Two high schools told to improve or close (From Warrington Guardian)

Two high schools told to improve or close

11:19am Tuesday 10th June 2008

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PADGATE High School and William Beamont High School have been issued a stark message: improve or close.

The two schools were included in a list of more than 600 that the Government has sent letters to telling them they have to improve their exam results.

All schools with less than 30 per cent of pupils achieving A-C in Maths and English GCSEs were sent the warning.

The schools have been given three years to achieve the target.

Padgate has 28 per cent and William Beamont 23 per cent.

Woolston High School - earmarked for closure earlier in the year by councillors - has not received the warning.

Pinaki Ghoshal, head of service for school improvement at Warrington Borough Council, said: "Over three quarters of schools in Warrington have been judged by Ofsted to be good or outstanding.

"Levels of pupil attendance, their progress and attainment in Warrington are above the national average and using some judgements among the top 10 in the country.

"The Department for Children Families & Schools has chosen to identify a single measure, which has only been introduced recently, to judge the success of a secondary.

"Warrington, together with other councils, has a number of measures at its disposable when considering standards, progress and achievements of schools.

"Warrington has two schools that were below the target of 30 per cent last year.

"Children's Services has been working closely with both schools to raise the level of attainment and we expect good improvement in the 2008 examination results.

"In addition, we have been working with other schools in Warrington to improve the progress that children make."

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