'Exceptional' results send school to top of the class in Rotherham

Wingfield Academy is celebrating after achieving the top spot for all Rotherham schools for its outstanding GSCE English and Maths results.

The 900-student academy, part of the New Collaborative Learning Trust, saw 53 per cent of students achieving GCSE grade 5 or above in English Language and Maths - an 11 per cent improvement from 2022, and putting the school ahead of all others in the town.

Eighty per cent of students at the school – which received a “good” Ofsted inspection from 2017 to 2022 - achieved a grade 4 or above in Maths and English, with the academy also seeing a 'value-added progress score' significantly above the national average.

To mark the record-breaking occasion, a celebration event took place at the mixed gender academy on Wingfield Road where successful GSCE students were rewarded for their hard work at a badge-giving ceremony.

Executive headteacher Phil Davis, said: “Having spent half my career here, I have watched it grow from strength to strength.

“My immovable belief that Wingfield Academy could be one of the best schools in Rotherham has been realised, following five years of outstanding GCSE results.

“These results are excellent.

“No other school in Rotherham stands near us and we are improving year on year.

“The results, combined with the Progress 8 score of 0.69 - which evaluates students’ progress from the beginning of their secondary education to their GCSE exams - means we are also offering exceptional value added to their educational journey.”

Wingfield Academy serves a ward that sits in the top six per cent most deprived areas in England, with Rotherham itself the 52nd most deprived district in the country.

Percentage rates for degrees in the borough are well below the national average, while the percentage of adults with no qualifications is above the national average.

Mr Davis added: “Despite this, the school has established a culture of high expectations for students, a strategy which has helped strengthen its outcomes for learners, thereby making it an increasingly popular choice with parents.”

“We are now significantly over subscribed.

“This is testament to the hard work of my staff and the exemplary behaviour and attitude of our young people.

“The high expectations for student progress and conduct are integral to day-to-day life here.”

“I am also proud of our recognition by the Department for Education as a national lead school for behaviour.

Gareth Barker, school advisor, former pupil, and chief operating officer at Sheffield Forgemasters International, said: “These results are exceptional.

“Wingfield Academy is a very special place.

“The staff are child-centred, progress-focused and allow amazing young people to grow and thrive.

“The relentless pursuit of a child’s best is at the heart of every decision the staff make, and we believe going the extra mile is necessary in achieving that goal.

“The students are the hardest working children in Rotherham where core values of respect, responsibility and resilience are nurtured from the start.”