Pupils at The Isle of Sheppey Academy jubilant after GCSE exam results upgrade
Teachers and pupils
celebrate the exam results upgrade at The Isle of Sheppey
Academy
by Emma Grove
Almost 90 teenagers have received higher grades in their
GCSE English language exam after academy bosses fought for a
remark.
The change in results also brings a first for Sheppey as it
means more than 40% of candidates gained at least five A* to C
grades.
Following a national scandal about the way the papers were
graded, The Isle of Sheppey Academy principal David Day demanded a
remark.
Two inquiries saw papers sent back from exam
board AQA with no change - but a third attempt was successful and
88 students have now had their papers remarked, resulting in higher
grades.
The school is believed to be one of the first in the country to
achieve this.
One pupil has gone from an A to an A*; 10 pupils from a B to an
A; 23 from a C to a B; 39 from a D to a C; nine from an E to a D;
four from an F to an E; one from a G to an F and one who had failed
now has a G – which is a pass.
The news was announced to candidates, who had no idea teachers
were trying for a remark, in a special assembly at the west site
in Sheerness yesterday afternoon.
Of the 369 youngsters who took the exams, it means 150 (41%)
have now achieved at least five A* to C grades, including English
and maths.
This has not only put the school above the national target of
40%, but is also the first time the academy has achieved such high
results.
Mr Day said: "What pushed me to keep trying was that I was
convinced my teachers' assessments were correct.
"They had training in exam board assessment and in the actual
marking procedure for this exam which they had followed to the
letter.
"I'm delighted the students of the academy have now received the
GCSE English language results they deserve.
"This is also vindication for the very accurate marking of the
English teachers at the academy and the superb professionalism in
preparing pupils for exam success.
"As far as
I'm aware, we are the first school to have successfully taken this
on.
"It's the first time ever in the history of secondary education
on the Island more than 40% of children have achieved that.
"It means every youngster who has an A* to C can put on their CV
and job applications that magical grade which will open the doors
to a wide spectrum of employment opportunities."
A spokesman for the AQA exam board explained it is
not the grade boundaries that have been changed, but that
remarking has resulted in the grades going up.
"If schools are concerned about their marks, they can ask us to
take another look and if they are unsatisfied with that outcome
they can challenge it," the spokesman added.
"We have worked closely with the school and in this case a
second moderator awarded higher marks, resulting in a number of
grade changes in one part of the overall GCSE."
04/12/12
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