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Nurizzah Abhalim, Ayan Jibril, Lilly Harris and Veronica Grubb celebrate their results at Pimlico Academy. |
Academy answers its critics!
Pimlico celebrate GCSE success as borough’s grades also go up
WHEN Pimlico School controversially became an academy, parents were so against the move they staged a series of protest sit-ins and warned it would damage the area’s community spirit.
One year on, and the headteacher has proven himself the only way he could: with his pupils’ exam results.
The Lupus Street school, which is in the process of being rebuilt, posted the biggest increase in GCSE results of any academy in its first year, with 66 per cent of pupils gaining five A* to C grades – an 11 per cent rise on last year.
And the smiles weren’t just at Pimlico yesterday (Thursday), as students across the borough got in the party mood after tearing open their brown envelopes.
Overall, Westminster saw a 4 per cent rise in pass grades on last year and posted well above the national average.
In 2008, 66 per cent of the borough’s pupils received five A* to C grades with 49 per cent of them gaining five A*-Cs including maths and English. This year, 80 per cent of them gained five A*-C’s with 57 per cent taking home those grades including maths and English.
Jerry Collins, the new head at Pimlico, said: “It’s been a fantastic start for the academy and reflects all the hard work we’ve put in.”
Assistant principal Ivan Baird admitted the school had been conscious that the “eyes of the education world” were watching them in their first year and said they had felt the need to perform.
“It is incredibly pleasing for us,” he added. “Everyone has worked so hard, running extra classes and on weekends.”
To improve the confidence of pupils, the school launched a mentoring scheme.
“It shows that all students can achieve if they’re given the opportunity to do so,” said Mr Baird.
One pupil who appeared untroubled by the pressure was Victoria schoolgirl Veronica Grubb.
The 16-year-old, who gained 11 GCSEs of A*s and As and a distinction in business studies, said she had no idea how she did so well but put some of her success down to after-school revision classes. The aspiring playwright, who says her hero is Tom Stoppard, will be joining an arts school in Chiswick next month.
The prize for the most-improved school goes to St George’s in Maida Vale, which could be on track for one of the biggest results hikes in the country after improving its A*-C ranking from 62 to 82 per cent.
Meanwhile, Westminster Academy made a record 29 per cent improvement on last years’ results. In 2008, the Harrow Road school saw less than half its students pass five GCSEs. This year was a world away, with 72 per cent scoring A*-C pass grades in five subjects.
It was a mixed bag at Paddington Academy. The school in Marylands Road notched up the best academy results in the borough, with 88 per cent of its pupils passing five GCSEs at A*-C level. But little more than a third of its students did well in five subjects including maths and English – the lowest result of an academy.
Head Oli Tomlinson said: “This year group has faced many challenges in the past few years and has worked very hard.”
St Marylebone School celebrated the best results in the borough. Just over 92 per cent passed five GCSEs at A*-C.
Results! round-up
(Numbers represent percentage of school’s pupils. Figures in brackets represent school’s results last year)
Paddington:
A*-C: 87 (70)
A*-C (including maths and English): 36
St George’s:
A*-C: 88 (64)
A*-C (inc maths and english): 44 (51 english second lang)
Westminster Academy:
A*-C: 72 (43)
A*-C (inc maths and English): 38 (17 two years ago)
Pimlico Academy:
A*-C: 66 (11% rise on last year)
A*-C (inc maths and English): 42 (36)
St Augustine’s: 64.7% (58.1%)
St Marylebone: 92.7% (93.8)
Quintin Kynaston: 81.9% (64.4)
Grey Coat Hospital: 91.5 % (86.8)
Westminster City: 67.3% (70.8)
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