Thorne Academy proves itself to be pass masters in GCSE exams

The success at Thorne's Trinity Academy comes as a series of borough schools claimed record results in today's exam results.

Trinity saw 63.2 per cent of students getting five or more passes at A* to C grades. Last year the rate was 33.94 per cent. Schools reporting improved results today also include Armthorpe, McAuley, Danum and Edlington, while many others report figures matching 2006.

Trinity Academy Principal Ian Brew said: "We are delighted for our students collecting their results today that we can celebrate with them this huge leap forward for Thorne and Moorends. These results prove just what can be achieved when expectations and standards are set high.

"These students have worked very hard and deserve their success. They have also benefited from the excellent resources we have at the academy and from a staff team who are wholly dedicated to supporting them. We now have to maintain the momentum going forward and continue the vision of raising achievement still further."

Students at the McAuley school were also celebrating an upturn in their results - head Mary Lawrence said results had improved by approximately 15 per cent, with 83 per cent of pupils achieving the benchmark five passes at levels A* to C.

She said: "We're pleased with the results - absolutely delighted." She added three students had achieved nine A*s and two As in the exams.

Armthorpe School, which only came out of special measures two years ago, hit a long aimed-for target.

Head Nigel Pattison said: "We've been aiming for a pass rate of over 50 per cent for five passes at A* to C for a while. This year we've got there, we got a 52 per cent pass rate at that level. Last year we got 43 per cent, so the results this time round are a significant improvement.

"We'd always looked at the 50 per cent target as a yardstick - and it's a tribute to the hard work of the pupils and staff that we've got there.

"If you look at the rate for five A* to Cs including English and maths, the statistics are arguably even more encouraging - we scored 39 per cent this year, an improvement of 12 per cent on 2006."

Steve Wollerton, exam officer at Danum Technology College said results had improved by around eight per cent.

One student had scored one of the top five marks nationally for English literature. At Conisbrough's Northcliffe school results remained steady - the percentage rate for five A* to C passes was 33, the same as last year and equalling the school's best ever results.

Head David Martin said: "These are again superb results and we're very proud of them. Our average point score is well up on last year as well, so overall results have improved."

One pupil, Sophie Morton-Angell got the best ever results in the school's history - scoring six A*s, three As and 4Bs.Town centre school, Hall Cross, saw a minor downturn in results - the pass rate at the benchmark level was 55.96 per cent, compared to last year's 56.16.

Things certainly added up at Hatfield Visual Arts College where they achieved their best ever results in maths, with 37 per cent of students scoring a grade C or better.In 2006 the A* to C pass rate soared to 62 per cent, from just 29 per cent.

This year's rate was also around 62 per cent. Head Chris Coady said: "We're very pleased with the figure. And our average points score was actually higher this year, so things are improving at the school right across the board.

"If you take our score for five A* to C passes including maths and English there was an improvement of eight per cent."

At Hayfield, which is a foundation school, the figure for five A* to Cs was 72.87 per cent.