YOUNGSTERS in Redditch have performed brilliantly in this year’s GCSE exams with outstanding results right across the borough and beyond.
Redditch’s success comes as nationally this year’s GCSE showed the biggest ever year-on-year decline – falling to their lowest level for eight years.
Nationally those achieving the benchmark A* to C grade fell by three per cent to 69 per cent while top A* grades also slipped with many blaming the decline on the requirement to re-sit required to resit English and maths.
However here in Redditch and surrounding areas St Augustines achieved its best ever results putting it in the top for the county and in the top one per cent nationally.
Not to be outdone, students at RSA Academy Arrow Vale 100 per cent of students achieved at least five GCSEs while Tudor Grange Academy Redditch was celebrating after all GCSE students exceeded their targets in all subjects with a 100 per cent pass rate in Triple Science.
In the town centre, Trinity High School scored brilliantly with many students scoring the highest marks possible with a host of As and A*s.
Meanwhile over at Studley High School – already rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted – there was excitement and joy as pupils got their results, including an overall increase in those getting A and A* grades.
Down the road at Alcester Academy staff said they were were absolutely delighted as pupils once again exceeded last year’s results showing a year on year improvement.
Up the road at Woodrush High School more than 80 per cent of pupils achieved grades A to C with over 40 per cent achieving an A or A*.
The success of pupils in Redditch and surrounding areas contrasts sharply with results elsewhere in the West Midlands which showed a marked decline in the number of pupils achieving A* – C in their GCSE results.
The findings have sparked a sharp response from business leaders in the region with Paul Faulkner, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce calling on the government to develop an education system that prepares pupils better for work.
The picture couldn’t be more different in Redditch where students are already looking forward to continuing their studies at Sixth Form or moving on and into apprenticeships or the world of work.
