Cressex Community School, High Wycombe head: we are improving (From Bucks Free Press)

Cressex Community School, High Wycombe head: we are improving

4:38pm Thursday 14th January 2010

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THE head of High Wycombe’s Cressex Community School today said pupils’ learning is progressing after league tables showed its overall exams score has fallen.

David Hood said a ‘contextual value added’ score showing progress from when children join the school to when they leave had leapt in yesterday’s figures.

It comes after figures show pupils who got five or more GCSEs grades A* to C including English and maths fell from 31 per cent to 25 per cent from 2008 to 2009.

Mr Hood said: “Although the attainment with the particular year group was what is was, the CVA shows they are making good progress,”

And he said: “I would expect to improve scores in the coming years. Our tracking shows we are likely to get higher in 2010.”

Mr Hood said he expected the school to get over 30 per cent for the key GCSE score.

Schools under 30 per cent were controversially threatened with closure in 2008 by schools secretary Ed Balls’ ‘National Challenge’ programme.

All threatened schools – including High Wycombe’s Highcrest Community School – are now over 30 per cent.

Yet Mr Hood said that while the school is getting cash help from the programme, the future of the school is not in doubt.

He said: “We are not going to close. We are making good progress.”

The Holmers Lane school is being rebuilt for a September opening on its existing site.

Yesterday’s figures show Buckinghamshire is the sixth best performing education authority out of 161 council areas.

Its GCSE score is 65.4 per cent, well above the national England average of 50.7 per cent (see link at bottom of story for more schools).

Four south Bucks grammars got 100 per cent.

Marion Clayton, cabinet member for achievement, learning and skills said today: “Once again, Buckinghamshire schools have achieved outstanding examinations results.

“This is a well deserved recognition of the excellent education that all our schools provide and reflects the dedication and professional commitment of our teaching and school support staff, governors and the support given by parents and carers.

“My warmest congratulations go out to everyone involved.”

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