Connaught Recognised for High Attainment

Connaught School for Girls been recognised for high attainment in the 2009 GCSE exams at an awards ceremony held in London by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust.

Connaught was one of 471 schools across the country that achieved all of the following criteria:

• 60% or more 5+A*-C results including English and maths
• 53.7% (national average) or more 2+A*-C results in science subjects.
• 31.6% (national average) or more 1+A*-C results in modern foreign languages.

Elizabeth Reid, Chief Executive of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, said:

'Congratulations to all the specialist schools and academies that have met the criteria for our high attaining awards. These schools are enabling more young people to reach their full potential and succeed in the 21st century. It is important we celebrate these achievements as they are the product of hard work and dedication by school leaders, teachers and students. By sharing best practice and partnering with other schools through the SSAT's networks, they are also helping to deliver improvements across the whole school system.'

The ceremony and dinner was held at Kings Place, London on Tuesday 9 March. Guest speaker, Schools Minister Vernon Coaker, said:

'It's encouraging to see so many specialist schools and academies achieving such high standards - a tribute to the hard work of pupils, teachers and schools.
'With the huge leap in standards over the last 13 years, schools now have to be not just very good, but truly excellent to distinguish themselves. In 1997 for example, one in two schools were falling short of the benchmark of 30 per cent of their pupils getting five or more good GCSEs - including maths and English. Today that figure is around one in 12 meaning the best schools have to work harder to stay ahead - and so it's great to be celebrating the achievements of these top performers.