EDUCATION league tables have revealed mixed results for A-level students in South Tyneside.
Grade expectations were met by St Joseph’s Comprehensive School and Harton Technology College, but pass levels slumped at South Tyneside College in new Key Stage 5 performance figures.
Just 29 per cent of students achieved at least one A-level pass at A* to E), with 24 per cent notching two or more passes and 22 per cent picking three or more A-level passes at South Tyneside College
The college, based on St George’s Avenue, says the results ‘were not unexpected’ and were due to a restructuring of the curriculum, which has seen the number of students sitting A-level exams greatly reduced as a wide range of vocational courses are introduced.
A college spokesman said: “These results are from Level 3 AS, A-level and limited BTEC courses started in 2010 and from exams sat in the summer of 2012.
“They represent a transitional stage in the college’s exam programme and structure. A planned process of change, modification, realignment and restructuring of our curriculum has since taken place.
“These results were not unexpected and can be identified as resulting from a specific, expected and necessary transition which has improved and strengthened our provision for students.
“They stem specifically from an extremely small band of results from students in some English, mathematics and science courses which make up just two per cent of educational provision.”
He added: “As such they are not representative of the extremely good recent A-level results South Tyneside College has enjoyed, evidenced by our current 99.1 per cent pass rate.
The majority of our students study a wide range of highly-rated vocational and other courses.”
South Tyneside College has also received a glowing and improved Ofsted report since these exams were sat.
That report, in November, recognised the hard work and dedication of staff and the ongoing progress being made in almost all other areas across the college.”
The performance tables made happier reading at St Joseph’s Comprehensive School, based on Mill Lane, Hebburn, with 97 per cent of students achieving at least one A-level pass, 96 per cent scoring two or more passes, and a borough best 89 per cent earning three or more A-level passes.
Harton Technology College also enjoyed impressive results, as 98 per cent of students grabbed at least one A-level, 89 per cent got two or more passes and 79 per cent achieved three or more passes.
Both were well above the national average of 68 per cent of students earning at least one A-level, 63.7 per cent getting two or more A-levels and 55.5 per cent securing three or more A-level passes.
Beverley Smith, director of sixth form at St Joseph’s Comprehensive School, said; “We are absolutely over the moon with the results.
“We are continuing to raise our standards. We are not sitting back and resting on our laurels.
“We are proud of all our students, whether they are going onto university or signing up for an apprenticeship.
“We encourage them to get good A-levels, as even if they don’t go to university, their qualifications give them more career options.”
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