Alford school tops the league table in Lincolnshire and East Midlands

Students at Queen Elizabeths Grammar, Alford, have had plenty to smile about this week following the release of the new government league tables.

Head teacher Angie Francis said: “I am delighted that the efforts of our students and staff have been recognised in the recent GCSE tables, and am proud of our achievements.

“I believe that it is our culture of high expectations together with much individual support that leads to our continued success.”

The school achieved a strong score in the ‘Progress 8’ measure for the 2017/18 academic year. The system is used to assess how much pupils have improved during their time at the school, from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4, compared to pupils across England who had similar results at Key Stage 2 level.

QEGS Alford’s ‘Progress 8’ score this year was 0.67, which the Department For Education considers to be ‘well above average’.

Scores of above and below zero are better and worse than average, respectively.

For comparison, Caistor Grammar School achieved a ‘Progress 8’ score of 0.6, making it the second best in our area (and fifth best in the county). Meanwhile, King Edward VI Grammar School in Louth and Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Horncastle achieved ‘Progress 8’ scores of 0.08 and 0.22 respectively.

Last year’s GCSE results also saw all eligible pupils at QEGS Alford achieve a 100 per cent pass rate for Maths and English.

Not only did all of the pupils hit the expected target (grade four to nine) in English and Maths, but 93 per cent of pupils achieved  strong grades of five or above in both subjects.

The school’s latest success means that it replaces Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School as the highest-ranking school in Lincolnshire, and it has also clinched the top spot across the whole of the East Midlands.

Nationally, QEGS Alford is now ranked as the 33rd best school in England.

Also in our local area, Louth Academy received a ‘below average’ Progress 8 score of -0.5, while John Spendluffe College in Alford scored -0.39. Somercotes Academy fared a little better, scoring -0.35.

• TOP SCORING SCHOOLS IN LINCOLNSHIRE:

=1) QEGS Alford (0.67) =1) Bourne Grammar (0.67)

3) Spalding High School (0.64)

4) Walton Girls’ High School & Sixth Form (0.62)

5) Caistor Grammar (0.6)

6) Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School (0.59)

7) The King’s School, Grantham (0.57)

8) William Farr CofE Comprehensive School (0.35)

9) Boston High School (0.33)

10) Spalding Grammar (0.3)

• LOWEST SCORING SCHOOLS IN LINCOLNSHIRE:

=50) William Lovell (-0.69)

=50) Haven High (-0.69)

52) Lincoln Castle (-0.7)

53) Skegness Academy (-0.78)

54) The West Grantham Academy St Hugh’s (-0.86)

55) The Gainsborough Academy (-1.47)