GOVERNMENT figures released on Thursday (23 January) highlight the success of Thurrock’s schools in the summer’s GCSE examinations.
Thurrock Council’s education portfolio holder, Cllr John Kent, said: “There are some really pleasing results among these statistics, but most of all we have to recognise the efforts of the students themselves, their families and their teachers. Well done to them all.”
He said: “The percentage of pupils achieving the English Baccalaureate – seen as the platform for young people to go on to A-levels and high-quality vocational studies – has almost doubled, rising from ten per cent in 2012 to 19.2 per cent.
“In addition, overall, the number of students gaining five or more A* to C GCSEs (or equivalent) including English and maths has improved over the year and 97.4 per cent of pupils achieved five or more A* to G passes, the highest ever for Thurrock.”
Among other Thurrock success stories is the Harris Academy in Chafford Hundred, where 93 per cent of pupils achieved five or more A* to C passes including English and maths – far above the national average and all the more impressive as this group was in line with the national average when they started the school.
Cllr Kent said: “I’d also like to highlight The Hathaway Academy, my old school, The Grays. People seem to enjoy knocking the schools and pupils that struggle, but here the school has continued to improve with 40 per cent achieving five or more A* to C passes including English and maths.
“It’s English Baccalaureate statistics also look good with 15 per cent of pupils achieving it last summer, compared to two per cent in 2012.”
He added: “I visited Gable Hall on Wednesday this week and it was good to see their results improved in many areas as well and that the school continues to achieve significantly above the national average.”Of the ten secondary schools and academies in Thurrock, six saw improvements in their overall results and there has been a large rise in English Baccalaureate (EBacc) success rates.
