Must try harder?

[steveL]

Surely the point is that there isn't much difference in the mix of students

There is actually. In some of the schools at least. The % of students classed by the government as 'disadvantaged' at Dyke House is 3 times higher than that of English Martyrs. Which in a lot of respects makes Dyke House's results arguably even better than Martyrs.

Problem is... Manor and St Hilds have a very similar % of disadvantaged students to Dyke House, but appear to be way off their level currently.

That said, I'm a big believe that a great school can deliver great results irrespective of how socially deprived the area around it.

Dyke House proved that last year. It's now up to Manor and St Hilds to do the same.

To me the salient point here is the results of Dyke House. Whatever they are doing they are obviously doing something right in a school that can claim all the negative influences of living with a relatively 'deprived' catchment area. Dyke House proves that such influences can be overcome and cannot be legitimately be used as an excuse for poor results.

The two schools with the worst results, Manor and St Hilds also have the highest levels of persistent absenteeism, for example, which suggests it is the internal culture which needs to be improved.

I wonder if Bill Jordan could be tempted out of retirement to act as a consultant for these two schools.

[DRiddle]

Bill Jordan's not actually retired Steve. He's doing a very similar thing to what you suggested but across at North Shore Academy.

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/gcse-results-2013-north-shore-6558192

As you can see from the article above, he turned that school around within a year.

[steveL]

Interesting. It would have been more obvious for him to do the same within Hartlepool but then I guess if you refuse to acknowledge the problem then its unlikely you'll be looking for a solution. Typical of the local labour Group.