Great Students, Great Staff = Great Results!

Well done to all Options students and staff on an amazing set of qualifications achieved this year

This summer saw a return to the first external exams since 2019. The students who have received their results in any formal qualification or award this year have had their education over the past two years disrupted by the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and repeated lockdowns. Despite this, they have shown great resiliency in their commitment to learning and therefore have achieved some exceptional outcomes:

• Options students achieved 159 GCSEs in a variety of different subjects, including the top grades of 9, 8 and 7.
• 100% of GCSEs and BTECs taken were achieved.
• Scottish students achieved a variety of Scottish Nationals, including National 4s and 5s.
• 95% of students gained both English and Mathematics qualifications.
• Over 200 other qualifications were achieved, including BTECs, NVQs, Functional Skills, ASDAN and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
• Of those students leaving us for their next steps, 100% have a positive destination.

Many of our students start at an Options school having been out of education for some time, or having huge gaps in their learning journeys. Often they have very negative views of schooling and low self-confidence about their ability to learn and achieve. Our job is to help build back up their confidence in all areas of their life and development, whilst delivering the formal education they deserve. With that in mind, results day always creates a great chance to pause and celebrate the hard work of everyone involved: our students, our staff, parents and carers. However, it is also a chance to celebrate not only the formal qualifications but also all the other ways that young people have developed during their time with us, and the huge progress they have made towards their next steps.

For example, one of the stars of the show at Underley Gardens School was Olly who achieved 8 GCSES, including English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Science Double Award, History, Geography and Art and Design. Olly also completed a Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award this year and is all set to follow his dream and start a course at college working towards a career in cyber security.

Olly joined Underley Gardens School, in Kirkby Lonsdale in the North West of England, from a mainstream primary school where he had disengaged with learning and with his peers. April Boyd, Headteacher, said, “We knew we had work to do to reintroduce Olly to the positives of learning and, as with many of our students, we knew that building relationships and setting the boundaries were the most important things to do in the first instance. Olly will be the first to admit it wasn’t all plain sailing, but over the next few years, he flourished. Not only was Olly engaging and achieving in all curriculum areas, but he had also made friends with his peers, socialising with them in and out of the classroom.”

It was also very important to those involved in his education and care that he was willing and able to take part in all school events, which he eventually did, such as assemblies, sports days, school plays etc. – all the things he had missed during his earlier years. His form tutor comments, “Olly has made so much progress, developing into a funny, friendly and mature young adult. We are all so proud of him and his achievements, and wish him well at college.”

We are so proud of our students, and we wish all our leavers a fond farewell and best wishes for their future endeavours.

We will be sharing more success stories with you throughout the course of the year, but in the meantime, here are some more headlines from individual Options schools:

• 100% of GCSEs achieved at Acorn Park School (Norfolk), Hillingdon Manor School (Greater London), Longdon Park School (Derbyshire), Trent Acres (Kings Bromley), and Baston House School (Greater London).
• Acorn Park School began offering GCSEs 4 years ago, and this year they are celebrating their fourth year of achieving 100% of the GCSEs taken by their students!
• For two years in a row, the students at Longdon Park School, Trent Acres School, Hillingdon Manor School and Baston House School have achieved GCSEs in 100% of those taken.
• 87% of Year 11 GCSE grades at Hillingdon Manor School were Grade 4 and above, and 73% Grade 5 and above.
• At Longdon Park School 80% of GCSEs were Grade 4 and above, and 35% were Grade 5 and above.
• Year 10 students at Maple Grove achieved all of the Functional Skills qualifications sat in preparation for being the first GCSE cohort at the school next academic year.