Skipton school that turned ‘success’ from a slogan into reality (From Craven Herald)

Skipton school that turned ‘success’ from a slogan into reality

3:30pm Sunday 11th October 2009 in Search Module

“Success for You” is the bold message that greets pupils going through the gates at Aireville School.

And the headteacher of the Skipton school – which has specialist sports status – is determined to make the new slogan a reality.

But it’s not just all about the three-foot-high lettering at the school gates or the new, glossy prospectus – there is also a new confidence about the school.

Mark O’Neill took over as head at the start of 2009 and in the summer saw the school’s GCSE results exceed all expectations.

Sixty seven per cent of pupils achieved five GCSEs at grades A* to C, excluding English and maths – an increase of 28 per cent from last year.

In addition, 43 per cent of pupils achieved five GCSEs at A* to C including English and maths – a 6 per cent increase on 2008.

The school also broke its target for average point score – an acknowledged indicator of the breadth of a school’s overall improvement.

It was a fantastic achievement for a school that only three years ago was put into special measures.

But, as important as GCSE results are, Mr O’Neill wants to make sure every child, whatever his or her interests or abilities, is given the right tools to flourish.

And he wants to reassure parents, who are about to receive the results of selection tests, that children will succeed at Aireville – whether they are academic or want to follow a more vocational route to work.

“Our main aim at Aireville is to make sure that every child, no matter what their interests and abilities are, is given the tools and the motivation to achieve success,” he said.

Mr O’Neill said it was his intention to prove to Skipton that the town had three excellent schools – Aireville, Skipton Girls’ High School and Ermysted’s Grammar School. “The people of Skipton deserve three really good choices and I want to show them we can do that,” he said.

“Aireville has lots to offer – it has the right education for every child. It can stretch the academic as well as support those who are looking for a more vocational approach to work.”

Two years ago, the school widened its curriculum and started offering more BTEC courses.

“In year 10, students choose from several pathways – academic courses for sixth form, college and university, and the vocational diploma and BTEC courses for practical, active learners who want to move on to college or apprenticeships,” said Mr O’Neill.

“The work-based learning pathway combines work skills with practical experience, providing the ideal grounding for future employment.”

The school recognises that it needs to improve its English results. To this end, children are assessed as they enter the school and, if necessary, put on an accelerated literacy programme to bring reading levels up to what is expected.

The school also has 30 minutes of quiet reading each morning when every child is allowed to read a book of their choice – within reason.

Mr O’Neill says it’s all about “going back to basics” and teaching pupils how to learn.

He says a legacy of lower literacy in primary schools means that a number of pupils arriving at secondary school have reading ages of just seven or eight years old.

“If nothing is done about it, you are always playing catch up, so one of the first things we do is put an acceleration process in place,” he said.

The focus on literacy also means older, more proficient readers read with the younger pupils.

The school is also in the process of introducing a new interactive computer system which will allow pupils to upload homework on to the school website and get it marked.

They will also be able to access lessons at home and parents will be able to access pupils’ reports and assessments.

The school has also completely reviewed its additional needs structure – both for pupils at the lower achieving end of the scale and for gifted and talented children, who equally need special treatment.

In the next week or so, parents across Craven will be receiving the results of selection exams which will determine where their children will attend school from September next year.

And, to reassure parents, he plans to hold an open day at the school for parents and new pupils.

“I want to make the school as open as possible, so anyone who wants to come in can pop in and see for themselves,” he said.

After just nine months in the job, Mr O’Neill says he is confident of the school’s future and continued success. “I’ve had a fantastic nine months, I’m really excited about the results and I’m excited about the staff and the pupils,” he said.

“Certainly, last year’s year 11 were very proud of their achievements, but a school is only as good as its next set of results. But we are absolutely sure, with the changes in place in combination with intervention programmes, we will continue to achieve.”