Pupils pass test

The Minster School, Southwell, is ranked second in Nottinghamshire for its test results in English, maths and science for 14-year-olds.

The key stage three scores for the school’s 235 year nine pupils, released by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, show they scored an average of 277 out of 300.

The top ranking school was West Bridgford School with a score of 280.

The number of pupils achieving National Curriculum level five, the level expected of 14-year-olds, was 94% in English, 92% in maths and 91% in science.

The scores also show 80% were reaching the more advanced level six in maths.

Schools were also given a contextual value added score measuring how much progress pupils had made since entering the school.

It takes into account previous attainment levels, pupils’ scores compared to others at similar schools and the socio-economic background of pupils.

The Minster was ranked joint 25th with a score of 99.5. A score of around 100 is the target level.

The head, Mr Phil Blinston, said individual attainment was more important than the school’s position in a league table.

“This shows nine out of ten of our youngsters are achieving the expected National Curriculum level, or better,” he said.

“Our CVA score is not the highest because children come to the school with similarly high levels of achievement from the very good primary schools we have in the area.

“By the time they get to GCSEs they show even better rates of success.

“We know that our students are making good progress, and if that translates into high league table positions then that is great, but it is not what we trade on.”

Mr Blinston said key stage three scores were important, but so was providing a broad range of extra-curricular activities, and developing personal skills and good manners.

Tuxford School was ranked ninth in the county with an aggregate score of 250, and was second best for its CVA score of 100.9.

Newark High School was the worst of the 47 schools in Nottinghamshire, and among the ten worst-scoring schools nationally with 101 out of 300.

Only one-third of pupils assessed achieved level five of the National Curriculum in English.

The Magnus Church of England School, Newark, scored 164 out of 300 and was in the bottom 10% of schools nationally. Slightly more than half of students achieved level five of the National Curriculum.

Both schools are also in the bottom 5% of schools nationally for their scores regarding contextual value added.

Newark High School will close in July and become the Lilley and Stone campus of the Grove School, Balderton, which scored 208 out of 300, ranking it 31st in the county.

The Grove is set to be rebuilt as part of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future scheme, which will also see the Magnus School refurbished.

The MP for Newark, Mr Patrick Mercer, said he believed new and improved buildings would kick-start a positive change.

Schools’ aggregate scores, and their Nottinghamshire ranking out of 47 schools in brackets: Southwell Minster 277 (2); Toot Hill, Bingham 265 (3); Tuxford 250 (9); Sir William Robertson 240 (N/A); All Saints’ Roman Catholic, Mansfield 23 (13); Colonel Frank Seely, Calverton 236 (15); Radcliffe Dayncourt 233 (16); Grove 208 (31); Dukeries College, Ollerton 196 (39); Magnus 164 (45); Newark High 101 (47).

Schools’ contextual value added scores, and their Nottinghamshire ranking out of 47 schools in brackets: Dukeries College, Ollerton 101 (1); Tuxford 100.9 (2) Toot Hill, Bingham 99.6 (22); Sir William Robertson, Welbourn 99.6 (N/A); Colonel Frank Seely, Calverton 99.5 (25); Southwell Minster 99.5 (25); All Saints’ Roman Catholic, Mansfield 98.8 (37); Grove 98.8 (37); Magnus 98.1 (44); Radcliffe Dayncourt 98.1 (44); Newark High 96.7 (47).