Probe into Barnoldswick's GCSE results divide (From Burnley and Pendle Citizen)

Probe into Barnoldswick's GCSE results divide

8:00pm Sunday 5th July 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(3)

By Peter Magill »

AN inquiry is underway after it emerged that GCSE results in one half of a Pendle town were significantly better than the other.

Town leaders are puzzled over why the number of former ‘O’ level passes among teenagers in the Coates ward of Barnoldswick is 20per cent greater than those in neighbouring Craven.

For 2007-08, the percentage of Coates youngsters earning a GCSE grade A to C was 61.5per cent – but in Craven this dropped to 40per cent.

In just English and maths, the gap widens from 53.8per cent to 30.9per cent, in Coat-es’ favour.

Borough councillor Marg-aret Bell said she was very surprised that there was such a disparity between the two areas, during a debate on Pendle schools’ results at Key Stage Four.

She told a meeting of the Lancashire Local Pendle committee: “Just looking at the figures for Craven and Coates wards, it is just as if there was an imaginary line which runs through Barnoldswick.

“There would seem to be the same number of semi-detached homes and terrace homes in Coates, as there are in Craven.

“I just don’t know how the figures have come back with such a difference.”

Jonathan Hewitt, an education official from Lancashire County Council, said many different factors could influence the respective results.

He said: “We may be looking at the fact that they go to different schools, which may have an impact. There may be particular children with special needs, in one area, and that may have an impact on results.

“One of the things we need to drill down and do is find out why there is such a difference in the results there.”

The main high school for both Coates and Craven ward is West Craven Technology College, although others may attend Skipton Grammar, or Gisburn High School.

The best performing wards in Pendle in terms of all GCSE A to C grade passes were Barrowford (74per cent) and Foulridge (76.5per cent).

Along with Craven, the worst-rated Pendle wards were Nelson’s Bradley (41.9per cent) and Waterside in Colne (48.4per cent).

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(3)