Stamford Welland Academy rated 'well below average' in secondary school league tables announced by Government

A school in Stamford has been rated 'well below average' for the amount of academic progress its pupils make.

Secondary school league tables announced by the Government today (Thursday, February 6) show the progress score for Stamford Welland Academy is the second lowest in Lincolnshire. Only one other mainstream academy and five special schools received lower results.

Stamford Welland Academy's progress score for 2019 was -0.7 giving it the rating 'well below average'.

This reveals a gradual decline in performance by the school over the past three years.

In 2017 it had a score of -0.39 and was rated 'below average'.

In 2018 this went down to -0.52 (well below average), before falling even further last year.

A score of zero shows 'average' progress for pupils between Year 7 and Year 11, with any positive score showing pupils made better than expected progress.

A negative score shows pupils made less progress than expected.

Vicky Lloyd, principal at Stamford Welland Academy, responded to today's announcement by referring the Mercury to a letter sent to parents in October, when initial and less detailed progress data was released.

In the letter, she said: "We are obviously disappointed with that figure as a school, however, there is significant context behind it.

"Firstly, last year’s cohort consisted of 56 students with only 50 students counting in the overall figure, because students must have end of Key Stage 2 SATS test data to count.

"The impact individual students can have on such a small cohort is significant.

"Of those 50 students, two students sat no exams at all, but still have to count in headline figures.

"In addition, out of the cohort of 56 students, only 29 students actually started at Stamford Welland Academy in Year 7."

Mrs Lloyd added that: "We are proud of the fact that we are an inclusive school which gives students a chance – often when other schools have given up on them and, given their starting points and personal circumstances, many of last year’s cohort achieved beyond their own and our expectations.

"Having analysed the results carefully, all of the students who achieved a P8 score of above 0, were students who started Stamford Welland Academy in Year 7, which is excellent news for us and demonstrates the good work that goes on here."

State secondary schools' progress in this area:

Bourne Grammar 0.79 well above average

Casterton College, Great Casterton 0.68 well above average

Bourne Academy 0.59 well above average

Catmose College, Oakham 0.53 well above average

Prince William School, Oundle 0.25 above average

Uppingham Community College 0.18 average

Arthur Mellows Village College, Glinton 0.08 average

The Deepings School -0.06 average

Stamford Welland Academy -0.7 well below average

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