WHAT a result!Proud staff gathered in the library at Holywells High to celebrate a brilliant set of GCSE grades which have effectively secured the school's future.
By TOM POTTER
tom.potter@eveningstar.co.uk
WHAT a result!
Proud staff gathered in the library at Holywells High to celebrate a brilliant set of GCSE grades which have effectively secured the school's future.
Nearly half the students sitting exams this year achieved five A* to C passes - a monumental increase of 20 per cent on last year.
Holywells was one of four schools in Suffolk included in the Secretary of State's National Challenge list as being below the target of 30pc of pupils achieving five good GCSEs.
National Challenge was launched to ensure at least 30pc of pupils in every secondary school gained five or more GCSEs at A* to C, including both English and mathematics, by 2011.
And Holywells rose to the challenge, exceeding expectations and seeing 31pc of students achieving the target - an 11pc increase on last year.
Headteacher, Terry Duffell, was delighted by the success.
He said: “These are the best results ever achieved at Holywells by a significant margin.
“The improvements reflect the exceptionally hard work put in by staff and pupils, and the excellent level of support the school has received from the parents.
“Holywells is clearly a rapidly improving school with a strengthening reputation. We are totally committed to ensuring that this success continues, and we believe that the school is entering the most exciting period in its history.”
Chair of governors, Cecilia Davies, joined staff at Holywells to raise a toast to this year's fantastic results.
Mr Duffell said: “Holywells has a strong work ethic and the pupils and their parents are increasingly aspirational.
“The results demonstrate conclusively that Holywells will enable pupils of all levels of ability to achieve excellent results.
“The results from the flexible curriculum were equally as impressive. Pupils following a range of vocational courses have also achieved the school's best results.”
What do you make of Holywells' turnaround? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk
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