Outstanding GCSE results!

GCSE results day 2021 brought much good news across Acorn and Options schools and was a wonderful chance to celebrate all the hard work of our students, our staff, parents and carers.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic and the disruption caused by Covid-19, we are proud of the resiliency our students have shown during this time and the strength of our staff teams to deliver excellent learning and support consistently. This year’s results reflect this joint effort and we extend congratulations to all involved. Results day is a fantastic opportunity to reflect on the big achievements, the qualifications and awards, but it is also an opportunity to reflect on all the many other ways that students have developed during their time with us, and the huge progress they have made to support them with their next steps.

We are proud to share their achievements with you:
• 545 GCSE passes, including the top grades of 9, 8 and 7, in a variety of different subjects
• 20 students in our Scottish schools have achieved Scottish Nationals
• Grade 4+ and Grade 5+ pass rates increased
• 93% of students gained a pass in both English and Maths qualifications
• Over 600 other qualifications including BTECs, NVQs, Functional Skills, City and Guilds, ASDAN and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

Here are some individual success we are excited to share:

Since joining Waterloo Lodge School in Chorley in Year 8, Charlie has flourished. He has always been determined to better himself academically, but just as importantly, he has made huge strides in his emotional and social development to become an exceptional young man who staff cannot praise enough. During his time at school, Charlie was a finalist in a national competition to crack cyber codes, organised by MI5! He also won a £100 prize in a competition organised by Outcomes First Group for a creative writing submission.

However, results day is always a nerve-wracking experience for every young person, but Charlie need not have worried. His hard work, commitment and dedication saw him achieve outstanding results: six GCSE passes, with English and Maths at grade 7, whilst his artistic ability was recognised with a grade 6 in Art. Charlie also passed his Functional Skills tests at Level 2. He will now commence studying A Levels at Runshaw College in September.

His hard work and dedication have certainly paid off and we are all in no doubt that great things will await him in the future, MI5 maybe?

Sol joined Falkland House School in Fife in March 2017, and from the football field to the music classroom, he has always been exceptionally modest about his natural abilities. Over the last two years, Sol has worked hard in order to get an excellent set of qualifications and he leaves Falkland House School with 8 National 4s, 3 National 5s and the National 5 Literacy award, setting him up well for his next steps.

Sol is interested in working for the local authority and has been invited to interview for an apprenticeship with them. He has also benefited from a work experience initiative in our school kitchen where he learnt some of the essential skills required to keep a kitchen functioning.

We wish him all the best for his interview and a future in public service.

Before joining Heath Farm School in Kent, William’s anxiety levels were so high that he had not been in a classroom since Year 2. Heath Farm School worked gradually with William from September 2020 to transfer him from education in his home to being educated at school. This was successful and he has grown significantly in all areas: socially, emotionally and academically. In just a year, he has achieved Level 2 Functional Skills in English and Mathematics, and his NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Music Technology. William has also completed a college application, interview and induction day, leaves Heath Farm to study a Level 3 Diploma in Music Production at a local college. His parent thanked the team and commented that, “William has blossomed this year and I have to pinch myself to think he is off to College soon.”

What a remarkable student you are William.

Ben joined The Shires in 2018 and worked tremendously hard during his time with us to overcome the many hurdles he faced in his life. He leaves The Shires with 8 qualifications, including Functional Skills passes at Level 2 in English and Maths. He has also been able to transition successfully into a local college to complete a Level 1 Qualification in Animal Care, which prepares him for his move to a local college in September 2021.

Ben has not only made huge progress academically, but has developed emotionally and socially too: during his final year at The Shires, he raised over £500 by himself for Cancer Research doing a sponsored walk around Rutland Water. His aim was to raise awareness and money to support the charity, in memory of the wife of one of his care workers.

Best wishes Ben.

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 schools:

• 100% GCSE pass rate at Acorn Park School, Baston House, Belmont House, Bramfield House, Heath Farm, Hillingdon Manor, Jubilee, Longdon Park, Meadowcroft, New Barn, Overton, Park, Reddish Hall, Shifnal, The Grange, Trent Acres and Westbourne
• 100% pass for Scottish Nationals at Falkland House School
• 81% of GCSE grades at Hillingdon Manor were grade 4+, with 52% of GCSE grades grade 5+
• 76% of GCSE grades at Longdon Hall were grade 4+, with 32% of GCSE grades being 5+, including grade 8s in Higher Maths
• 62% of GCSE grades at Smallbrook were at grade 4 and above, including grade 8s in Food, Religious Studies and Sociology, and grade 7s in English
• 60% of GCSE grades at Oaktree were grade 4+, with 19% of GCSE grades being 5+, including grade 7s in Maths
• 100% of leavers at Wenlock achieved a qualification in English and Maths, along with a number of BTEC qualifications
• Students at Glebedale achieved between 5 and 8 GCSEs each, including grades of 7 in Combined Science and Art, and grade 6s in English and Maths
• 38% of GCSE grades at Waterloo Lodge were grade 4+, with 24% of GCSE grades being 5+, including grade 7s in Maths and English
• 58% of GCSE grades at Acorn Park were grade 4+ and with 16% at grade 5+, including grade 7s in Art
• 100% pass rate at Overton School in GCSE and Functional Skills qualifications along with multiple units towards BTEC and Vocational Studies accreditation
• 100% of Year 11 at Crookhey gained an English and Maths qualification, alongside their other qualifications
• Students at The Shires achieved a range of qualifications including English, Maths, Independent Living, Employability Skills and Cookery
• 100% pass rate for all ASDAN qualifications taken at Options Higford
• 100% pass rate for all ASDAN qualifications taken at Kinsale
• The Greater Horseshoe celebrated students achieving Distinctions and Merits in courses they had undertaken