Harmonize Academy in Liverpool has made a successful ‘significant changes’ application to the DfE to create additional student places. From the beginning of the September 2021 academic year, the number of students was officially increased from 104 to 150.
The ‘significant changes’ application involved a rigorous and challenging process, requiring Harmonize to clearly demonstrate they have a strong team with educational expertise capable of managing and governing the increased student intake.
Children who joined Canary Wharf College East Ferry, one of the first cohort of free schools to open in the heart of the East End of London, have worked their way from joining the embryo school in Year 2, to receiving their Year 11 GCSE results.
The students who joined in 2011 to came through the whole of Key Stage 2 in the primary and continue into Canary Wharf College Crossharbour secondary school, received an astounding 94% 9-4 grade pass rate.
The superb A-levels outcomes will have secured the first cohort of Year 13 students with places at top leaving destinations. These include 13% achieving straight A*s and two students gaining entrance to medical school, with the majority of other students obtaining access to top Russell Group universities.
Jane Davies, Headteacher commented: “Throughout a very challenging two years of disrupted
learning, our students have demonstrated considerable resilience and adapted every step of the way
to ensure that they achieved the grades they deserve. I am very proud of both students and teachers
as it has been a terrific team effort all round.”
One student commented, “It’s relieving to know that lots of pieces of work have come together to
decide our final grades. It feels really satisfying.”
Operational Headteacher, Ben Webster said, “After the uncertainty and disruption of the last two years it has been fantastic to see our students get the grades they worked hard for and thoroughly deserve. While the performance tables are not operating this year, we are proud that our grades are in line with previous years and reflect our usual year-on-year improvement in results”.
Students at Holy Trinity School and Sixth Form Centre in Kidderminster are now looking forward to taking up their places in the school’s sixth form and continuing their education journey.
Deputy Head Mrs Rebecca da Costa commented: “It has been wonderful to see our students receive their well earnt results this morning. Their GCSE journey has been severely disrupted due to Covid, but their resilience and determination has been recognised and rewarded today.”
Speeches were also given by Charlie Clapham (Head Boy), William Shipp (Deputy Head Boy), Jessica Ward (Junior Head Girl) and Yanis Osmali (Junior Head Boy), who spoke eloquently and with great pride about their new facilities and their experiences of the journey to develop the school. Founding proposers: Julia Rangasamy (trustee); Rafil Khatib (trustee); Howard Morris (Chair of Governors) and Michaela Khatib (Executive Head) also spoke, alongside Ian Edwards (Director) from Willmott Dixon.
The research, commissioned to mark ten years since the first free schools were approved to open, covers pupil attainment, popularity with parents, and teacher workforce.
Findings show free schools are the top performing type of school at GCSE; that 16-19 free schools are the highest performing post-16 providers; that free schools are more popular with parents than the closest neighbouring schools; and that free schools are more likely to be rated Outstanding by Ofsted.