Top of the class! Somercotes Academy receives plaudits in ‘Real Schools Guide’

Somercotes Academy is the top-scoring non-selective academy in the East Lindsey area, according to the latest ‘Real Schools Guide’.
Somercotes Academy Principal Frances Green, alongside CEO of Tollbar Multi Academy Trust David Hampson, and several students. (Picture: Sean Spencer/Hull News & Pictures Ltd.)Somercotes Academy Principal Frances Green, alongside CEO of Tollbar Multi Academy Trust David Hampson, and several students. (Picture: Sean Spencer/Hull News & Pictures Ltd.)
Somercotes Academy Principal Frances Green, alongside CEO of Tollbar Multi Academy Trust David Hampson, and several students. (Picture: Sean Spencer/Hull News & Pictures Ltd.)

The Real Schools Guide 2020 reveals how schools score in relation to other schools in the area, and across England. Data is available on pupils’ attainment, average grades, the quality of the teaching and when the school was last inspected.

While the Government’s national league tables only look at GCSE performance and Attainment 8, the system used by this guide moves beyond what it calls these ‘limited measurements’ to give parents a better idea of which schools will help their children prosper, no matter what their background.

The system uses 51 different measures, put together from the latest publicly available data, and broken down into four categories: Attainment, Progress, Attendance and Outcomes.

The guide reveals that Somercotes Academy is one of only nine schools in Lincolnshire to achieve a five star rating for Progress.

The academy, which is a member of Tollbar Multi Academy Trust, continues to build on its improvements. In November 2018 it was rated ‘Good’ for the first time by Ofsted. In November last year, Department of Education league tables ranked Somercotes Academy fourth highest out of 38 non-selective schools across Lincolnshire.

The academy’s Progress 8 figure at that time was 0.45, with the national average being zero. Progress 8 measures a student’s progress from the end of primary school to the end of secondary school.

Principal Frances Green said: “I am delighted that the hard work and dedication of the staff and students at the academy, along with the strong support of Tollbar Multi Academy Trust, has been recognised in this way. Somercotes Academy is a growing school which is going from strength to strength.”

David Hampson, chief executive of the trust, said: “This just shows what can be achieved at a small school. I am very proud of everyone involved.”