BSCS celebrates “strong” GCSE results but warns official figures will dip

Students and staff at Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS) are celebrating another set of “strong” GCSE results, but Executive Headteacher Dave Baker is warning that Department for Education (DfE) performance tables are likely to give the impression that the school has performed worse than in previous years when they are published next January, due to changes in the way the figures are calculated.

Using the ‘new’ methodology defined by the DfE, schools can only count a student’s first attempt at a subject rather than their best or final attempt. There are also restrictions about which combinations of subjects can count and how many vocational qualifications can be included.

When calculated using the ‘old’ methodology, this year’s headline figures at BSCS are almost identical to last year, with 66% of students achieving at least 5 A*-C grades at GCSE including English and maths and 91% achieving 5 A*-C grades.

The school says its is “delighted” to have seen a rise in the number of students getting A* and A grades, with 27% of students obtaining at least 3 A*-A grades.

Outstanding individual achievements highlighted by the school are:

• Tom Barrett 5 x A*, 4 x A, 2 x B, Distinction* & A in FSMQ Additional Maths
• Minxin Yu 4 x A*, 5 x A, 2 x B, Distinction*
• Chathurya Manchanayake 9 x A*, 3 x A, Merit
• Annabel Phillips 4 x A*, 4 x A, 3 x B, Distinction*
• Zoe Kitson 5 x A*, 3 x A, 4 x B, Distinction*
• Mary Thomas 4 x A*, 7 x A, 1 x B, Distinction
• Anya Clayton 4 x A*, 6 x A, 2 x B, Distinction*
• Callum Bingham 6 x A*, 3 x A, 3 x B, Distinction
• Alice Whittingham 11 x A, 1 x B, Distinction*
• Farai Chiwah 2 x A*, 9 x A, 1 x B, Distinction
• Rasheed Bello 3 x A*, 7 x A, 2 x B, Distinction*
• Neave Spikings 4 x A*, 4 x A, 3 x B, Distinction*, Pass & A in FSMQ Additional Maths
• Sophie Deliot 6 x A*, 4 x A, 2 x B, Pass & A in FSMQ Additional Maths

Mr Baker commented:

“It is ironic that we are celebrating another set of stunning performances by our students and yet the figures that will be reported in the DfE performance tables are restricted under the new arrangements and will look as though Bradley Stoke Community School has performed worse than in previous years with 50% of students achieving at least 5 A*-C grades at GCSE including English and maths and 80% achieving 5 A*-C grades – we live in strange times!”

Jenny Sutton Kirby, headteacher, also congratulated the students on their achievements:

“How exhilarating to see so many smiling faces as our students opened their results. It is professionally and personally satisfying to see the hard work and efforts of both students and staff being rewarded in this manner. In such uncertain times we are proud to have consolidated our performance from last year.”

Provisional figures for GCSE results across all state schools in South Gloucestershire show that 55% of students achieved five or more A*-C grades including English and maths. In response to a query from The Journal, a spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council stated that this figure had been calculated using the DfE’s ‘new’ methodology.

Bristol City Council reports that 56% of students in Bristol’s state schools achieved five or more A*-C grades including English and maths, but this figure is understood to have been calculated using the ‘old’ methodology and officials say they are anticipating “a small reduction in the overall result” when the DfE performance tables are published next year.

Photo (l-r): BSCS top-achievers Mary Thomas, Zoe Kitson, Rasheed Bello, Farai Chiwah, Chathurya Manchanayake and Callum Bingham celebrate their results.