MIDDLESBROUGH schools have bucked the national trend by reporting an increase in GCSE pass rates.
Overall the provisional scores of students attaining five or more A*-C grades including English and maths recorded by the seven mainstream secondary schools jumped from 47.4% to 54.3% – an improvement of 6.9%. Nationally the figure fell from 72% to 69.9%.
Despite the progress made in the last 12 months, the stats do show more is still to be done in the town to push above the national average.
Among the big success stories in Middlesbrough was Acklam Grange School who improved from having 44% of pupils attaining the measured figure to 62% – a jump of 18%.
Also making a big improvement was The King’s Academy who increased by 17% from 41% in 2015 to 58% in 2016.
The highest figure overall though was recorded by Macmillan Academy which scored 72%, up by 4% from 68% last year.
Also increasing was Outwood Academy Ormesby, from 36% to 45% and Outwood Academy Acklam, from 53% to 60%.
Trinity Catholic College’s results went from 54% to 50% and Unity City Academy’s from 26% to 19.9%.
Cllr Jan Brunton, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Member for Learning and Skills, said: “Our aim is that all of our schools be the absolute best they can be, therefore it is pleasing to see so many taking such big leaps forward.
“For some of our schools to be jumping 17% and 18% year-on- year is a very encouraging achievement, especially when the national average has fallen.
“We would like to say thank you and well done to Middlesbrough school pupils and staff for their hard work and commitment.”