Comparable results were not available for 2005 for post 16.
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