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Top to bottom plans for city's high schools

29/11/2001

A WEASTE school could face closure if its GCSE results do not improve dramatically over the next three years.

Education league tables out this week reveal just 13 per cent of pupils at All Hallows RC High School achieved 5 A - C grade GCSEs, well below the 2004 government target of 20 per cent

Government education chiefs have warned such schools that if they don't improve by 2004 they could be closed down.

Salford's average results of 34.3 per cent of pupils achieving 5 A - C GCSE passes was more than 15 per cent below the national average of 50 per cent.

Only three Local Education Authority run schools, Walkden High, which came out on top for Salford, Moorside High, and St Patrick's RC High School, managed to gain a higher percentage than the national score.

St Ambrose Barlow RC and Buile Hill managed to beat the Salford average, but the other eight high schools in the city were below the score.

Independent Bridgewater School was named among the top 100 most improved schools in the country with a huge 89 per cent of pupils achieving the top grades placing it firmly at the top of the city's overall league tables.

Salford's education bosses have this week vowed to stand by All Hallows, promising huge improvements over the next three years.

The school refused to comment but spokesman for education Cllr Keith Mann said: "We have been working with All Hallows for the whole of this year and we are going to provide more help with additional resources to help them to improve their results.

"Closure isn't on our list, with additional resources All Hallows will improve."

Education boss Mark Carriline added: "It was a particularly disappointing result this year. I have been through the results with the head and we will see considerable improvements by next year."

Meanwhile, Walkden High Headteacher Elaine Hilton said: "One of the most gratifying aspects of exam success is that a cohort of pupils have achieved their potential.

"This school, as do all Salford schools, builds on excellent practice in feeder primary schools and sheer hard work on behalf of the pupils. Support from parents and excellent teaching does the rest."

And a delighted Bridgewater headteacher Geraldine Shannon-Little said: "This is a fantastic result due to the hard work of the staff and students. I think we achieve these results because of the good relationships between the staff and students and making sure we set targets and support students."