Press Release Date: 24/08/2006
Results out today for the Island’s GCSE students indicate some progress is being made in the battle to increase educational achievement with increases in the overall pass rate and number of students achieving five A*-C passes. Councillors congratulate students and teachers on what has been achieved but warn of more work to be done by all, to ensure the Island rises well above the national average.
Provisional figures released to the council show an increase in the overall A*-C pass rate from 52.2 per cent in 2005 to 57.12 per cent this year, a rate of increase higher than in previous years. Whilst still below the national average pass rate of 62.4 per cent, schools have closed the gap by almost 4%. A two per cent gain has also been made in the number of students achieving five A*-C passes from 45.8 per cent last year to 48 per cent this year. Improvements were also made in the numbers of students achieving in the key core subjects of English, Maths and Science, with particular improvement in English - an area of significant weakness identified in 2005.
The overall pass rate (A to G) on the Island is 97%, compared to the national figure of 98%.
Cowes, Ryde and Sandown high schools all showed some improvement on the key five A to C grade indicator, with Sandown making a significant gain of 5 per cent to 54 per cent. Results in the others largely maintained figures from 2005.
Councillor Patrick Joyce, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Learning said, “I am pleased to see the rise in the overall pass rates for GCSEs and congratulate the students and teachers on their achievements. This progress does confirm that we are heading in the right direction, however we cannot afford to be complacent and there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure that educational achievements on the Island are above average.
“I hope that the school community, parents and pupils are encouraged by these results but that they, like us, want to strive for more. It is early days still, and we hope that the plans and measures we have in place will have an even greater effect next summer, and that by working together we can ensure that young people on the Island really can achieve to their full potential.”
Compiled by Sarah Moss on behalf of www.iwight.com - The Isle of Wight Portal for information on all aspects of living, working and visiting the IOW, developed by The Isle of Wight Council.