Dear all,

I hope this finds you well, and that you have had a wonderful summer holiday. I am writing for two reasons: to share some news of our exam results this summer, and to remind parents of some key information for September.

Exam Results

Many of you will remember that, back in 2019, I outlined that improving results would be one of our top priorities. 

Beaufort's final set of results that summer saw just 47% of GCSE grades awarded at 9-4 (A* to C in old money). The school's Progress 8 score (which measures the progress students make from Year 7 to Year 11) was -1.04, placing the school in the bottom 1% of all secondary schools.

Sixth Form results were similar - just 15% of A Level grades were A*- B, and only 25% of vocational grades were a Distinction or Distinction*. 

With exams in 2020 and 2021 disrupted by COVID-19, we have not been able to share our progress over the last three years. I am therefore thrilled to be able to share how our incredible Year 11 and 13 students did this summer:

At GCSE

• The % of grades at 9-4 increased to 72% (from 47%). This is an increase of 25%, meaning the number of pass grades has gone from below half to nearly three quarters of all our GCSE results. 

• The average grade achieved has gone from a 3.4 to a 4.5

• We don't yet know progress scores as these are not confirmed until later in the year, but we are confident we have made huge strides forward

At Sixth Form

• The % of grades at A*-B has gone from 15% to 62%. This means the number of grades at B or above has quadrupled, and places us within just 4% of The Crypt (our nearest grammar school). 

• The average A Level grade has gone from a D to a B

• The % of vocational grades has gone from 25% to 75%

• The average vocational grade has gone from a Merit to a Distinction

I hope that you will join me in congratulating our fantastic Year 11 and 13 cohorts in their success. They have faced so much over the last three years, and just completing their exams would have been a huge achievement. To make such incredible progress during the most disrupted time in education since World War II is testament to their determination, and belief that hard work will always pay off.

I hope that this will also show that the school has come a very long way since 2019. We still have far more to do, but I am very grateful to all of you for the trust you place in our staff every day, and I am excited already for how well we expect our new Year 11 and 13 cohorts to do this year!

Back to School Reminders

I also wanted to remind parents of some key information before returning to school.

1. Returning to School

Students return to school on Wednesday 7th September. Year 7 and 12 should arrive for 08:30. All other students should arrive for 11:15, coming in through the bottom playground as normal. 

2. Timetables

Students can view their timetables on Edulink, and we will be issuing paper copies on Wednesday.

3. Uniform and Equipment

As always, we're very keen to ensure students have a smooth start to the academic year. Please can I ask for your support with making sure your child's uniform is correct. In particular, please can I remind parents of two particular things:

• First, that trousers should be a sufficient length (down to the shoe, with black socks). 

• Second, the only facial piercings that can be worn are a single pair of plain silver or gold studs in the earlobe. 

4. Building Works

As many of you are aware, we are currently refurbishing the Sports Centre. Building work is scheduled to finish by the end of the month. In the meantime, there may be some disruption to PE lessons - the PE Department will let you know if this is likely to have an impact. 

5. John Dix Bus

Mr O'Gallagher has already been in touch over the holidays regarding our new bus route with John Dix. I have attached the full details, including the final timetable below.

If you would like to sign up, please do so via ParentPay as soon as possible as places are limited.  

Please note that on the first day of term, the bus will run according to its normal schedule. Any Years 8-11 or 13 are welcome to wait in the library until their year groups start school at 11:15.

6. New students

A final reminder that if your child is new to Year 7, you can find the checklist of tasks to complete before starting school here. 

I look forward to seeing your children on Wednesday,

Best wishes,

Mr Farmbrough

Headteacher