Council support for key stage 4 (GCSE) students

Exam Results GIFs | Tenor

With Key Stage 4 results day fast approaching, City of York Council is reminding young people across the city of the support available at this challenging time.

This year’s Key stage 4 results (GCSE level) will be based on grades predicted by teachers, as students were unable to take formal examinations because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Support is available for school leavers who are seeking an apprenticeship or employment opportunity, wanting to move into full time education in York or who are concerned about their personal circumstances acting as a barrier to accessing education, employment or training.

People can find support in York from:

Their school. Teaching staff will be able to support pupils with their next steps.
Careers Advisers employed by our schools
Admissions teams at York College and Askham Bryan College
City of York Council Learning and Work Advisers in our Young People’s Service at 30 Clarence Street; pre booked appointment slots are available and advisers can support with searching for vacancies, developing your CV, completing applications and preparing for interviews. Tel: 01904 555400
National Careers Service – for local employment and training opportunities; or call the national help-line 0800 100 900
Council-led ‘York Apprenticeship Hub’ – find us on Facebook @ York Apprenticeships; email us at York.apprenticeships@york.gov.uk; www.york.gov.uk/yorkapprenticeships for local apprenticeship vacancies. There are still around 50 opportunities in the city and many more in Leeds across a range of sectors and job roles and we can sign post you to agencies and training providers.

(more…)

Exam results. Advice and support in York

Another successful year for A level students in York

Provisional results for York schools’ sixth forms and York College show that the very high standards of previous years have been maintained, and indicate that A Level results in the city remain consistently amongst the best in the country.

York school sixth forms – All Saints RC, Archbishop Holgate’s CE, Fulford, Huntington and Joseph Rowntree – and York College – are reporting strong results including ‘best ever’ performances.

Overall results are showing increases in the number of students achieving the highest grades, the overall A*-E pass rate is above the national average and both the proportion of students achieving A* and A grades and the overall A*-E pass rate are above the national averages reported today.

Early results for the schools show that across the board young people will be able to get to the universities of their choice, including those applying to Oxford and Cambridge universities and medical courses.

With A-Level and GCSE results days approaching, City of York Council is reminding young people across the city that there are several sources of support throughout this exciting yet challenging time.

There is support for people who may be seeking an apprenticeship or other employment opportunity, or who want to move into full time education. Young people who are concerned that their personal circumstances may make accessing education, employment or training more difficult could also benefit from advice.

People can find support across the city from:

Careers Advisers employed by our local sixth forms and colleges – help will be available when results are collected

City of York Council Learning and Work Advisers in our Young People’s Service at 30 Clarence Street; extra appointment slots and drop-ins are available and Advisers can support with searching for vacancies, developing your CV, completing applications and preparing for interviews. Tel: 01904 555400; www.yor-zone.org.uk/someone-to-help.htm

Council-led ‘York Apprenticeship Hub’ – find us on Facebook (York Apprenticeships) and Twitter (@York Apprentices); email us at York.apprenticeships@york.gov.uk; T: 01904 553732 for local apprenticeship vacancies; there are still around 100 opportunities in the city, and many more in the region, across a range of sectors and job roles.

National Careers Service – for local employment and training opportunities; drop in to the York office at 18-19 Colliergate or call the national help-line 0800 100 900

Exam results advice and support in York

There is support across the city for people who may be seeking an apprenticeship or employment opportunity, wanting to move into full time education in the York/Leeds area rather than moving away from home or are concerned about their personal circumstances acting as a barrier to accessing education, employment or training.

People can find support across the city from:

- Careers Advisers employed by our local sixth forms and colleges
- City of York Council Learning and Work Advisers in our Young People’s Service at 30 Clarence Street; extra appointment slots and drop-ins are available and Advisers can support with searching for vacancies, developing your CV, completing applications and preparing for interviews. Tel: 01904 555400; www.yor-zone.org.uk/ someone to help you
- National Careers Service – for local employment and training opportunities; bob in to the York office at 18-19 Colliergate or call the national help-line 0800 100 900
- Council-led ‘York Apprenticeship Hub’ – find us on Facebook @ York Apprenticeships; email us at York.apprenticeships@york.gov.uk; T: 01904 553732 for local apprenticeship vacancies; there are still around 100 opportunities in the city and many more in Leeds across a range of sectors and job roles and we can sign post you to agencies and training providers that can help

(more…)

York High school criticised by Inspectors

Set to become an independent “Academy”

The governments OFSTED inspecting body has released a damming report into teaching standards at York High school. The inspectorate has leaked the report to the media before posting it on their web site. This is hardly the behaviour of a responsible organisation and an action which will frustrate both teachers and parents as they seek to learn more about the “failings”.

In reality several pupils at the school have done remarkably well in recent years and the denigrating comments in The Press about the Westfield community are both ill informed and prejudiced. Unfortunately open media comments pages often provide a channel for the bigoted who usually hide behind a cloak of anonymity.

The school is judged by OFSTED to be “coasting” having received a “good” assessment from the same Inspectors as recently as 2012.

Still, recent poor exam results – particularly in science and languages – have cast a shadow on a school which started in 2009 with an impressive record of innovation and achievement.

The head teacher has already announced his resignation paving the way for a fresh start.

