Pensby High School For Boys on coveted government list for GCSE improvements

Mar 7 2012 by Ben Turner, Birkenhead News

Pensby High School For Boys on coveted government list for GCSE improvements

TWO Wirral schools have chalked up a major success after being named among the country’s most improved.

The government accolade went to Pensby High School For Boys and Ridgeway High in Prenton.

They were among just over 100 schools to have been sent a personal letter from Schools Minister Nick Gibb in recognition of their GCSE improvements since 2008.

Figures show that the percentage of GCSE students managing five Cs or above including maths and English at Pensby rose from 27% in 2008 to 57% in 2011.

Head of School Peter Madden said dedicated staff and instilling an ethos where students go the extra mile to achieve their goals had played a major part in the annual improvements.

The school, he said, was also benefiting from working closely and sharing ideas with neighbouring Pensby High School for Girls with which it federated in 2009 and since January has been jointly overseen by principal Pat Russell.

Mr Madden said: “It is nice for the pupils and the teachers to get that recognition from the Schools Minister and the letter will take pride of place in the school.”

“We encourage the students to have an approach where they take ownership and put the work in to meet their aspirations whether that is to be taken on as an apprentice or like in the case of others recently getting places at universities such as Durham and Cambridge.”

Ridgeway High saw the percentage of GCSE students managing five Cs or above including maths and English rise from 37% in 2008 to 61% in 2011.

Headteacher Pauline Roberts who arrived at the school in 2008 said her “amazing team of staff” had played a pivotal part in driving up the results.

And successful initiatives include weekly Intervention Groups held after school on Fridays which enable teenage students including those approaching their exams to brush up on areas ranging from maths to English.

The sessions are sandwiched in between a snack and drink to start and a hot evening meal. Pupils are then transported home.