ARK Schools today reported the network’s sixth GCSE results, covering the five ARK academies with a GCSE cohort this year. Since each school opened as an ARK academy the average annual increase in pupils achieving five GCSEs at A*-C including English and mathematics is 6.5 percentage points.
The school data shows that 57% of ARK pupils have achieved five A*-C grades including English and maths. This compares to an average of 19% in the predecessor schools seven years ago.
While change in the grade C English threshold this year has raised the bar further and is reflected in both the English and the overall results, there are strong performances across the curriculum and continued improvements in Ebacc subjects.
At Burlington Danes Academy: 38% of students gained three or more A/A* grades, up from 33% last year. 23% of students gained five or more A/A* grades, up from 16% last year. 20% of students gained the English Baccalaureate.
Charter Academy achieved a 10 percentage point increase in the number of pupils achieving 5 A*-Cs including English and mathematics, an exceptional achievement for a schools whose predecessor achieved just 3% in 2006.
At St Alban’s Academy 82% of students achieved A* – C in mathematics – up 29 percentage points since the school opened as an academy.
ARK Schools managing director, Lucy Heller, said: “We are pleased with the continued progress of our academies across the ARK network. Our pupils’ achievements reflect the hard work and dedication of all our staff over the last year. While the movement in the GCSE English threshold has hit overall attainment levels in the short term, all our schools are committed to raising the bar higher in this and other subjects and I expect to see a strong value added performance and continued strong performances across the curriculum.”
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