TODAY, Mark Hall Academy is celebrating its GCSE results.

New performance measures for GCSEs are in place this year, which means a change to the way exam results are reported.

Progress 8 aims to capture the progress a pupil makes from the end of primary school to the end of secondary school.
An academy’s Progress 8 score is calculated as the average of its pupils’ Progress 8 scores. It will give an indication of whether, as a group, pupils in the academy made above or below average progress.

Progress 8 scores were recorded last year so they could be compared to this year’s scores. The academy has moved forward significantly on this measure. This year
Mark Hall Academy’s overall score was + 0.09 compared to -0.72 last year. This is above the national average/benchmark.

Previously results were reported in terms of 5 or more A* – C grades including English and maths. If this were used for this year’s results the number of pupils gaining five or more A*to C grades including English and maths would be 48 per cent compared to 45 per cent last year.

Results in English Language continue to rise and now stand at 79 per cent A*-C; Art achieved 83 per cent up 28 per cent from last year; Geography achieved 79 per cent, up 28 per cent from last year. Our Science results have also gone up by 16 per cent. Graphics have made a dramatic improvement as no pupils achieved an A* – C grade last year and 57 per cent have this year.

For pupils taking Ebacc, there was an 8 per cent pass rate, which equals last year’s pass rate.

Standout individual results:
Bethany Barr: 1 A*, 4 A, 3 B (Bethany faced very challenging personal circumstances during her time at the academy)
Charlotte Kemble: 4 A, 5 B
Lovelace Plange: 4 A, 5 B
Emily Cannell: 1 A*, 3 A, 4 B
Jude Mante: 2 A, 7 B
Dmitris Nespors – joined us in December 2015 speaking little English and achieved: 1 A*, 1 D, 5 E a grade C in maths and a pass in BTEC Science
Masuma Amanat – joined us just over a year ago from Italy and achieved: 1 A*, 1 A, 2 B, 5 C
Annmarija Rakisa – joined us speaking no English and achieved: 1 B, 1 C, 2 D, 3 E, 2 F

Principal, Corinne Franceschi, said:
“We have been on an amazing journey over the last three years that has required a great deal of hard work.

“I took on a failing school that was 17th from bottom in the national performance league tables three years ago so to have maintained our upward trajectory and to have been given a ‘Good with outstanding behaviour’ Ofsted grading a few months ago is no mean feat.

“I am delighted with our Progress 8 score of +0.09 from -0.72 last year as this shows how much value we have added. I am proud of our students and our hard working team of staff. I am delighted that all of our students have secured further education places, training or jobs and that we have helped to secure successful pathways for them all. I wish them every success for the future.”

Joyce Hodgetts, Managing Director of Academy Transformation Trust, said: “The successes of the pupils and staff at Mark Hall Academy continue to impress.
“These results are inspiring and demonstrate the hard work and commitment of everyone at the academy.
“We congratulate all the pupils and wish them continued success in the years ahead.”