Braintree: Call for action as Braintree posts worst GCSE results in Essex

10:03am Wednesday 11th July 2012 in Halstead Photograph of the Author By Carri-Ann Taylor, Reporter

A SHOCKING report has revealed that Braintree schools have the worst GCSE results in Essex.

The leader of Braintree Council has called for urgent action from the local education authority, after figures showed just 73.9% of pupils in the district achieve five or more GCSEs grade A* to C, compared to a county average of 78%.

The report, commissioned by Braintree Council, shows pupils lagging at the bottom of the 12 Essex districts which include Basildon, Harlow, Tendring and neighbouring Chelmsford.

However headteachers have hit back at the report, claiming the figures have been skewed by other districts including GCSE equivalent subjects in their results “which carry little or no credit with employers and colleges”.

Council Leader Graham Butland is so concerned about low academic achievement that he raised the matter at an Essex County Council meeting on Tuesday.

To read full report, see this week's Times.

Comments(7)

lewis911 says...
5:19pm Thu 12 Jul 12

The education of Witham students is of particular concern given that the Witham academies are also at the bottom of the results table for the district. I can understand that Braintree headteachers are concerned about the skewed results caused by academies such as the Witham academies using GCSE equivalent subjects in their results. If these are not counted both Maltings Academy and New Rickstones Academy results drop even further. After 5 years of managing these academies surely the Academies Enterprise Trust should be improving education in Witham. Maybe Notley High should take over the sponsorship of the Witham academies, they can't do a worse job - can they?

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mti1970 says...
11:41am Fri 13 Jul 12

Strange how Notley High School didn`t report their results.Some thing to hide me thinks!!

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keith_l says...
1:32pm Fri 13 Jul 12

Lewis - the Witham academies' figures are part of Braintree district, and measured in the same way as the Braintree schools. Five years ago these two schools regularly scored below 40%, now it is above 50%, so AET aren't doing too bad. The scores are kept low because anybody with children in Witham who are vaguely intelligent sends them to school in Maldon or Chelmsford.

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lewis911 says...
4:28pm Sun 15 Jul 12

Take a look at the Department for Education performance tables mti1970:

Notley High 2011, 5+ A*-C GCSE (or equivalents) including English and Maths 66%

Ditto keith_I

Maltings Academy 2011, 5+ A*-C GCSE (or equivalents) including English and Maths 42% (drop from 50% in 2010)

New Rickstones Academy 2011, 5+ A*-C GCSE (or equivalents) including English and Maths 40% (same in 2010)

Both the Witham academies are at the bottom of the district rankings and also performing poorly in both the Essex county and National tables.

Check government statistics when equivalents removed, Witham academies drop twice as much as national average which illustrates how they skew their results using 'equivalent' GCSE's. Other Braintree district schools drop by national average when equivalents not counted.

While excuses are being made the AET will not have any incentive to do better!!!!

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howwhy says...
12:14am Mon 16 Jul 12

Has anybody tried teaching a lump of wood.The wood doesn't want to learn.Why? Because it's a lump of wood.

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lewis911 says...
11:36am Thu 19 Jul 12

Is this what the academies or the staff at the schools are saying, is this their excuse also? Do they agree with you 'howwhy', that the children who attend the Witham academies are too thick to teach.

If so, maybe they shouldn't be in teaching at all !!!

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lewis911 says...
11:36am Thu 19 Jul 12

Is this what the academies or the staff at the schools are saying, is this their excuse also? Do they agree with you 'howwhy', that the children who attend the Witham academies are too thick to teach.

If so, maybe they shouldn't be in teaching at all !!!

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