Pupils’ progress above average

Reporter: Karen Doherty
Date published: 10 December 2015


PUPILS at a once failing school have chalked up perfect results in this year’s primary school league tables.

East Crompton St James is the only school in which every year six pupil reached the required standard for their age in every subject.

The tables — which will change next year — use several methods to measure the achievements of year six pupils, who left in the summer.

Every 11 year old at the Shaw primary achieved level 4 in maths, reading and spelling, punctuation and grammar SATs tests in May, as well as in teacher assessments in English, maths, science and reading.

Executive head teacher Adam Laskey said: “100 per cent in every subject is a fantastic result as we came out of special measures in January 2014.

“It’s a credit to the staff, children, parents and governors. They have all worked incredibly hard to ensure all our pupils achieve what they are capable of.”

Five schools had perfect scores in six out of seven areas. Every pupil made at least the expected degree of progress (two levels or more) in maths, reading and writing at six primary schools: Christ Church, Denshaw; Holy Trinity, Dobcross; St Luke’s, Chadderton; St Martin’s, Fitton Hill; St Thomas Leesfield and Whitegate End, Chadderton.

And Oldham as a whole performed better than the national average for pupil progress.

Holy Trinity has the highest number of pupils achieving level five - the average for a typical 13-year-old - with 71 per cent.

Stoneleigh Academy, sponsored by Oldham College, had the fewest pupils at level four, falling from 84 per cent last year to 45 per cent. A spokesman said the figure was misleading because there were only 11 pupils in the class – three of whom joined during the school year. These factors skew the results for the school as a whole - which are that results are at or above the national average.

New tougher SATs, reflecting the new national curriculum, will arrive next year. The levels achieved by pupils will be replaced by a score placing them on a scale of achievement.


The full table can be seen in the EChron edition of the paper