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| Schools miss top university grades | Schools miss top university grades |
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| By Hannah Richardson & Katherine Sellgren BBC News education reporters | By Hannah Richardson & Katherine Sellgren BBC News education reporters |
| Almost a quarter of England's sixth forms and colleges did not produce any pupils with A-level grades good enough to go to top universities, data shows. | Almost a quarter of England's sixth forms and colleges did not produce any pupils with A-level grades good enough to go to top universities, data shows. |
| Some 594 (23.4%) of the 2,540 schools teaching A-levels had no pupils with the two As and a B in the subjects needed for top degree courses. | Some 594 (23.4%) of the 2,540 schools teaching A-levels had no pupils with the two As and a B in the subjects needed for top degree courses. |
| The data also shows some 215 schools missed the new government target of 40% of pupils obtaining five A*-C GCSEs. | The data also shows some 215 schools missed the new government target of 40% of pupils obtaining five A*-C GCSEs. |
| The BBC is publishing its league tables for secondary schools in England. | The BBC is publishing its league tables for secondary schools in England. |
| The tables are drawn up from the latest official government data on pupils' academic achievement. | The tables are drawn up from the latest official government data on pupils' academic achievement. |
| Overall they cover achievement in more than 4,000 mainstream state and independent schools, based mainly on the results of last summer's exams for 16- and 18-year-olds. In total, 2,540 schools and colleges in England run A-level courses. | Overall they cover achievement in more than 4,000 mainstream state and independent schools, based mainly on the results of last summer's exams for 16- and 18-year-olds. In total, 2,540 schools and colleges in England run A-level courses. |
| Talent pool rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/news/special/education/school_tables/secondary/12/css/1.0.0/nav_story.css" /> | |
| Much has been made of the inability of leading universities to recruit more bright students from a wider set of backgrounds. But this data shows that many schools are not producing students of a high enough calibre to get places at such universities. | Much has been made of the inability of leading universities to recruit more bright students from a wider set of backgrounds. But this data shows that many schools are not producing students of a high enough calibre to get places at such universities. |
| It also shows that in only two schools did more than 70% of pupils obtain two As and a B in what is known as the "facilitating" subjects favoured by the 20 Russell Group and other leading universities. And in only 16 schools did 50% or more pupils achieve these grades. | It also shows that in only two schools did more than 70% of pupils obtain two As and a B in what is known as the "facilitating" subjects favoured by the 20 Russell Group and other leading universities. And in only 16 schools did 50% or more pupils achieve these grades. |
| These subjects are mathematics and further mathematics, English literature, physics, biology, chemistry, geography, history and languages (both classical and modern). | These subjects are mathematics and further mathematics, English literature, physics, biology, chemistry, geography, history and languages (both classical and modern). |
| The Russell Group of top universities introduced this list to identify the very best students and inform schools which subjects they expect pupils to sit if they wish to obtain a place on one of their degree courses. | |
| But they also look at a pupil's background before deciding whether to give them a place. | |
| GCSE results | GCSE results |
| At GCSE level nationally, 59.4% of pupils in both maintained and independent schools reached the government's benchmark of five GCSEs (or equivalent qualifications) graded A* to C, including English and maths - up from 58.2% in 2011. | At GCSE level nationally, 59.4% of pupils in both maintained and independent schools reached the government's benchmark of five GCSEs (or equivalent qualifications) graded A* to C, including English and maths - up from 58.2% in 2011. |
| The best performing local authority was Kensington and Chelsea, where 79.6% of pupils achieved this standard. | The best performing local authority was Kensington and Chelsea, where 79.6% of pupils achieved this standard. |
| The worst performing authority was Knowsley on Merseyside, where 40.9% of pupils got five good GCSEs. | The worst performing authority was Knowsley on Merseyside, where 40.9% of pupils got five good GCSEs. |
| Colyton Grammar School in Devon was ranked as the top school on the basis of its GCSE results. | Colyton Grammar School in Devon was ranked as the top school on the basis of its GCSE results. |
| In total, 113 schools saw 100% of pupils getting five GCSEs A*-C or equivalent, including maths and English, down from 158 in 2011. | In total, 113 schools saw 100% of pupils getting five GCSEs A*-C or equivalent, including maths and English, down from 158 in 2011. |
