Latest performance tables for GCSEs released

Latest performance figures show that about a third of pupils at Newark's secondary schools achieved grades of five or more GCSEs at A*-C, including maths and English, in their results this year.

The figures from the Department for Education, which are subject to change, reveal of 184 pupils who sat their GCSEs at The Newark Academy, 35% achieved five or more A*-C GCSEs, including English and Maths.

That was a fall of 12% on last year.

The Magnus Church of England Academy saw a slight increase in the number of pupils achieving the benchmark results, with 33% getting five or more compared to 28% last year.

The school had 157 pupils taking their exams.

Magnus headteacher Gil Barker said: “This is the first time that league tables have been published so early after students have taken their examinations and the DfE itself states that they are provisional.

"The actual headline results figure for Magnus, taking into account the re-marking of some papers and other checks, is 37% for students achieving five GCSE A* to C grades, including English and maths.

"This is a significant improvement and shows a rise of 9% in the headline figure compared to last year.

"These are the first set of results released since Magnus was sponsored by the Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham and became part of the Multi Academy Trust.

"They show that the actions being taken are having an impact.

"11% more students achieved an A* to C in English compared to last year. Maths has also risen.

"Since the conversion to Academy status the curriculum has been redesigned and there have been new appointments at senior level that have strengthened the leadership and are helping to drive the improvements.

"Over recent years the learning environment has also been transformed by improvements to the building, the latest being a £245,000 state of the art food technology block.”

When the Advertiser rang the Newark Academy on Monday, the headteacher was unavailable.

The Dukeries Academy in Ollerton, where 178 pupils took their exams, recorded 29% - a drop from 35%.

Of the Advertiser's other secondary schools, 69% of 238 pupils to sit their exams at The Minister School, Southwell, got five or more GCSE grades A*-C including English and maths.

This represents a year-on-year drop as The Minster recorded 74% in 2014 and 85% in 2013.

At Toot Hill School in Bingham 62% of 257 pupils got the grades which was a drop from 83% in 2014.

At Tuxford Academy 258 pupils sat their GCSEs of which 66% achieved five or more compared to 69% last year and 75% in 2013.

Sir William Robertson Academy, in Welbourn saw an increase with 54% of 177 pupils hitting the grades, which is up from 46% last year.

At Colonel Frank Seely School, Calverton, 178 pupils sat their exams and 46% got five or more A*-C grades including maths and English. The figure was 52% last year.