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RESPONSES FROM OUR DEPUTY HEADS

Mrs. Birkett and Mr. White are both delighted with the news from the Chief Inspector.

As the Deputy Head principally responsible for academic development, Mrs. Birkett says, “External examination results improved for six years in a row and this brought the school a government excellence award in 2001. Inclusion in this Report in part stems from continuing success in examinations, of which we are all very proud, but it is also based on other important aspects of the life of the school. St. Michael’s aim is to educate children in the social, moral and spiritual dimensions, too, and Ofsted commented very favourably and extensively on this in its report.”

Mr. White adds that the whole community has cause to celebrate, saying, “When I look at all that goes on in the school, I am amazed at the levels of enthusiasm and commitment coming from so many people. Teachers give so much time to pastoral provision and the benefits of this are evident to me and to visitors to the school. So often, people who have come into the school for the first time comment on the very positive atmosphere they have found.”

CHIEF INSPECTOR PRAISES OUR EXAMINATION RESULTS

Ofsted’s conclusion that St. Michael’s should be included in its Report of commendation to Parliament stems from the Inspection Report published in the Spring Term of 2001. GCSE examination results since the previous Ofsted Inspection were obviously one of the key factors in their assessment of the effectiveness of the school.

Our Year 11 students have outstanding records in examinations, something matched by Year 9 pupils who take SATs examinations in English, Maths and Science. Nationally, about 1 in 11 Year 11 leavers are awarded no GCSE passes at all. We are very proud of the fact that, in the last few years ALL St. Michael’s leavers have passed exams at GCSE levels. Moreover, nearly all have passed 5 or more GCSEs and, in 2000 and 2001, over 60 per cent of all students passed 5 or more GCSE subjects at the higher grades A*-C. (98 per cent of all students achieved 5 or more GCSE passes in 2000 and this was followed in 2001 by a figure of 99 per cent!)

Whichever measure you choose to look at, it is above both local and national averages. For example, the 2000 local average for 5 or more GCSE A*-C grades was 45 per cent (St. Michael’s 60.5 per cent) and the national average was 56.6 per cent. The national average in the same year for pupils obtaining 5 or more GCSE passes was over 11 per cent below St. Michael’s figure.

At November’s ‘Celebration of Achievement Evening’ for the 2001 Leavers and their families, more than 70 awards were made for outstanding achievement in academic subjects and in school life in general - a further indicator of the levels of success being reached within the school.

* ‘Home Links’ can be found on the Internet at www.stmichaelrc.cleveland.sch.uk