Two schools 'well below average' for pupil progress in Hemel Hempstead

Two schools in Hemel have seen their performance levels measured by pupil progress rated '˜well below average' in the latest secondary school performance tables.
The secondary school league tables were published this weekThe secondary school league tables were published this week
The secondary school league tables were published this week

The figures, released by the Department for Education this week, reveal how schools across the country have been performing.

The tables use a new ranking called Progress 8, which measures how students progress in eight subjects across Key Stage Two to achieving results at Key Stage Four (up to age 16).

The rankings found that Progress results at The Cavendish School, were ‘well below’ the national average.

It also showed that just 39 per cent of students were getting grade C or better in English and maths GCSEs.

The other school ranked ‘well below average’ was The Collett School. However, the school is a special needs school, and actually performed favourably compared to other special schools across Herts.

The top Hemel school was Abbots Hill, an independent school for girls, which said it was ‘delighted’, while John F Kennedy also performed well.

How did schools fare across Dacorum?

Progress and results made by teenagers across Herts was slightly above the national average over the last year, but there were also some standout performers by Dacorum schools.

John F Kennedy School in Hemel Hempstead performed consistently well across all the rankings, with the top score across Dacorum for its progress between KS2 and KS4 resilts (up to age 16).

It also saw 79 per cent of students get at least a C in English and maths.

John F Kennedy narrowly beat out Ashlyns School in Berkhamsted on the ‘Progress 8’ score, and Ashlyns was also second for the ‘Attainment 8’ scores for Dacorum - which measure the results of eight approved subjects including sciences and IT.

Topping the ‘Attainment 8’ table was Abbot’s Hill School, an independent school for girls in Hemel Hempstead. It was the only school to top two categories, as it also came out with a whopping 97 per cent of students getting C or above in English and maths.

Rachel Phelan, the school’s marketing manager, told the Gazette: “The results are the best we have ever had.

“We think it’s down to the general school ethos, which is very inclusive. We also have small class sizes, which means the girls get a lot more one-to-one time with teachers.

“They are excelling across a variety of subjects too, so that’s pleasing.”

The ‘Attainment 8’ results, which also shone favourably on Tring School and The Hemel Hempstead School.

Schools which fared less well included the Cavendish School in Hemel, which was ranked as ‘well below average’ for progress students made between KS2 and KS4 results.

It also saw just 39 per cent of pupils score C or above in English and maths - a figure matched by fellow Hemel school Adeyfield School.

Finishing bottom of both ‘Progress 8’ and ‘Attainment 8’ was The Collett School, based in Lockers Park Lane, Hemel. The school however is a special needs school, which actually compared favourably with similar schools across the county.

And assistant headteacher Pam Stocks said the school had ‘its own system’ to assess its performances.

But the real winner was the county of Hertfordshire as a whole. The combined scores of each school ensured the county was ahead of the national average for every ranking.

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