Record results at co-op schools

Students and teachers at Sutherland Co-operative Business & Enterprise College in Telford celebrated a dramatic improvement in results. 

The percentage of students with five A*–C grades at GCSE including English and maths increased from 33 per cent to 60 per cent, with the school achieving the best results for a comprehensive in the borough. 

Sutherland serves a number of local estates and became a co-operative school in 2008 with sponsorship from Midcounties Society. The turnaround in achievement has been rapid, as the school received a notice to improve from Ofsted last September. 

Student Amber O’Sullivan gained ten A*s and eight As in a total of 22 outstanding GCSE passes. She said: “I am over the moon with these results and am so happy to have done so well. I worked really hard and had lots of support from my teachers.” 

Midcounties Chief Executive Ben Reid commented: “These results demonstrate the Movement’s strategy for engaging with schools is working to the benefit of learners and the communities we serve. I hope the Government will see the benefits of co-op schools and support their development. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Sutherland.” 

Other co-operative schools saw big improvements in their results. Among the highlights were: 

• Orwell High School, Felixstowe, where 50 per cent of students achieved 5 A*–C GCSE grades — a 25 per cent increase on 2009

• Wrockwardine Arts College, Telford, where 60 per cent of students gained 5 A*–C — a 17 per cent increase on last year

• Temple Moor High School & Science College, Leeds, where results improved by 21 per cent with 63 per cent of students gaining 5 A*–C 

Mervyn Wilson, Principal of the Co-operative College, which has worked with the Co-operative Group and other societies to establish co-operative schools, told the News: “We extend our warmest congratulations to all of the students and staff on these remarkable results. We have always believed that working in a clear framework of co-operative values and directly engaging the community through co-operative models can help bring about a sustainable transformation in achievement.”