The government will give the school no option but to change to “Academy” status. It is looking to form a link with a group which includes Millthorpe This means a new governing body will be appointed. It may not include community representatives while even parents may lose their voice.

Academies have been criticised in the past for paying high wages to senior administrators and some teachers. On a split campus, which also includes the Energise leisure centre, good relations with neighbours are even more important.

So a sorry saga. The sooner the school is able to move on the better for all concerned.

Better GCSE level results at York High School

The Press is today reporting,

Staff and students at York High School are celebrating hugely improved GCSE results after a very challenging year in 2015.

Headteacher David Ellis said: “I am thrilled that the proportion of Year 11 students who have gained 5 good GCSE grades has almost doubled this year compared to 2015, even surpassing our results from two years ago. This is a result of the hard work of our young people and the determined and supportive work of my colleagues. We were extremely disappointed with the way that grade boundaries were moved in 2015 which had a negative impact for our students a year ago but I am incredibly proud of the way that the whole school community has risen to the challenge in the last 12 months resulting in the progress we have made this year”.

Associate head teacher Rod Sims, who is responsible for achievement at York High commented on the great spirit within Year 11 in 2016. He said: “The very pleasing improvements this year are in large part due to the way that the students responded to all of the extra demands that staff have put on them. They have turned up for extra revision sessions in large numbers, in some cases very early in the morning! The young people recognised that as the examination boards continue to raise the bar the challenge of gaining high grades is ever increasing and they worked with staff incredibly hard to gain the very best grades that they could. Our students can be very proud of their achievements and it has been a real pleasure to work with them and their Head of Year Mrs. Harrison to enable us to achieve the outcomes we have.”

One pupil celebrating results is Chloe Stead who achieved 7 GCSEs at grade C. Chloe was the first baby born in York in the new millennium and her results epitomise the effort that the year group as a whole have made this year.

Mr Ellis said “We are delighted for Chloe and the whole year group. Many pupils of all abilities have fulfilled their own individual targets and potential which will allow them to move successfully on to the next stage in their education and careers. We wish them all the very best.”

For photos click here

York still above average in education achievements

A Council report, being considered next week, confirms that the City’s education system is continuing to achieve above average performance results.

click to enlarge

Exam results at both GCSE and advance level stages show an improvement over the previous year.

OFSTED inspections reveal that, as of 9th October 2015, 89% of York secondary schools are rated “good or outstanding”, 88% of primaries are “good or outstanding” and 100% of our special schools are “good or outstanding”.

This means that overall, of the 64 schools in the city, 89% are good or outstanding.

At most education stages the difference in achievement between less well off pupils (entitled to pupil premium) and others, has either narrowed or remained constant, although the gap widened in mathematics at Key Stage 2

Detailed performance graphs can be found by clicking here

A level results are higher than last year for York students

Provisional results for York school sixth forms and York College show that the very high standards of previous years have been improved upon with increased numbers of students gaining three A levels, and initial results for the city indicate that attainment is likely to be well above national levels.

York school sixth forms – All Saints RC, Archbishop Holgate’s CE, Fulford, Huntington and Joseph Rowntree – and York College are reporting strong results with many ‘best ever’ performances. Early results for the schools show that across the board there has been an overall increase on last year’s results for both A* to B grades, and A* to E grades, bucking the national trend which reports a small fall.

In York school sixth forms:

o The proportion of young people achieving three or more A levels has increased by three percentage points, as has the proportion achieving three or more at grades A*, A or B

o The average grade achieved per A level entry has also gone up.

These provisional results suggest that York’s students continue to perform well above the national average.
(more…)

York letting disadvantaged pupils down?

A new Centre for City’s study has put York bottom of a league table when measuring the exam results achieved by disadvantaged pupils.

Although the number of pupils achieving 5+ A*-C GCSEs including Maths and English in 2013/14 was good, the results for those from disadvantaged backgrounds was worse then elsewhere in the country.

The gap in York at primary school age (KS2) is 23 percentage points.

This widens to a 40 percentage point difference between disadvantaged pupils and their peers at GCSE level: just 29 per cent of disadvantaged pupils in York achieve five or more good GSCEs, while 69 per cent of their peers do.

The government’s flagship “pupil premium” funding was intended to address this issue.

Someone at the York Council needs to start explaining why some secondary schools seem to be letting down those pupils from a disadvantaged background.

Council Leaders have been quick to jump on any good news from this organisation.

When a downturn in performance become apparent, silence isn’t an adequate explanation.

York GCSE results

Provisional results show that 64 per cent of young people in York achieved five or more A*-C grades including English and Maths GCSE on first entry.

Results this year are not comparable to previous years because of changes made in the performance tables which report the first entry rather than best entry results for candidates.

There have also been significant changes to the examination system in 2014, with the removal of some GCSE equivalent courses from the performance tables, reductions in coursework and the move away from modular examinations towards end of course examinations.

There was some disappointment at York High where a spokesman commented,

“In spite of the hard work of the students, the support of the families and the commitment of staff our results have dropped to 43 per cent of students gaining 5A* – C including English and Maths.

This is of course disappointing but is an inevitable consequence of an assessment based mainly on longer exams at the end of a two year course.”