Merton schools achieve 7.2% improvement in GCSEs

· by · in Education and schools. ·

Merton schools have had another excellent year of results in GCSE exams with 7.2% more students achieving 5+GCSEs A*-C, exceeding national average improvements of 1.4%.

The increase takes Merton’s secondary school students attaining 5+GCSEs A*-C to 69.0%, up from 61.8% last year and above the national average of 67.1%.

There have also been improvements in the results for students gaining 5+GCSE’s A*-C including English and Maths with nearly half (48.7%) attaining these grades, more than the borough’s Government target for 2009 of 47%.

Councillor Debbie Shears, cabinet member for children’s services says:

‘Last year saw Merton’s schools as top in the country for overall percentage improvement in GCSE’s and this year we have exceeded the national average, reflecting the hard work of the schools, teachers and young people.’

‘I would like to send my congratulations to all students and the schools for their achievements this year.’

Yvette Stanley, director for children, schools and families says:

‘We are really pleased to have exceeded our target and the national average but we are not complacent. We will continue to work with schools to ensure standards can continue to rise and that all young people in our schools can achieve to the highest level.’

Notes to editors:

* 69% of Merton pupils have obtained 5 or more GCSEs (not including English and Maths) against 61.8% in 2008. This is an increase of 7.2%
* The government’s key measure for success for tests is the percentage of pupils achieving 5 or more GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and Maths. In 2008, the average level of achievement in the borough’s secondary schools and academies was 46.2%. In 2009, this has risen by 2.5% to 48.7%.

Provisional GCSE results for Merton

School %5+ A*-C %5+ A*-C including English & Maths
2009 2008 2009 2008
Bishopsford Community School 64% 57% 28% 34%
Raynes Park High School 66% 57% 47% 42%
Ricards Lodge High School 66% 67% 43% 50%
Rutlish School 60% 57% 50% 44%
Ursuline High School 87% 84% 71% 78%
Wimbledon College 76% 70% 72% 65%
Harris Academy Merton 95% 74% 48% 38%
St Mark’s Academy 47% 32% 29% 22%
Merton 69.0% 60.1% 48.7% 45.7%
National 65.3% 47.6%

-Ends-

Press Contact:
Emma Henderson
Communications Officer
London Borough of Merton
Tel: 020 8545 3327