Academy aims for more success
As another year begins, students and staff at the Academy at Shotton Hall have a bumper year to better with 2016 heralding some landmark successes for the Peterlee school.
The year began with an Ofsted inspection for their school-based teacher training courses, which resulted in the award of the school’s third consecutive “outstanding” badge.
Inspectors praised the excellent training on offer, commenting that newly-qualified teachers from the school’s courses “are professionals from day one”.
Next was the school’s GCSE results, which were not only the best in their history, but the top results in County Durham overall, with 81% of students passing English and maths at grades A* - C and 80% passing 5 or more GCSEs at A*-C including English and maths.
Impressively, a third of all students achieved at least three A or A* grades with 20% achieving five or more A or A* grades
Finally, September saw the expansion of their North East Learning Trust to include Teesdale School and Sixth Form in Barnard Castle with Easington Academy and Diamond Hall Juniors in Sunderland also beginning the process to join the Trust.
Hopefully 2017 will mean even more success for Shotton Hall.
With an exciting school musical currently in rehearsals, visits from Lords and foreign ministers booked, overseas trips planned and sports competitions in the pipeline, there will no doubt be plenty more to be proud of.