Milton Keynes Does Well in National 2004 GCSE Results

10.25.29pm GMT Wed 16th Feb 2005

The 2004 secondary school performance tables show strong improvement in GCSE results in secondary schools by comparison with 2003. That means GCSE results in Milton Keynes have improved overall for the sixth year running.

In eight out of the City's 10 secondary schools, results improved on those for 2003 for the percentages of students gaining 5 or more higher grade passes. Six schools (Leon, Lord Grey, Ousedale, St Paul's, Shenley Brook End and Walton High) achieved their best-ever GCSE results.

In 1997 the percentage of students gaining five or more higher-grade passes in Milton Keynes was 10.1% lower than the national average. In 2004 this has been reduced to 5.5%.

Results at the city's two newest secondary schools - Shenley Brook End and Walton High - were both outstanding, and Ousedale and St Paul's were also placed in the top quarter of the most successful secondary schools nationally.

The performance tables show that the proportion of students gaining no qualifications in Milton Keynes is lower than the national figure for the third year running.

The performance tables also give a 'value-added' measure for each school, based on the average progress made by students from Key Stage 2 (age 11) to GCSE and from Key Stage 3 (age 14) to GCSE. These value-added measures show that students in several schools, including Leon and Stantonbury, make good or very good progress .

Special praise must go to students at Slated Row and White Spire special schools, where value-added measures show that students made very strong progress to GCSE-equivalent qualifications.

Councillor Sandra Clark, Liberal Democrat Cabinet Member for Education, congratulated the local secondary schools on the improvements they've made. She said: "These improvements are testament to the strong teaching in our schools and a determination from headteachers, teachers, support staff and governors to raise previous best performance. They also reflect well on the students, who have progressed on to post-16 education or training in record numbers.

"Milton Keynes Council's Liberal Democrat administration is determined that our schools will reach and surpass the national pass rate for 5 or more higher grade passes at GCSE, and we are taking steps to support all schools to improve further.

"The major reorganisation of schools from September 2005, as a result of which students will transfer from primary to secondary schools at the age of 11 instead of 12, shows our determination to provide the best school structures to enable all our schools to build on the improvements they've demonstrated this year."