9:46am Wednesday 25th August 2010
By Matt Watts
Lambeth schools again celebrated record GCSE results as the wait for grades ended for thousands of teenagers across Lambeth.
Provisional results showed for the 12th year running, the number of pupils achieving five or more A* to C grades increased, going up from 72.5 per cent in 2009 to 73.7 per cent in 2010.
The number of pupils meeting the Government target of students passing at least five subjects with an A* to C grade fell slightly from 53.5 per cent to 52.9 per cent.
But both percentages are expected to be above the national averages when they are published at the end of October.
Councillor Pete Robbins, Lambeth Council’s cabinet member for children and young people, said: “The provisional results show an improvement that reflects the hard work and dedication of pupils and teachers and the continued support of parents."
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The most improved school was Norwood, which improved its five A* to C grades including english and maths by a spectacular 21 per cent.
“Its number of pupils with at least five A* to C grades rose by 10 per cent, while St Martins in the Fields school in Tulse Hill also pushed up its five A* to C pass rate by 5 percent.”
St Martin’s headteacher headteacher Lesley Morrison said she was “thrilled” by her pupils’ success and pleased the school's “strategic approach” over what exams pupils should sit had paid off.
La Retraite had the best five A* to C including English and maths, with 71 per cent of students getting the required standard.
Headteacher Susan Powell said: “I’m proud of all the girls who got lots of A*s and As, but equally I’m proud of the girls who got Bs and Cs despite some difficult circumstances.
“Some children have challenging family situations where they have to spend a lot of time looking after siblings, or caring for loved ones, while others do not have the space at home for a quiet place to work."
Some 57.3 per cent of all grades at private school Streatham and Clapham High were A or A*grades, and 96.3 per cent of all grades a C or above.
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