| The schools with the lowest GCSE results was the selective Pate's Grammar school in Cheltenham, where 0% of pupils reached this benchmark. | The schools with the lowest GCSE results was the selective Pate's Grammar school in Cheltenham, where 0% of pupils reached this benchmark. |
| However, this result was because pupils sat new English exams which the Department for Education does not recognise for the purpose of performance data. | However, this result was because pupils sat new English exams which the Department for Education does not recognise for the purpose of performance data. |
| Pate's head teacher Russell Ellicott said: "We decided to move our English curriculum to an IGCSE, not currently counted in the league tables, because we decided that particular curriculum included a greater depth of learning, having fewer texts but students look at them in greater detail." | Pate's head teacher Russell Ellicott said: "We decided to move our English curriculum to an IGCSE, not currently counted in the league tables, because we decided that particular curriculum included a greater depth of learning, having fewer texts but students look at them in greater detail." |
| Excluding Pate's Grammar, the school with the lowest GCSE results was the Rushden Community College in Northamptonshire, where 6% of pupils got five A*-C GCSEs, including maths and English. | Excluding Pate's Grammar, the school with the lowest GCSE results was the Rushden Community College in Northamptonshire, where 6% of pupils got five A*-C GCSEs, including maths and English. |
| Head teacher Mark Lester said the college had entered pupils for English language and English exams but not English literature, which he said is the one counted by the DfE. | Head teacher Mark Lester said the college had entered pupils for English language and English exams but not English literature, which he said is the one counted by the DfE. |
| "Because of the decision made by the DfE about which English specification counts, we fall foul of that particular loophole." | "Because of the decision made by the DfE about which English specification counts, we fall foul of that particular loophole." |
| Mr Lester said that if his pupils' English exams had been counted, their pass rate including English and maths would have been 46%. | Mr Lester said that if his pupils' English exams had been counted, their pass rate including English and maths would have been 46%. |
| English Bac | English Bac |
| The performance data also shows what proportion of pupils got the English Baccalaureate. | The performance data also shows what proportion of pupils got the English Baccalaureate. |
| This new measure, introduced in 2010, is the proportion of pupils achieving A*-C passes in English, maths, two science subjects, a modern or ancient language, and either history or geography. | This new measure, introduced in 2010, is the proportion of pupils achieving A*-C passes in English, maths, two science subjects, a modern or ancient language, and either history or geography. |
| Nationally across all pupils, 18.3% got the wrap-around qualification, up from 15.4% in 2011. | Nationally across all pupils, 18.3% got the wrap-around qualification, up from 15.4% in 2011. |
| The Department for Education hailed the success of its academy schools in the performance data. | The Department for Education hailed the success of its academy schools in the performance data. |
| It said sponsored academies were improving results at a record rate - more than five times as quickly than in all state-funded schools - with an increase of 3.1 percentage points. This compares to a 0.6 percentage point improvement across all state-funded schools. | It said sponsored academies were improving results at a record rate - more than five times as quickly than in all state-funded schools - with an increase of 3.1 percentage points. This compares to a 0.6 percentage point improvement across all state-funded schools. |
| But many of these would have been performing at a higher level, as sponsored academies tend to be struggling schools which are converted to academies because of their difficulties. | But many of these would have been performing at a higher level, as sponsored academies tend to be struggling schools which are converted to academies because of their difficulties. |
| The department said the results revealed "the amazing power of academy sponsors to turn around underperforming schools - often schools which have been persistently substandard". | The department said the results revealed "the amazing power of academy sponsors to turn around underperforming schools - often schools which have been persistently substandard". |
| "This shows we are right to continue to support the sponsored academy programme. These brilliant sponsors have a track record of arresting decline - and then reversing it." | "This shows we are right to continue to support the sponsored academy programme. These brilliant sponsors have a track record of arresting decline - and then reversing it." |