newsletter
Exam Special 2018
Delight: There were plenty of happy faces on exam results day
Exam success illustrates new trust benefits THE Cumberland School saw an eight percent jump in GCSE grades – less than one year after joining a high-achieving Newham-based trust. Results in the core subjects of English and science saw a significant spike despite a new, tougher numerical GCSE grading system. Headteacher Gillian Dineen said that standards had improved since joining the Community Schools Trust. In total, 60 percent of students passed maths and English with grades between 9 and 4, equivalent to the old A*-C, up from 52 percent last year. Ms Dineen said: “I’m absolutely delighted for the students. There was
such a buzz at results day this year. Our students are determined and ambitious and for so many of them, today is a very good day. “Joining the Community Schools Trust has made a tremendous difference to both our ambition and capacity at Cumberland. “Working with an incredibly high-achieving trust means that we, as a school, can learn from some exceptional educators as well as sharing ideas and expertise. While our results have improved significantly, we will continue to strive for further improvement. “This is a journey that will take us to be an Outstanding school. The GCSE results this year show that we are well on our way.”
The Cumberland School Newsletter n Exam Special 2018
Improvement ‘no accident’ THE Community School Trust CEO Simon Elliott says improvement in results is just the start for The Cumberland School. He said: “The improvement in GCSE results at The Cumberland School did not happen by accident this year. “It is largely thanks to the hard work of our teachers, staff and students but it is also rooted in the new structures and systems we have put in place at the school. “When I joined Forest Gate Community School as headteacher, it is fair to say we were underperforming in the area of exams. “It was not that the teachers and students were not working hard enough, it was that the right procedures were not in place to help them to thrive. “There is a huge amount of talent in the staff and leadership team at this school. All we have done is focus that in the right direction. “An eight percent rise is a very strong improvement in anyone’s book, but our aim is to be amongst not just the top performing schools in the borough, but the entire country. “That is where Forest Gate Community School is and that is where we are taking The Cumberland School. Be certain of this – I will not rest until we get there.”