Top school helps Derby to become a top city (with league tables)

Derby was the most improved local authority for GCSE results in the country last year. Today's publication of the annual GCSE and A-level performance tables reveals several city secondary schools also celebrating their best-ever GCSE results. Education correspondent Zena Hawley finds out how schools are helping to raise their own standards and, in turn, the city's standards.

RAISING expectations is the main reason for improvements at Woodlands School, according to head teacher Alan Brady.

The school celebrated its best-ever results with 77% of pupils gaining five or more A* to C GCSE grades in 2008, compared with 63% in 2007.

But it is in the all-important category of five or more A* to C grades – including maths and English – where the most improvement was made.

This is the category which the Government looks at most closely because it shows whether or not pupils are leaving school with good basic skills in literacy and numeracy.

Seventy per cent of pupils gained five or more A* to C grades – including maths and English – compared with 53% in 2007, a rise of 17% and the biggest improvement in the city.

Mr Brady said: "The main thing that has made the difference, I believe, is raising expectations in the whole school community.

"This includes having strong positive and optimistic leadership from the senior management team. There is also a relentless focus on good behaviour, a new smarter school uniform and a focus on good teaching and learning."

Mr Brady said that all pupils were tracked individually to ensure that staff could give them extra help where needed.

He said that a colleague had made a comment to him last year, which he believed summed up the school's ethos.

The staff member had told Mr Brady: "I love this school because I am allowed to be myself and I am allowed to get on with my job.

"I am always encouraged to teach to the best that I can; to try new things; to take risks and to make the classroom an enjoyable and challenging place to be. All the while I am supported in my role by all my colleagues."

Mr Brady said that last year's results were a boost to the school as a whole.

"But more importantly they have improved the life chances of many individual students," he said.

"The success has come about through their hard work and commitment in conjunction with the hard work and dedication of a committed staff."

Murray Park Community School, in Mickleover, saw a 15% improvement to 48% in the number of pupils gaining five or more A* to C grades, including English and maths.

Head teacher Eddie Green said: "We set ourselves targets that we exceeded and these included improving the results of girls in our middle and lower ability groups. Government inspectors acknowledged our 'outstanding' curriculum and our pupils did well in subjects that are popular with girls including: health and social care, child care, food, textiles and beauty care."

Mr Green said the continued improvements were achieved through a variety of methods.

He said: "We do not offer early study leave and after half term, rather than traditional study leave, pupils are invited to attend a number of sessions specifically designed to help them prepare for their exams. Pupils are shown how to revise and how to set up revision timetables, while teachers organise sessions that concentrate on topics that the students are likely to struggle with in particular exams.

"Also the day before an exam students are invited for a last-minute preparation session to focus and check they are fully prepared for their exam the next day."

The school also holds achievement days, which take pupils off their normal timetable to complete projects or coursework.

Mr Green said: "These included robust data management which helps both staff and pupils track progress.

"Pupils are regularly invited to progress meetings and they receive reports throughout the year highlighting their potential grades.

"We also have a major intervention programme to help pupils who are on the borderline between C and D grades.

"This includes two support sessions after school that the students volunteer to attend to focus on targeted coursework and revision sessions.

"It also includes a mentoring programme, timetable organisation and online support."

Lees Brook Community Sports College, in Chaddesden, is another school that is celebrating after notching up a 14% improvement. Fifty five per cent of pupils gained five or more A* to C grades, including English and maths.

The school has managed to improve its results by 20% over the past four years, making it the city's most consistent performer.

Acting head Phil Dover said: "Our success is largely due to having a clear focus on how we wanted to raise achievement by focusing on individual pupils.

"We had some good individual results in and among our improved figures."

Councillor Les Allen, city council cabinet member for children and young people, said that the authority had worked hard to help schools improve.

He said: "A small local authority like ours has advantages because we are aware of what is happening in each school. We can tailor support from external sources such as consultants, where needed."

Derby's outstanding improvement was 0.8 per cent ahead of Halton Borough Council, in the Runcorn and Widnes area, which was second best with an 8.2 per cent improvement to 49.3%

Near-neighbour Nottingham City improved by 1.4% to 34.5%. Leicester improved by 2.7% to 39.2%.