Read about St Aldhelm’s Academy’s GCSE Results Day.

Click here to see our report in the Bournemouth Echo.

 

St Aldhelm’s Academy’s GCSE Results Day

The new leadership team behind St Aldhelm’s Academy has declared that this year’s improvement in GCSE results is an upward trend that will continue.

St Aldhelm’s in Poole was taken over by Bournemouth-based  Ambitions Academy Trust (AAT) in June.

This year 22% of students achieved at least five A* to C grades, compared to 17% last year and 3% in 2013.

The percentage of pupils achieving A*-C in maths this year is 48%, compared to 35% in 2014.

While the number of pupils achieving A*-C in English this year is 37% per cent, compared to 20% in 2014.

And new principal Sian Thomas, who was appointed in June, says she is confident that next year’s results will be significantly higher thanks to St Aldhelm’s new senior leadership team and outstanding, specialist teachers.

She said:  “This year’s results are not the level we want for our school but I am pleased that the measures we have been able to put in place in a very short time have resulted in an improvement on last year.

“I’d like to pay tribute to all our year 11s for the hard work and effort they have put in.”

AAT has a track record in transforming underperforming schools, the Trust already runs Tregonwell Academy and Queen’s Park Academy in Bournemouth, which have both been rated as ‘Outstanding’ by government inspectors.

It is also responsible for Longspee Special School in Poole and it has also taken over Manorside Primary as well as King’s Park Primary.

St Aldhelm’s is its latest acquisition.

Throughout the summer holidays St Aldhelm’s has undergone a massive refurbishment, replacing noisy, open plan teaching areas with new classrooms and facilities including specialist IT suites and science labs.

Ambitions Academy Trust Chief Executive and National Leader of Education, Brian Hooper said: “In the short time since we took over a significant amount of development has taken place and we have brought a strong team of education specialists on board.

“We believe high expectations lead to high achievers and there’s a determination to succeed here – especially from the pupils themselves.

“We are pleased to have a great deal of parental support and also look forward to welcoming the support of the local community.”