Batley school reels in GCSE success despite 'lockdown challenges'

Upper Batley High School is celebrating successes with GCSE results this summer, despite all the huge challenges faced by learners and young people across the entire country in 2020.

The Covid-19 pandemic has led unprecedented summer, with many young people at the all-boys school being upset that they were unable to actually sit their GCSE examinations and really ‘prove themselves’ in the formal examinations.

Head teacher, Sam Vickers said: “We're so immensely proud of the GCSE performance of all of our boys this year.

"Given the incredibly difficult year they have all faced, they should be even more proud of their achievements.

"They have worked incredibly hard to achieve such great results and this is a very exciting time for them as they go on to further education, employment or training.

"Our boys continue to rise superbly well to the challenge of the new GCSE subjects and achieved great results.

"This year, our learners have achieved excellent GCSE results, and they have worked incredibly hard on their remote learning to ensure they have no gaps in their knowledge prior them taking up their colleges places, apprenticeships and employment from September.

"Many of our boys were incredibly proactive and showed great initiative and independence by having already secured and commenced their apprenticeships in August- ahead of the curve and showing how committed they are to building successful futures for themselves. The excellent GCSE results achieved this year are a credit to our fantastic learners, their families and our highly skilled, specialist staff team."

The school achieved a record number of grade 9s, the highest GCSE grade possible. There was 'excellent' performance in mathematics, English Language, English Literature, the Sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics), Product Design, Computing, Fine Art and Photography.

"We're incredibly proud of all our boys and their superb achievements," said Ms Vickers.

"Not only have they achieved great academic success, but they also leave us as well-rounded young men, who are ambitious for the exciting future that lies ahead of them. We wish them the very best of luck, as they go into in to the world as Tomorrow’s Successful Men."

The percentage of learners achieving a grade 9-4 in both Maths and English was 58%, and the percentage of those achieving grades 9-5 in both maths and English was 39%. We are the school of choice for high achieving boys with several of our learners achieving a record number of the highest grades, grades 8 & 9 and Distinction * grades in their BTEC (vocational courses).

The turbulence in the education system over the past few weeks has generated a lot of uncertainty and anxiety for young people, during a year that was stressful enough with many children not being able to attend their schools since March.

Ms Vickers said the school has a highly skilled, specialist staff team here at UBHS who always give 100% to ensuring their classes achieve only the very best results.

This has never been more evident than through the ‘lockdown’ period when teachers were home schooling their own children as well as delivering lessons, and facilitating online learning for all of their teaching groups.

Ms Vickers said: "Success at GCSE level relies on the culmination of hard work from the young people themselves, the best academic and pastoral support from school, and amazing parenting.

"We look forward to welcoming our new year 7 boys to our high achieving school as they join the UBHS team next month, and we are incredibly excited about reopening our doors to all our learners again, and having all children back in school learning in our classrooms.

"Throughout the lockdown period our staff team have worked hard on developing our school site so that when we do welcome children back in September, UBHS will be an even more exciting, stimulating and engaging learning environment for all our young people to succeed and thrive.”