Page 23 - link magazine

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GCSE results — the best ever

In line with the national trend of an increase in 5+A-C grades at GCSE, Greendown celebrates another
successful set of public exam results - our best ever.

Over 50% of the students were boys in exams, we are particu- Our maths early entry policy
successful in passing the higher larly pleased with the dramatic continues to be successful. Thir-
grades with the boys doing increase in their results. teen students took maths GCSE
slightly better than girls. As usual, there were some ex- in year 10 and have moved on to
More than three quarters of cellent performances by our stu- study A' level in year 11.
the year achieved at least one dents with several gaining the We are particularly concerned
GCSE grade C. This is the third highest grades in all of their sub- at Greendown to help all our
year running that results have jects. Amy Colaco Osario, with students improve their expecta-
risen. Given the national con- seven A grades, an A and a B tions of final performance. The
cern about the performance of grade, was outstanding. staff work intensively with stu-
dents and parents, offering addi-
tional sessions, after school
homestudy clubs, help with per-
sonal time planning and setting
individual targets.'
In addition, student grades are
regularly checked against stand-
ardised tests of verbal, numeric
and visual ability, and against
grades in other subjects. Students above, commented, "We are de-
are regularly told how well they lighted with these results which
are doing and what they need to accurately reflect all the hard
improve further. work of students and staff."

Eight of our successful 1999 graduates who have all moved on to Ofsted Inspectors praise quality
advanced studies at New College, Swindon College and Cirencester
College. From left, Kate Williams, Glyn Evans, Amy Colaco Osario, Paul of teaching and learning
Collyer, Sophie Leighfield, Alex Ogle, Nicky Relph.
Sophiie and Nicky are two of the first intake to a new course for girls at In March this year, eleven in- secondary schools.
the Cirencester Football Academy. They have set their sights on a career spectors found that teaching at Greendown devotes a lot of
in coaching and are looking at football scholarships at Bath University Greendown was satisfactory or teacher time and effort to sup-
and the USA. better in 93% of all lessons seen porting students in their learn-
and good or very good in 55% of ing and social relationships, so it
all lessons. was gratifying to hear that in-
Spanish exhange We are delighted by these find- spectors were clearly impressed
ings and also by the fact that by this pastoral support. The
in full swing
inspectors found that students at leadership and management was
This edition of This is Greendown Greendown have a good attitude found to be strong and gover-
is published as students travel to to learning and that there were nors are well informed.
Spain for the second half of a for- very few instances of disrespect- Where inspectors found Green-
eign language exhange programme. ful behaviour. down needed to make improve-
See inside. When Ofsted uses the term ments - in terms of providing
`good' it has a particular mean- more space and developing stu-
Also in this edition:
ing. An acceptable standard is dents' writing skills - the school
New buildings provide more
described as being 'sound' or 'sat- had already identified these ar- `°+
facilities
isfactory'. `Good', therefore, eas and established new direc-
Keeping a close eye on attendance means better than the norm tions for this year's planning.
and performance found in most schools. Indeed, We have published a develop-
Work with local primary schools performance in our Key Stage 3 ment plan which will maintain
Greendown builds on successful tests - taken by 14 year olds - was our considerable strengths and
Shakespeare Festival considered to be above the aver- continue to raise the standard of
Sports students do well age when compared with all other our students' writing skills.